US races edge closer to reality

Sebastian Vettel gave a thumbs-up to the route of the Port Imperial F1 track in New Jersey after trying it in a road car one day after the Canadian Grand Prix.

But Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says that the event has yet to be conirmed for its proposed slot of June 2013, noting in Montréal that he will know more “within the next month”.

“We’re talking to them,” he told Motor Sport. “We have a contract and we’re waiting for bits and pieces of that to be put together. With me, until the cheque’s in the bank… It’s no good if it’s in the post.

“I think it will be good. The only problem at the moment is the financing.”

Meanwhile, the Circuit of the Americas has reached a financial settlement with estranged race founder Tavo Hellmund, heading off the threat of a messy legal battle in the build-up to November’s US Grand Prix.

“I think Tavo was concerned that he’d made a few agreements and they’d not been honoured,” said Ecclestone. “He’s hoping they’ll be honoured this time. “Both parties were wrong in the way they structured their agreements. You had somebody investing money to build a circuit and get the land but who didn’t have a contract for a race, and Tavo had a contract for a race but didn’t have a circuit.”