There are also reports that the F1 scene might return to Portugal, which held races at its Estoril site from 1984 to 1997. The event was withdrawn because of overwhelming costs of upgrading the older track. Now, it seems that the small coastal town of Portimao is preparing to build a brand new circuit. The site, which is tipped to cost upwards of $250 million, will include a five-star hotel, an apartment complex and trackside technology center.
Despite its ambition, Portugal may have a tough time convincing Ecclestone to allow another European location to host F1 in an already busy schedule. Germany and Italy have each had a race cut from the calendar, while Belgium is alternating every other year. It's also been suggested that England might have to alternate with France in upcoming years. With the upcoming Asian races, the F1 calendar is simply getting too crowded but Ecclestone is determined to take F1 into new and emerging markets.