Brazilian Grand Prix in Doubt
November 11: Interlagos will not host next year's Brazilian grand prix because it wastes public money.
The future of the Brazilian grand prix at Interlagos has been thrown into doubt with a court in Sao Paulo ruling that next year's race cannot take place because it wastes public money.
Judge Joao Andres de Vincenco ruled in the city's 12th district court that the contract for the race between the civic authorities and its promoter, International Promotions, must be suspended.
If work in preparation for the race, which is scheduled as the final round of the 2004 world championship on October 24, continues then the judge ruled that the promoter would be liable for a fine of $17,000 (£10,200) a day.
"This is a commercial issue and therefore not a matter for the governing body," said a spokesman for the FIA yesterday. Brazilian formula one insiders believe that the court's unexpected ruling is part of a political battle between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro over which city should host the race in the future.
However, there are problems with Rio. The city's mayor has confirmed that the Autodromo Riocentro at Jacarepagua, which hosted the grand prix from 1981 to 1989, is to be the site of the athletes' village for the Panamerican Games in 2007 in preparation for Rio's bid for the 2012 Olympics.
Judge Joao Andres de Vincenco ruled in the city's 12th district court that the contract for the race between the civic authorities and its promoter, International Promotions, must be suspended.
If work in preparation for the race, which is scheduled as the final round of the 2004 world championship on October 24, continues then the judge ruled that the promoter would be liable for a fine of $17,000 (£10,200) a day.
"This is a commercial issue and therefore not a matter for the governing body," said a spokesman for the FIA yesterday. Brazilian formula one insiders believe that the court's unexpected ruling is part of a political battle between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro over which city should host the race in the future.
However, there are problems with Rio. The city's mayor has confirmed that the Autodromo Riocentro at Jacarepagua, which hosted the grand prix from 1981 to 1989, is to be the site of the athletes' village for the Panamerican Games in 2007 in preparation for Rio's bid for the 2012 Olympics.
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