Cape Town - Bernie Ecclestone says he has a plan to bring South Africa on board as a born-again member of the Formula One circus.
The little man’s previous involvement with our country has included time spent attending SA Grands Prix during his control of the Brabham F1 team in the 1970s. Then there was a private meeting with Nelson Mandela who allegedly turned down his request for special dispensation when the ban on tobacco advertising threatened a Formula One event here.
As far as a venue is concerned, the new Kyalami was rated among the 10 worst Formula One circuits in the world after the (only), two Grands Prix there, in 1992 and 1993. One description included phrases such as “a Mickey Mouse track that results in boring races”.
So where else? Here in the Cape nothing has come of a proposed circuit (planned at great expense by Germany’s master race architect Hermann Tilke), near our international airport. Or a technically interesting street circuit in Green Point that was going to include the Cape Town soccer stadium. Or ongoing mumbles about a Formula One project in the Malmesbury district.
BURNT FINGERS
Durban may be interested despite having upset ratepayers and burnt its fingers with their A1 Grand Prix street circuit. However, it has since hosted the vaguely similar Top Gear show and seems satisfied with the results.
But how will they meet the obscene cost of staging a world championship event. Only Britain and Austria (privately financed by Red Bull), have so far been able to manage without major state support.
Despite that, new names continue to appear in the calendar. This year it was Russia, with huge government backing. In 2015 Mexico is being added to the already too long 21-race calendar.
And finally, the international promotion of sports such as rugby, soccer and cricket will continue to flourish here because South Africans are involved. Sadly, we have never been able to revive the glorious Jody Scheckter F1 era.
Cape Argus