South Africa Grand Prix 'on the way'
Thursday 7th July 2011
Bernie Ecclestone claims a South African GP could happen "within two years".
However, officials in the country are treating remarks from the Formula One supremo with scepticism.
South Africa last held an F1 grand prix at the Kyalami circuit, 25 miles north of Johannesburg, in 1993.
Although there have since been many rumours of a race returning to that part of the world, nothing has ever come to fruition.
Ecclestone, however, has revealed he is now close to concluding a deal for a grand prix to be staged in Cape Town.
"We're open and happy to try to do something. I think we're maybe a little bit closer than we have been for a long time," he told South Africa's Eyewitness News.
"As soon as we get a contract in place, which we are working on now, then it will go from there quickly I hope, within two years.
"This is the one that's serious and I'm hoping we're going to do something with this.
"It would be good to go back again. When we were there things went very, very well for us. Everybody was happy, so let's hope we can go back again. I'm hoping we're going to get this done."
When asked as to the timeframe of the signing of any contracts, the 80-year-old added: "As soon as our lawyers have a good look at them, within the next couple of weeks I suppose."
However, doubts have already been raised, simply due to the amount of money involved and in particular the fact that an event of this kind would need government support.
Esther Henderson, chief communications officer for Cape Town Grand Prix South Africa, told iafrica: "The annual licence fee we need to pay to Formula One amounts to US$40million (£25million).
"Infrastructure capital? We could be looking at US$15million (£9.3million), and then there is working capital.
"We have investors that are interested, but it is a Catch 22 situation because in order to give our investors security that this is happening, we need our national government's support."
According to George Nyabadza, chairman of Motorsport South Africa, an added complication is that the government would look for local interest in any race before offering such support.
"F1 enjoys very little support in countries where there is no representation," said Nyabadza.
"Only when we can wave our rainbow flag will there be public interest and national unity.
"The MSA board's current position is that it would only support the hosting of such an event in South Africa if it provided concrete benefits to the grassroots development of motorsport, which would happen under the auspices of MSA."
Credit: ESPN STAR (www.espnstar.com)
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