04/02/2007
NEWS STORY
Speaking following the official announcement that Abu Dhabi has secured a place on the Formula One World Championship calendar from 2009, Bernie Ecclestone admitted that ideally he would like to expand the schedule to 20 races.
"We are aiming for 20 races," he told reporters. "At the moment we have got five countries waiting to see if we can put a race there, I think we are now well served in this part of the world.
Referring to the fact that the Middle East now has two races, he said: "I am sure that Bahrain and Abu Dhabi will work closely together to make sure Formula One is very successful in this part of the world, which is very important. We're very committed to Abu Dhabi. It's one of the great places in the world. We have a seven-year contract, but I'm sure the race will go on forever."
This year the calendar drops to 17 races following the decision to drop the San Marino Grand Prix. Hockenheim and the Nurburgring have agreed to alternately host the German Grand Prix, while Ecclestone had asked the French to 'share' a race with Britain, a move that was accepted on one side of the English Channel but not the other.
With countries eager to jump on the F1 bandwagon, and, more importantly, having the necessary funding to pay Ecclestone's fees, there is a growing threat to F1 in Europe, the sport's traditional fan base.
As part of his drive to take F1 into new markets, but still retain TV viewing figures, Ecclestone is hoping to bring night racing to the sport.
"I was the one who suggested it," he admitted, "so we'll wait and see. I would like to do one or two night races. It could be good in Japan or China."
Traditionally, the races in the east, which are broadcast (live) in the early hours in Europe, fail to attract the same sort of viewing figures as events broadcast in mid-afternoon. Ecclestone sees night races as a means of keeping everyone happy.