Bad weather spoils Todt’s Epsilon Euskadi visit

Bad weather on Tuesday prevented Jean Todt from visiting the headquarters of hopeful 2011 formula one team Epsilon Euskadi.

The FIA president was in Spain for meetings with government and motor racing officials, and had been due to fly to Azkoitia in the Basque Country to inspect the team’s facilities after it expressed interest in racing next year.

But local reports said strong winds at Madrid’s Torrejon de Ardoz airport halted the flight, and the Frenchman’s itinerary was too tight for a rescheduling.

However, Spain’s Diario Sport newspaper insists that Todt already supports Epsilon Euskadi’s F1 project, after many years of knowing its principal and F1 veteran Joan Villadelprat.

“Todt knows very well that Epsilon has first class facilities,” read the report.

The newspaper added that Todt will attempt to inspect the facility at a later date.

“First of all I want to thank Mr Todt and Mr (Carlos) Gracia … for their interest and their willingness to organise this visit and the efforts until the last minute that the meeting take place,” said Villadelprat.

“It was important to present the project to the president of the FIA, both as regards to the possibility of entering formula one and for other projects in the automotive field we are working on,” he added.

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