Ecclestone Warns Belgium Over Tobacco Ban

Belgium could lose its Spa-Francorchamps Grand Prix unless the Belgian government reconsiders its stance on tobacco advertising, according to Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

Briton Ecclestone said that the Belgian government's insistence on not making the sport exempt to any ban on tobacco advertising could result in the Belgian Grand Prix being taken off the calendar in a near future.

The Malaysian and British governments have agreed to temporarily exclude Formula One from new anti-tobacco advertising, but Belgium is refusing to make changes to their policy for sport.

"I don't know what's going on with Belgian politicians," Ecclestone was quoted as saying in Le Soir newspaper. "Most countries are supporting their Grand Prix. If there are problems, they try to find a solution with us.

"Every year, I fight with the Belgians for their GP. It seems as if we've reached a point where they don't want their GP any more."

Next year's race in Belgium falls after the August 1 date when new tobacco advertising laws come into operation and requests to bring the September event forward have been rejected. If Belgium does lose its place on the world calendar, Bahrain, Turkey and China would all come into consideration, while Moscow is hopeful of hosting a Grand Prix in 2004.