Russian GP could be postponed by IOC
The IOC says it could force Russian organisers to postpone a F1 race until 2015 to avoid any clash with the 2014 Winter Olympics.
F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone signed a six-year deal with Russian officials in October to hold grands prix in the Black Sea resort starting in 2014.
But the International Olympic Committee said Wednesday it will have the final say on whether the race goes ahead that year or in 2015.
"We really looked carefully," Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli said after receiving a progress report on the Sochi Olympic preparations.
"It is good to have the F1 grand prix in Russia and Sochi. However we do not want to have the facility, built for the grand prix, to put construction or preparation for the Games at risk."
"When we learned the GP could be organised in 2014 we wanted to know if it is an issue.
He says there is a clause in the F1 contract which allows the IOC to postpone the race by a year.
"In the contract they (Russian race organisers) signed there is an escape that if the IOC decides it is not feasible then it could be rescheduled in 2015."
Asked who would decide the postponing of the race, Felli said: "It is the IOC."
Credit: PlanetF1.com (www.planetf1.com)
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