Could Brazil get axed?

UPDATE This rumor is downgraded to 'false' as Bernie Ecclestone responds to AR1.com's rumor – "I've been coming here for 40-odd years, walking about, and I've never, ever had a problem," said Ecclestone.

"That's not just for the race, but at other times when I've been here too. I've also never been around where I've seen anybody have a problem.

"You have to remember we have a lot of problems in England, Oxford Street and places, and in New York people get mugged.

"They look for victims, they look for people who are a little bit slow and simple, but the people who look a bit bright, they never go after them.

"But as for the race, I'm happy. We'll be here for another hundred years."

11/07/10 A reader writes, Dear AR1, This might sound a bit knee jerk but I wonder if this could be the last race we see at Interlagos for the foreseeable future.

Between the scary attack on Jenson Button and the equally astonishing threat against Felipe Massa by a local judge I wonder if Bernie Ecclestone might use this as an excuse to dump a race from the crowded F1 calendar.

This area of Brazil is rife with crime and is I believe the kidnap capital of the world. It is obvious and fortunate that the teams were prepared for this but now that it has actually happened can F1 afford the heightened security and threat of injury or death that this recent action brings.

The costs involved and the added layer of infrastructure needed to protect the hundreds of people involved in this race in future will be astronomical. The negative press resulting from this act of madness also must be on the mind of Mr. E.

If it were me and I had a need to dump a race this one would be gone after tomorrow. Ray Masters, Hawaii