F1 could make its "long-awaited return to South Africa" as early as '16, according to Sameer Naik of INDEPENDENT ONLINE. Africa is the only continent without an F1 race and it would represent a "historic achievement should the event return to South Africa." F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone revealed he was in the process of "proposing terms for the country to figure on the world championship schedule again, hopefully from 2016, and with Cape Town as the venue." South Africa's bid team, known as CapetownGrandprixSA, said it had been in contact with Ecclestone from '00, and hoped it had come a "significant step closer to bringing the major sporting event back to the country." CapetownGrandprixSA COO Bjørn Buyst said it had been in communication with Ecclestone for many years, "sometimes with some success." He said, "Every step we get closer to hosting a Grand Prix in South Africa is a success for our bid team." The proposed venue is the Green Point Sport Precinct. While the bid team has submitted a layout for a proposed street circuit, "this has yet to be approved." Buyst: "This area is earmarked for sports events and we believe our street circuit going through the stadium will be a world first" (INDEPENDENT ONLINE, 2/23).
