The Nurburgring cannot pay next year's tax to Ecclestone

A spokesperson for the German circuit admitted that the track cannot pay the tax to host next season's Grand Prix, in fact we remind you that the Nurburgring alternates annually with Hockenheim as the location of the German GP.

The Nurbugring has been in serious financial problems for about a month, and an insolvency process is underway against it which could lead to bankruptcy, however last week some encouraging signs arrived from Germany, as the government of the Rhineland-Palatinate region approved a plan to lend the circuit the money needed to pay off its debts.

Furthermore ecclestone he had declared that he would do everything possible to keep the Grand Prix on the calendar.

However the head of Nurburgring Automotive Thomas Schmidt after expressing optimism last week, he now admits that the track cannot pay the annual tax a Bernie Ecclestone which should reduce it or even give up the latter.

“If Ecclestone accepts an offer without the typical fee, we can host Formula One for sure. Otherwise the matter is simple, we have no money."

Schmidt declared himself "optimistic" that a solution will be found, however he also added that a race of F1 “it is not strictly necessary” for the survival of the Nurburgring.

It also emerged that the European Commission has opened an investigation to verify the legality of the public aid received by the Nurburgring. In particular, the German circuit had already avoided bankruptcy in 2008 thanks to the arrival of state funds: according to European Union rules a company can receive aid only once in a 10-year period.

Stefano Rifici