New Jersey, Mexico, South Korea fail to make cut for 2014 F1 season

The Formula One motorsport series will retain a 19-race schedule next season after provisional plans to include events in New Jersey, Mexico and South Korea were scrapped.

The three destinations had been granted provisional status on a calendar published by the FIA, motor sport’s global governing body, in September, potentially swelling the 2014 calendar to a record 22 races.

However, they have been removed from a final schedule released today following a meeting of the FIA's World Motor Sports Council in Paris.

Having been initially scheduled to make its debut as the United States’ second race this season, organisers of the New Jersey Grand Prix of the Americas are now targeting a place on the 2015 calendar.

The New York street race, which had been scheduled for June 1 next year on the provisional 2014 calendar, has been postponed while organisers attempt to secure “restructured financial arrangements for a 2015 race”.

The addition of the race, which would have taken place against the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline, has been a long-time goal of Formula One Group chief executive Bernie Ecclestone.

“There is great demand for a race in New Jersey and I have no doubt we'll be racing at Port Imperial in 2015,” he said in a statement released by the race promoters. “New races can take many years to get started, but there is significant momentum and we are close to realising a New York City F1 race.”

Race promoter Leo Hindery added: “Our entire management team and our supporters in New Jersey, New York and throughout the Formula One community obviously want to see the inaugural Grand Prix of America at Port Imperial take place as soon as possible. Bringing a world-class race to the world's largest media market is a huge undertaking that has required balancing construction of our road course, without tapping any public money, with the sport's own timing demands.”

Mexico had been due to return to F1 for the first time in 22 years, but there have been concerns over the readiness of the proposed circuit in Mexico City.

There has also been long-running speculation over the future of the Korean GP, which has hosted a grand prix since 2010.

The race has been held at the remote location of Yeongam with initial visions of the circuit being the centrepiece of a ‘sports city’ development. However, this development has not transpired and the event has continually suffered from poor attendances.

The Indian Grand Prix had already been removed from the 2014 calendar, while Austria will return for the first time in a decade on June 22 and Sochi, which will host the winter Olympic Games earlier in the year, will stage Russia’s first F1 race on October 12.

The 2014 season will commence in Melbourne, Australia on March 16, with the Abu Dhabi GP securing the finale on November 23 in place of the Brazilian GP, which will take place a fortnight earlier.

source: Sportbusiness


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