A columnist for the local Indianapolis Star newspaper hit back at Ecclestone, describing the necessary annual race fee of $30 million - an increase of about $18m compared to the 2007 deal - as Bernie's "extortive financial terms".
"Most locals, from all evidence, would prefer a hearty 'good riddance' to a haughty outfit whose leader never tires of biting the hand that feeds him," the columnist wrote.
An editorial in the Nevada Appeal agreed: "George had poured millions of dollars into the eight-year partnership, and I'm sure lots of those dollars stuck to Ecclestone".
Following the negotiation breakdown, internet chatrooms in the US derided Bernie, who stands more than a foot shorter than George, as 'the Poison Dwarf'.
Local Indianapolis television station WTHR's John Ketzenberger compared the US GP to budding F1 host India, which might be in a better position to meet Ecclestone's financial demands.
"Bernie must have confused India with Indiana," he said. "Maybe India needs the exposure. Indianapolis needs no such validation." (GMM)