MAY 19, 2003

CART and Russia

Emerson Fittipaldi turned up at the A1 Ring at the weekend, having just returned from Russia where he held preliminary talks with the authorities to discuss the possibility of a CART Champ Car race in St Petersburg. The Russians have been discussing holding a Grand Prix at Pulkovo, to the south of the city, where plans for a racing circuit were drawn up and approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin in May 2001. A budget of $60m was earmarked by the government for a 2.5-mile track able to accommodate 150,000 spectators with the intention being to have a track ready by 2005 or 2006.