Former F1 Grand Prix venue Valencia "will not be penalised after dropping off the Formula 1 calendar," according to GRAND PRIX 247. Valencia race official Gonzalo Gobert earlier confirmed "the Spanish city, already absent from the 2013 and 2014 calendars, will definitively no longer host grands prix." On Friday, Valencian government VP Jose Ciscar said, "It appears there will be no Formula 1 in Valencia next year, and no penalty. If there is no race, there is no penalty" (GRAND PRIX 247, 10/12). In Madrid, Joaquín Ferrandis reported Valencian regional government President Alberto Fabra "left the door open to a future public-private cooperation when the economy improves" when asked if "the cancellation of the Grand Prix was permanent or temporary." Fabra "recognized that negotiations with F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone had been difficult because of a regulation demanding an expensive payment if the race was canceled." Regarding the race's potential return to Valencia, Fabra said, "If the circumstances are different, a private initiative is a possibility. A public-private collaboration is crucial in the future because the administration will not have money to do anything besides assuring the basic necessities" (EL PAIS, 10/16).
