Zoom Ecclestone still shaping Formula One

Despite previously pushing for a 20-race calendar, Bernie Ecclestone insists the weight of the 2009 schedule is 'about right'.

"No more races, we don't want any more," the F1 CEO said in interview with Bloomberg.

"We have too many races; we have to lose some," said the 77-year-old, even though the calendar is expanding from 18 to 19 races next year.

It is believed the new focus of Ecclestone's calendar efforts is for more night races, following the success of the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix last weekend.

Australia and Malaysia have agreed to delay their start times to the early evening in order to benefit the European television audience, even though Ecclestone insists the latter venue will 'for sure' become a night race in the future.

Future venues South Korea and India, meanwhile, may be persuaded to follow Singapore's lead and install floodlighting, while the American magazine Newsweek believes Abu Dhabi is already in talks to become a night race in 2009.

Ecclestone has declared that he wants Japan to also be a night race, and despite his desire for Korea and China to follow suit, the latter 'has never entertained' the concept, Newsweek reported.

Source: GMM
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