Bernie Ecclestone is recognised as being a master illusionist. Indeed, it has long been recognised in the Formula 1 paddock that the 83-year-old regularly makes contentious comments to deflect attention from the (very) real issues at hand.
When, for example, Cape Town was mooted as a possible grand prix host, it soon became clear that South Africa's Mother City was being used as a pawn in contractual negotiations with Melbourne politicians, who hummed over contract extensions.
When faced with the prospect of an iconic southern hemisphere city on the same latitude snatching the race away from Albert Park, they stretched for their pens PDQ, signing a contract that dwarfs anything the fairest Cape may have offered.