Report

Ecclestone casts doubts on Austin F1 race in 2012

After a five-year absence, the United States is set to gain two Formula One races within the next two years: one in Austin, Texas, and another in New Jersey. But recent comments vocalized by F1's ever-outspoken commercial chief Bernie Ecclestone have cast doubt on the former.

Speaking at this past weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Ecclestone has been quoted as saying that progress on building the Circuit of the Americas that's set to host the United States Grand Prix next year is lagging behind schedule. According to the ESPN report, Ecclestone says the relevant parties behind the project on the ground have "forgotten to talk to each other."

Does that mean the race won't happen? Hardly. Setbacks, of course, happen all the time with construction projects like this one, and similar concerns have been expressed over new venues such as the Indian Grand Prix, the Korean Grand Prix and the aforementioned Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that have been successively added to the calendar over the past three years.

The American race, however, isn't the only one who's future is in doubt. Financial concerns stand to cancel the Turkish Grand Prix next season, and after political unrest caused the removal of the Bahrain Grand Prix from this year's calendar, there's no telling what continuing tumult in the Middle East could mean for the prospect of F1 racing there.

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