Legal action won't stop Brazil

Brazilian Grand Prix bosses have dismissed fears that next year's race will be cancelled following a ruling by a local Sao Paolo city judge to suspend the promoter's contract to run the event at Interlagos next season, according to this week's AUTOSPORT magazine

Nov 12, 2003, 4:57 PM

Joao Andre de Vincenzo, who sits in Sao Paolo's 12th Public Finance Court, ruled last Friday that the race is suspended because of "the low revenue the city [gains] from such a big event." He has given International Promotions, which runs the event, 30 days to cease preparations for the October 24 race. If it ignores the ruling, the company will be fined £10,000 a day.

But in a letter sent to AUTOSPORT on Tuesday, race promoter Tamas Rohonyi said that the judgement has no foundation.

"There is a little smoke, but there is no fire," he said. "No judge can 'suspend' an existing legal contract, in this case a contract in place since 1989, when the then mayor of the city Ms Luiza Erundina da Silva brough the Brazilian GP to Sao Paolo."

Rohonyi insisted that next year's Brazilian GP, due to be run as the season finale, will take place as scheduled.