FEBRUARY 25, 2014

Vettel denies Nurburgring buyout bid

Sebastian Vettel's manager has denied the reigning world champion is involved in a possible buyout of the Nurburgring.

Sebastian Vettel's manager has denied the reigning world champion is involved in a possible buyout of the Nurburgring.

With the German grand prix venue's future uncertain, we reported last week that F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone is no longer a candidate to buy it.

Ecclestone had confirmed in January he made a bid for the financially-troubled track.

"We want to make sure there is a formula one race in Germany every year in the future," he said.

But last week, it emerged that Ecclestone was not among the latest candidates - entities from Dusseldorf and the US, and a private equity firm - in the running to buy the Nurburgring.

Germany's Sport Bild now reports that German driver and reigning world champion Vettel could be involved in a Nurburgring buyout bid.

But the Austrian news agency APA quoted his spokesman Britta Roeske as saying: "There's nothing to it (the report)."

The current bidding process will reportedly conclude at the end of March.

(GMM)