F1's governing body has only limited power to safeguard historic destinations on the annual calendar, FIA President Max Mosley told journalists in London on Wednesday.

With traditional host nation France missing from the 2009 calendar, it is now feared that the forthcoming switch of the British Grand Prix rights from Silverstone to Donington could result in another established nation dropping out of F1.

It was believed that the FIA has the power to step in and prevent F1's commercial rights holder from replacing certain of the sport's traditional races with new venues.

But Mosley insists it is not as simple as that, revealing that while the FIA does have a say, Formula One Management Chief Executive Bernie Ecclestone is not bound to preserve historic venues.


"We have to be reasonable as to the financial terms and facilities (of races on the calendar)," Mosley said. "The FIA can't put pressure on Bernie to race in the UK for less than other countries would pay for us to race elsewhere."

Mosley did, however, seem to express concern about the endangerment of the British round, describing the country as ‘the home of Grand Prix racing’, having hosted the very first world championship race in 1950.

E.A, Source: GMM
© CAPSIS International

 

I would hate to see more classic venues go. Silverstone was a brilliant track. I think Bernie dropped it because Hamilton won there.