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Ecclestone Close to Securing 2014 Russian GP

A couple of months ago, Bernie Ecclestone told the media that he's moving forward to securing approximately 25 races per season for the Formula One enthusiasts. Although that number is obviously too much for this kind of exclusive competition, the F1 supremo seems however eager to add new elements to the Great Circus in order to make it more attractive in new regions worldwide.

Such is the case of his latest project, the Russian Grand Prix. After securing Rome, Canada and the US for the upcoming few seasons – Rome is still regarded as a one-off round – the FOM executive told the media some time ago that there are currently three sites bidding to offer the base for the upcoming Russian GP.

From those three, he admitted favoring the city of Sochi, located near the Black Sea, as that particular place will host the 2014 Winter Olympics. According to a new report from business daily Vedomosti, it seems Ecclestone wants to pull the jackpot and push for a maiden Russian GP in 2014 also.

He (Ecclestone) suggests holding the first grand prix in autumn 2014,” said deputy regional development minister Yuri Reilyan, according to the aforementioned source. However, he emphasized the fact that he'll only give the go-ahead for the plans if the F1 boss can “guarantee that the race will definitely take place, and the circuit will not be abandoned in the future.

Russia currently doesn't have a world class facility for racing competitions, and it is believed the Sochi project will be built from scratch, while costing the local authorities some $200 million. In case the discussions between Ecclestone and the Russian officials go according to plan, it's likely the new complex will be located in the Imeretinskaya Valley and the track will be designed by Ecclestone's close friend, designer Hermann Tilke.
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