Bulgarian GP to Be Confirmed by Ecclestone Next Week

Bulgaria is to join the Formula One calendar in 2011. Although the news is yet to receive confirmation from either the FOM boss Bernie Ecclestone or the Bulgarian officials, it is believed the official partnership will be inked as early as the upcoming German Grand Prix.

The Focus news agency revealed on Thursday that the members of the Bulgarian Motorcycle Federation were invited by Ecclestone at Nurburgring, two weekends from now, to discuss the latest details on the issue and sign the papers.

According to the aforementioned source, Bulgaria will be part of the F1 calendar for an overall 5 years, beginning with 2011. The contract is subject to extension from 2015 onwards.

As reported by several media a few months ago, Bulgaria's Motorcycle Federation held a series of talks with Ecclestone for the construction of a bespoke Formula One circuit (to also host MotoGP races from 2012 onwards). Once the project will be given the go-ahead by the 78-year old Brit, the Eastern European government will immediately begin preparations for the building of the venue.

It's still at Nurburgring, through the duration of the German Grand Prix, that Ecclestone will also discuss the future of the Hockenheim Ring inside Formula One. Following the German government pulling their financial support for the Hockenheim circuit, Ecclestone is to meet with Baden-Wurttemberg premier Gunther Oettinger and discuss solutions to rescue the race,

For the time being, Hockenheim and Nurburgring are hosting the German Grand Prix on an alternative deal with the FOM. Should the former retire, the latter would be forced to become official host of the German race all by itself.