Problems in Bucharest

The forthcoming GP Masters event in Bucharest appears to be in danger because the promoter seems to be having second thoughts about fees he needs to pay to the series taking part. German Hartmut Beyer has already invested considerable money to get the event off the ground, buying all the racing infrastructure from Bilboa in Spain and shipping it to Romania by train. The city has also had to be paid a rental fee for the use of public areas and for the modifications which were necessary to get facility to the right standard.

All this investment means that breaking even in the first year is going to be a problem and it seems that Beyer is trying to renegotiate the terms of his deals with the different racing organisations involved. The races are due to take place on May 20 and big crowds are expected with the track running around celebrated Casa Poporului, known these days as The House of the People, that was built in the 1980s by communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu. It is the second largest building in the world, standing 84m high. Today it houses the Romanian parliament and a conference centre and the city mayor Adriean Videanu sees the race meeting as an important way to attract tourists and thus foreign investment in the country.

grandprix.com