Bernie Ecclestone: "We could be in India soon instead of the United States"

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has threatened to take F1 race away from the United States if he cannot agree on a new deal with Indianapolis.

It is not vital to Formula One to be in the United States," the 76-year-old told Britain's Daily Express newspaper, three days ahead of this season's US Grand Prix.

"There are bigger markets for us to be in other parts of the world. We could be in India soon instead of the United States. We don't have a lot of sponsors from the US, no American teams and only one driver," he added.

"I get along with (Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner) Tony George and I hope we can strike a deal, but we have offers from other places in the US too."

Despite Ecclestone's comments, similar to ones he made last year before agreeing a one-year extension with Indianapolis, the US is a key market for the car manufacturers who dominate the sport and own most of the teams.

"The automobile market in the USA is the biggest one for Mercedes-Benz outside Germany," said Mercedes motorsport vice-president Norbert Haug, whose company owns 40 per cent of championship leaders McLaren.

"For the BMW Group, the USA Grand Prix is of key importance in so far as the United States is our biggest market," said BMW Sauber boss Mario Theissen in a team preview of Sunday's race.

"We sell more cars there than in Germany and also have our biggest production sites outside Germany."