Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is pushing for a Formula 1 race in India in 2027 by addressing tax hurdles that led to the event's departure in 2013.
International Automobile Federation (FIA) vice president Carlos Gracia has defended his decision to declare Bahrain a safe destination for motor racing following criticism from Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
"The 2012 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar was confirmed as previously published," the International Automobile Federation said in a statement issued after a World Motor Sport Council meeting in New Delhi.
Motor racing chief Max Mosley, fighting to keep his job after a sex scandal, defended his behaviour, saying he is "the victim of a disgusting conspiracy". In a letter addressed to Peter Meyer, head of Germany's ADAC Automobile Club, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) president said his actions had been "harmless and completely legal".
The unprecedented shutdown of world sport in response to the coronavirus spread that has infected more than 134,000 people and killed around 5,000 also prompted organisers to postpone the Formula One motor races in Vietnam and Bahrain. The start of the lucrative Indian Premier League has also been postponed until April 15 as a "precautionary measure", the Board of Control for Cricket in India said.
Formula One will revert to its 2015 qualifying format at next week's Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai and for the remainder of the season, the governing FIA said in a statement on Thursday after backing down in the face of opposition from teams.
