F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone said on Thursday that "no amount of money can secure Qatar a place on the Formula One calendar because nearby Bahrain effectively has the power to veto any plans to hold a race there," according to Alan Baldwin of REUTERS. Ecclestone said that the Middle East could "easily support three races a year financially but there were contractual obstacles to more than two happening." There has "recently been talk of a race in Doha, with the Qataris eager to add to a list of major sporting events in the country," including the "controversial" 2022 World Cup finals, possibly as early as '17. Ecclestone: "It was an idea I thought would work." Ecclestone said that talks had taken place with the Qataris for a race that "some reports have suggested would have paid" $78.5M a year in hosting fees. He added, "I made a deal with the people in Bahrain and they said, 'If we are going to be something new in this area, which we are, will you give us a guarantee you won't put another race on in the area, in the Gulf?' I said yes. Typical Ecclestone handshake deal with the Crown Prince" (REUTERS, 12/11). The AP reported Bahrain, which first hosted an F1 race in '04, "has to approve other races in the region following an agreement with Ecclestone." The country did agree to "allow a second race in the Middle East in Abu Dhabi" since '09. Qatar has a facility in Losail that "hosts MotoGP and World Superbikes, while the annual FIA gala was held in Doha last week" (AP, 12/13).
F1 STEPS IN: Baldwin reported in a separate piece South Korea "does not want a Formula One race next year but it was included on the calendar anyway for legal reasons," according to Ecclestone. He said, "They (local organisers) would rather it not happen. We have a contract with Korea ... we have to put it on the calendar. If we hadn't have done they could have sued us. We let them off for a year on the understanding they would be back." The "unpopular race" was dropped for '14, "with promoters seeking to reduce the hosting fees, and many had doubted it would return." Sports insiders suggested its reappearance had "more to do with the engine regulations, which state that if there are more than 20 races on the calendar the allocation of power units remains at five a season per driver instead of four" (REUTERS, 12/12).
