F1's future is in Asia, says Williams

The future of Formula One lies in Asia not Europe, according to Sir Frank Williams, who was hugely impressed by the Singapore Grand Prix.

The Williams team boss, who saw his driver Nico Rosberg finish second in the first-ever night race, said that with Asia's economic rise, led by China and India, the importance of Europe and the United States was diminishing.

"The future for F1 is absolutely in the Far East," he told the Today newspaper here. "Asia is big."
With Singapore now on the calendar, Asia and the Middle East have six Grand Prix races -- Australia, Bahrain, China, Japan and Malaysia being the others.

Abu Dhabi will make its debut next year, with South Korea coming on board on 2010 and India, initially expected to stage a race in 2010, now slated for 2011.

Their inclusion comes at the expense of Formula One's traditional base in Europe as the sport aims for a more globalised calendar.

Williams said Formula One "will put more of a sporting face on this nation," referring to Singapore, adding that it had "a good chance of challenging Monaco for being the jewel in the crown of Formula One."

"Like I said, empires go round and round, and I hope the Singapore Grand Prix will put more interest in Singapore and this part of the world."

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has long worked to steer the glamorous sport towards Asia and the Middle East, seeing the untapped markets as critical to maintaining sponsor and spectator interest.

The billionaire, who holds Formula One's commercial rights, said over the weekend that Singapore was an example to follow and would make people reconsider their opinions of Asia and its ability to host Grand Prix.

"When you think about it, most parts of Asia where people have visited, they sort of put everything in one basket," he told reporters.

"Singapore is the same as India, Malaysia and Thailand, that's how they feel because they don't know any better.

"But hopefully this will open people's eyes and they'll say, my God, Singapore really is alive and well."

Monday, 29 September 2008