Russia Superleague race delayed a year

Superleague Formula´s plans to race at the newly built Smolensk Ring in Russia in September this year have been put on hold until 2012 after the circuit directors decided that the venue won´t be ready to host an international event before 2012.

Superleague Formula was due to be the first major international championship to visit the venue on September 3-4 but a communiqué from senior management at the venue states that, “we had a meeting yesterday and have decided not to have the race this year. We have decided to put all our forces into circuit and infrastructure preparation, in order that we can have the race in 2012."

Superleague Formula Competition Director Robin Webb commented: “It a great pity for our 2011 calendar that we won´t now be going to the Smolensk Ring in 2011, we visited the circuit a number of times and it seemed that progress was ongoing. As a Championship we are bound by decisions that circuits and promoters make. However we are hopeful that it may well fit into our calendar in 2012."

“We have received other offers to take the series elsewhere in Russia and also to alternative territories on the September date, and we are actively investigating further options. We need to make sure that our race teams and drivers are 100% in the loop, so we hope to be able to make a further statement as to an updated race schedule as soon as possible."

Next meeting of the 2011 Superleague Formula Championship takes place at Zolder in Belgium on July 16 / 17.