By Steve Keating and Lewis Franck Saturday, June 16th 2007, 22:37 GMT
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has accused US Grand Prix organisers of doing little to promote the race, adding to uncertainty about the future of the event.
"They haven't done anything to really get behind it have they?" Ecclestone told Reuters on Saturday when asked if he was satisfied with the race at the Brickyard.
"We arrive in town, what do we get? We get banners saying the Indy 500. Not really the way to promote Formula One," added the Briton. "They haven't got behind it, full stop."
Ecclestone told Britain's Daily Express newspaper earlier in the week that a US race was not vital to Formula One and that he could take it elsewhere if he cannot agree a new deal with Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Indianapolis has hosted the Grand Prix since 2000 but the contract is up for renewal. Ecclestone has talked in the past of going to Las Vegas or New York.
However, he also faces a squeeze on the calendar, with Valencia and Singapore the new races for next year while Abu Dhabi is due to make its debut in 2009 and South Korea in 2010.
"We're talking to everybody," said Ecclestone when asked if he was looking at other American venues. "We were speaking with (IMS owner) Tony (George) yesterday, we'll chat to him next week and see what we come up with."
George wants a long term agreement but Ecclestone has balked, partly because he believes the sport is under-appreciated in the United States in general and in Indianapolis in particular.
"Tony has stressed to Bernie in these meetings we want to continue with the event and we believe he feels the same," said IMS President Joie Chitwood in a statement.
"They are exploring ways to get to a long-term agreement and we expect an announcement no later than July 12."
Competing with the US Open and Tiger Woods for attention this weekend, the Grand Prix has received limited coverage in the United States.
It ranks a distant third among the big three events staged at the Speedway behind the Indy 500 and NASCAR's Brickyard 400, but is important to the city with foreign tourists pouring some $100 million (USD) into the local economy.
