New reports suggesting Long Beach could return to F1’s annual calendar have emerged.<\/p>\n
Last year, bosses of the iconic US street race denied reports F1 figures had expressed interest in snapping up a deal when Indycar’s contract expires in 2015.<\/p>\n
Race president Jim Michaelian said then: “The race isn’t for sale and there’s been no contact between anyone and (owner) Kevin (Kalkhoven) about a sale.”<\/p>\n
But the Long Beach Press Telegram is now reporting that, at a meeting on Tuesday, the city council will discuss the issue of the race lease, claiming F1 bosses “want the city to open up the bidding process”.<\/p>\n
“We just want a fair process where qualified people can bid on it,” confirmed Chris Pook, F1’s original Long Beach pioneer who is now working closely with Bernie Ecclestone.<\/p>\n
“We would like to be one of those entities,” he confirmed.<\/p>\n
The Long Beach Press Telegram revealed that, in a letter to mayor Bob Foster last May, Ecclestone expressed interest in taking F1 back to the streets.<\/p>\n
“If you and the city council so determine, the opportunity to operate an automobile race through the city streets of Long Beach can be put out to open bid,” he wrote.<\/p>\n
“Please be advised that formula one is interested in returning to your city, and we will consider the appropriate entity to make such a bid if you decide to permit such a process,” Ecclestone added.<\/p>\n
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