F1 is Host by Shanghai for Seven More Years

21 February 2011 - Shanghai has signed a deal to host Formula One's Chinese Grand Prix for another seven years. The Shanghai International Circuit will remain on the F1 calendar through 2017. The Shanghai Daily reported that the city's vice-mayor, Zhao Wen, said that the price of hosting the event was reduced in the new deal.

The Chinese Grand Prix attracted some 260,000 spectators in its inaugural year in 2004 with a slight 10,000 increase in 2005, but attendance has since declined with 155,000 attending in 2010. 

Attendance at the Chinese Grand Prix has been falling in recent years, but rose last year in part because of the return of Michael Schumacher after a three-year retirement.

The Shanghai skyline. The city will continue to host the Chinese Grand Prix until 2017. Meanwhile, the first race of the season in Bahrain is uncertain amid anti-government protests in the UAE.

Ecclestone said he spoke on Thursday to Crown Prince Sheik Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa about the situation. "It's not good is it?" Ecclestone said. "We'll have to keep our eye on things and make a decision quickly. I spoke to the crown prince this morning. He doesn't know any more than you or I, but they're monitoring exactly what is going on. Next week we will make a decision on what we are going to do."

The GP2 Asia Series race in Bahrain was cancelled on Thursday amid unrest. Organisers said the GP2 race slated for Friday and Saturday was called off at the request of the Bahrain Motorsport Federation.

No further information was available. Governing body FIA has expressed confidence that the anti-government protests on the island nation in the Gulf would not prevent the running of the F1 race.

"We are constantly in touch with both the national authorities and local authorities," FIA spokesman Norman Howell said. "We are monitoring the situation." In a related development, Lotus Renault driver Robert Kubica's condition was reported to be satisfactory and stable.

The hospital in Pietra Ligure near Genoa issued the update Thursday, a day after Kubica had surgery on his elbow. The Polish driver crashed while competing in a rally on Feb. 6 and was airlifted to the hospital.

The elbow surgery on Wednesday was Kubica's third operation. Immediately after his crash, he underwent seven hours of surgery to save his right hand and last Friday he had operations on his shoulder and leg.

The hospital has said it doesn't expect the 26-year-old Kubica to require more surgery, but that he will likely remain hospitalized for another 10 to 15 days.