No US Grand Prix in 2008

Formula One will not return to the United States next year, the sport's commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway said yesterday.

"We didn't reach an agreement... Let's see if we miss America," Ecclestone told Reuters, adding that no other US venue was lined up to replace Indianapolis in 2008.

Indianapolis, who had set a July 12 deadline, said in a separate statement that the two sides had failed to do a deal to continue after eight grands prix at the Brickyard.

"After several discussions, Bernie Ecclestone and I were unable to agree how to keep Formula One in Indianapolis for the near term," said IMS chief executive Tony George.

Indianapolis, home of the Indy 500, may however be remembered more in F1 circles for the six-car fiasco of 2005 when all the Michelin-shod teams withdrew for safety reasons.

Ecclestone said he was still talking to Las Vegas about the possibility of returning to the desert casino city for a street circuit race but he said nothing could be arranged for next season.

The decision leaves the Canadian GP in Montreal as the only North American race on the 2008 calendar, with Singapore and the Spanish city of Valencia scheduled to make their debuts next year.