Storm clouds gather over F1 European GP

ADAC president Hermann Tomczyk has told German newspaper Die Welt that the future of ADAC's high-profile motorsport events are in doubt. He said that the F1 European GP at the Nürburgring only makes money if more than 94 percent of the grandstand seats are sold. "If I don't make money, why should I continue hosting the event?" asked Tomczyk

Dec 5, 2003, 8:55 AM

Tomczyk claimed that the race in 2004 would be decisive, particularly as the current contract expires next year. "Should there not be a development, we have to think about the race's future", he said.

Tomczyk is also concerned about the German round of the WRC, the Deutschland Rallye. "For 20 years, people called for a German WRC round", he said. "Now we have had it twice - and nobody was interested."

The event attracted more than 250,000 spectators but little interest from the motorsport industry, and made a loss of ?700,000 this year. "Where is the industry, economy, politics? I do love the sport, but not that much that I'm not able to say: 'If there's no sense in doing it - goodbye.'"