German F1 GP demise not Ecclestone's fault

Germany's F1 circuits, not Bernie Ecclestone, are to blame for the demise of the German grand prix.

That is the view of formula one legend Niki Lauda, after the sport's supremo Ecclestone declared the race essentially "dead" for 2015.

It will end Germany's six-decade run on the annual F1 calendar, and deprive Mercedes - for whom Lauda is the team chairman - of its home race.

"Of course it would be a shame if there is no grand prix in Germany this year," the triple world champion told Tagesspiegel newspaper.

"But in this case you have to say 'If the host is not able to organise a race, then this is not the fault of Bernie Ecclestone'," Lauda added.

This year, the Nurburgring was scheduled to host a mid-July round of the world championship, so if the circuit succumbs to financial troubles, "No one else can be blamed for it".

Lauda continued: "It is up to the organisers to make it a whole weekend event, as Austria, Silverstone, Spa and Melbourne are able to do so well."

See current 2015 F1 calendar.

About the author

Leopold

Leopold Pleijsier founded F1-Fansite.com in 2001 and has followed Formula 1 since the early 1980s. He writes about daily F1 news, race weekends, drivers and the sport’s history.

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