The Nürburgring is threatened beyond 2011
Since 2008, the German Grand Prix has alternated every year between the Hockenheim circuit and the Nürburgring. If the initial plan was supposed to last until 2017, the new coalition leading the Rhineland-Palatinate state wants to stop the expenses as early as this year.
Since April, the Greens have been making it known that they oppose the 20 million euros paid to Bernie Ecclestone for each race. But this time, the threat is becoming even more precise. By 2016, there is exactly one Formula 1 Grand Prix financially subsidized by the Land, and it is 2011. And that’s it. After that, the subsidy tap will be shut off for Formula 1, declared Eveline Lemke, the Land’s Minister of Economy.
The German economic journal specifies that the accumulated deficit since 2003 reaches the modest sum of 55 million euros, 90% of which is borne by the Land since it pertains to its participation in Nürburgring GmbH, the company responsible for the circuit. For the 2011 edition, taking place this weekend, the coalition government of Social Democrats and Greens has budgeted 13.5 million euros as structural support for the green hell.
But for the Greens, these will be the last millions of public subsidies granted to host an F1 race. In our coalition agreement, it was clearly stated that subsidies must be reduced. We will not let it happen. The state cannot put more money. The lid has been put on, and the future is not at the Nürburgring.
This statement is all the more to be taken seriously as only Hockenheim has a contract beyond 2011, since the Baden-Württemberg circuit is assured of hosting the 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018 editions of the German Grand Prix, while the Nürburgring does not have any contract for upcoming events. A monument of motorsport is therefore clearly under threat.
With the participation of RacingBusiness.fr
