Belgian F1 Hopes Rise after Ecclestone Meeting

Bernie Ecclestone has assured Belgians that he will do what he can to reinstate their Formula One Grand Prix next year, a leading politician said on Wednesday.

Serge Kubla, Economy Minister for the southern French-speaking region of Wallonia, met the Formula One supremo in London to discuss the possible return of a race cancelled this year due to local anti-tobacco legislation.

"Mr Ecclestone told me that he would do everything he can to bring back the Grand Prix to Spa-Francorchamps and even for next year," he told RTBF radio.

"For that, he saw two possibilities: Substitute a date of another GP or reach an agreement with the teams to find a new date," he added.

"Mr Ecclestone assured me that he was 100 percent behind a return of the Grand Prix to Spa and, in my eyes, the worst thing that could happen now would be that the GP comes back in 2005 and not 2004".

In another boost for Belgian hopes, Belga news agency reported that the country's Senate Commission for Social Affairs had voted 9-4 on Wednesday with four abstentions to approve a so-called "Francorchamps bill".

The bill, in its early stages, would push back a ban on tobacco advertising from next month to July 31, 2005 when a European Union ban comes into force.

Three of the top four teams in Formula One - Ferrari, McLaren and Renault - are sponsored by tobacco companies and a vote not to go to Spa this year was taken by the teams.

Team boss Frank Williams said last month that he suspected Ecclestone had listed Belgium on the provisional 2004 race calendar already.

The race is a favourite for many drivers, including Ferrari's World Champion Michael Schumacher who made his debut at Spa in 1991 and took his first win there in 1992.

Next season will see the arrival of new circuits in Bahrain and China while Austria has been dropped. The return of Spa would likely force another European race off the calendar.