Holding on to national history The district surrounding the Formula One venue Nurburgring has vowed to invest $40 million to help keep the race on the calendar.
"As long as it is financially possible there will always be a Grand Prix in Germany," said circuit boss
Walter Kafitz in a press conference.
From 2007, the Nurburgring has to annually alternate the privilege of hosting Germany's only Formula One race with financially embattled Hockenheim.
The Nurburgring's Kafitz said he was pleased with the announcement of extra investment, but added: "I hope that it is not only the money that counts, but also the history. Motor sport has always been a part of German sport."
The Nurburgring has a contract with Bernie Ecclestone only until 2009.
BMW did its bit to help promote Formula One and the Nurburgring during the weekend by letting
Nick Heidfeld loose around the 21km 'Nordschleife' layout - the first time a Grand Prix car has tackled the awe-inspiring circuit since Niki Lauda's fiery and near fatal crash in 1976.
His tentative time of 8:34, however, compared poorly with Stefan Bellof's all-time lap record of 6:11, set in a Porsche 956 in 1983.
Heidfeld's BMW-Sauber was fitted only with hard 'demonstration' tyres, though, and he slowed down on all three of his flying laps for a camera car.
"We had implored him to be careful," team boss Mario Theissen also insisted.
© CAPSIS International Source GMM
