Shanghai unsure of F1 future

Race title sponsor UBS did not renew for 2016

Organizers of the Chinese Grand Prix say they are unsure whether the race will remain on the Formula 1 calendar when its current contract expires at the end of 2017.

China joined the calendar in 2004 and organizers claim that this year's event drew 145,000 spectators across the course of the weekend.

But Yang Yibin, manager of race organizer Juss Event, says that the city's government will analyze whether Formula 1 significantly contributes to Shanghai's position on the international stage.

"Shanghai is one of the few cities in China that holds a lot of international sports events every year, which play an important role in building the city's image," Yibin told Shanghai Daily.

"Changes have to be made to the sport. UBS was the title sponsor of last year's Chinese Grand Prix, but they didn't extend the contract this year, and there must be a reason for it.

"Maybe we can expect something new when we go into the post-Bernie [Ecclestone] era."