Clouds still lingering above US GP project

Clouds still linger above the health of the 2012 US grand prix project.

Progress at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin appeared brighter last week, when the state’s $25m annual subsidy was signed off by the council and a legal action brought by a group of disgruntled taxpayers was dropped.

But the local Austin American Statesman newspaper now reports that a meeting of the event’s quasi-governmental Local Organising Committee was on Monday mysteriously called off.

The vote of the committee is apparently required as the next step in race organisers receiving the state funds.

"As recently as late June, the local lawyer representing the F1 efforts told the city council the project’s finances could be imperilled if the committee met later than the July fourth weekend," read the report.

And a freelance reporter has been quoted by KUT News as revealing that organisers do not yet have permission to build the circuit pits and other buildings.

Jacob Dirr said "All they can do is start pouring the track, build a couple of tunnels and keep pushing dirt around".