AUGUST 3, 2003

Belgium confirms a new deal for 2004

The Belgian Grand Prix will be back on the F1 calender next year, according to the economy minister of the Wallonia region. Serge Kubla.

Kubla met with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone at Hockenheim and details of a new deal to guarantee the race were hammered out.

"I can formally confirm that the Grand Prix will take place in 2004," Kubla told Belgian radio.

The negotiations are believed to have been over money as the Belgian Parliament voted through an amendment to the anti-tobacco law to allow the race to go ahead in 2004 with cigarette advertising.

Having dropped out of the World Championship this year, however, it is thought that the Belgians will have had to have come up with more money to convince F1 to return to Spa.