A dispute between the governing body of motorsport in Australia (CAMS) and the promoters of the Melbourne Grand Prix has threatened the races place on the 2011 calendar.
The promoters have asked that CAMS reduce the fee it charges, thought to be in the region of £500,000, to help organise the event. However, the organisation has refused to do so, and has threatened to write to the FIA to have the race removed from next seasons calendar if the matter isn’t solved by November 19th.
The chief of the event, Ron Walker, has flown to Abu Dhabi to meet with Bernie Ecclestone to find a solution and to see if the billionaire can aid negotiations between the two parties.
Walker though, isn’t too worried about the prospect of the race being dropped, as he sees it very unlikely that Jean Todt and Ecclestone will allow such a thing to happen.
“I am not worried, it won’t happen,” he told Autosport. “I know it is going to be resolved because there are powers that be, such as Mr Todt and Mr Ecclestone who are sure it will be resolved in an amicable way. But it is a pity it has gone this far.
“Now Mr Ecclestone has stepped in, saying, ‘I have a contract with the government of Victoria for five years, it is very concrete contract and I will not allow CAMS to take us off the calendar.'”
If it isn’t resolved amicably, Walker says he may turn to the organisers of the British GP at Silverstone or this weekends Abu Dhabi GP organisers to help run the show down under.
