APRIL 27, 2002

Shanghai is still out there...

WHILE much attention is centered at the moment on the battle over which country will hold a Grand Prix in the Middle East, the plans for new races in Moscow and Shanghai continue to be developed. According to some of those involved Moscow is now dependent on a television deal being sorted out and as soon as that is signed work will begin on the construction of a track which would be finished for 2004. The contract would then come into operation as soon as the building work was completed - if everything was done to the satisfaction of the F1 authorities.

The Chinese bid is believed to have backing from the government which wants to build a circuit at Anting, near Shanghai. Anting is the home of Shanghai Volkswagen but the Chinese want foreign car companies to invest in the area to turn it into the auto capital of China.

The Chinese were hoping to have the race track finished next year 2003 but the problem at the moment is that there are no spaces left on the F1 calendar. The next major gap in the calendar expected is in 2004 after the current Canadian GP contract runs out. There are believed to be negotiations under way for the Montreal contract to be extended and the race promoter Normand Legault was in the paddock in Barcelona. Montreal has been doing some work on the track in recent weeks with a new pitlane exit and extra run off at various places around the track.