Ecclestone in talks to be Hockenheim race promoter

Ecclestone may be forced to promote the money-losing German GP himself

(GMM) Hockenheim and Bernie Ecclestone look to be on track to secure Germany's place on the F1 calendar.

Until recently, Hockenheim and the Nurburgring were annually alternating Germany's F1 race, but the latter circuit struck financial and ownership trouble.

Germany sat out 2015 but was back at Hockenheim this year — but the race promoter and F1 supremo Ecclestone warned that 2017 could once again be an issue.

So Finland's Turun Sanomat newspaper reports that Ecclestone is now in talks with Hockenheim officials about a new five-year contract for the period 2017 and beyond.

Correspondent Luis Vasconcelos claims that Hockenheim mayor Dieter Gummer met with Ecclestone at the recent German grand prix, where the new five-year deal was discussed.

Reportedly, Ecclestone is willing to slash the annual race promotion fee in half, to just EUR 11.5 million, if Hockenheim gives him the race promotion rights including all ticket proceeds.