Bernie Ecclestone has denied distributing the draft 2014 calendar that found its way into team bosses’ hands at Monza.
The schedule features a record 21 grands prix, but F1 chief executive Ecclestone insisted the real calendar “hasn’t been produced yet”. “I’m saying there is no draft calendar,” he told Reuters. Ecclestone also told the British broadcaster Sky: “It wasn’t (released by) us.”
Indeed, two venues not included – New Jersey and Valencia – were taking news of the release of the draft calendar tentatively. “We have no official notification that the race is not going to happen,” Jose Ciscar, vice president of the Valencia government, is quoted by El Pais.
And when asked about New Jersey, American FIA official Nick Craw said the draft calendar “contains more events than can be accommodated (and) doesn’t contain some events that might be accommodated”.
Beat Zehnder, team manager at Sauber, agreed that the calendar doing the rounds at Monza is almost certainly subject to change. “Especially the number of races,” he told Speed Week. “To really have 21 races would require the consent of all eleven teams. And in all likelihood that is not going to happen.”
Info: GMM
