Prague Plans F1 Race in 2012

Now that most of the Formula One circuits are facing difficult financial times due to their continuous losses in the series, promoters around the world are aiming to make a name out of themselves by bringing the F1 actions in places where it has never traveled before.

After futuristic projects like Romania, Bulgaria or Russia, it is now time for the Czech Republic to step into the mix. According to recent reports in the country, Toni Charouz has already conducted a series of talks with circuit designed Hermann Tilke to set up a track near the centre of Prague that would host a Formula One GP in the upcoming few years.

“Formula One is the ambition. If we put on a good show with the DTM, then maybe we can have a grand prix, but we've got nothing on paper yet,” said Charouz, who has owned or managed teams in the Le Mans Series, A1 GP World Cup of Motorsport and DTM in the past.

According to Autoweek magazine, the part-permanent facility which is to be set up by Tilke would cost around $166m, but the project is currently pending on Bernie Ecclestone's go-ahead. The F1 supremo is known to be a fan of street racing in Formula One, as he publicly backed F1 projects such as Paris, Rome or even New York.

While those projects are yet to be materialized – the Rome GP seems to be the only one with decent chances of making the F1 calendar in the near future – the one regarding the city of Prague is almost 100 percent set up. According to Charouz, the planning for the Prague GP is “90 per cent complete.”

All the Czech entrepreneur has to do now is convince Ecclestone that the city of Prague deserves the honor of hosting an F1 race, as the last and only Czech driver to drive an F1 machinery was Tomas Enge, back in 2001.