Doubts for 2016 US Grand Prix as race is listed as…

Doubts for 2016 US Grand Prix as race is listed as 'subject to agreement'

The 2015 US Grand Prix was affected by heavy rain. Photograph: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images

The future of the struggling US Grand Prix was thrown into further doubt on Wednesday when the 2016 Formula One calendar listed the race as “subject to agreement” with the promoter.

Officials at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas have said they are financially strapped after storms wiped out much of the 2015 race weekend – and by news that the Texas governor’s office is cutting public funding for the circuit by nearly 20%.

The 2016 race calendar still has the race scheduled for 23 October – but with an asterisk. Track officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Circuit of the Americas chairman Bobby Epstein told the Austin-American Statesman last month, after confirmation that the state of Texas was cutting its funding, said: “To use a technical term, I think we’re screwed. It hit us cold. No one could foresee this coming.

“The state clearly made promises. I think we made a deal, and we lived up to our end of the deal. It’s like if you go to a restaurant and order a dinner, and then after you’ve eaten the meal, they change the price.”

F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, who has always been keen to grow the sport in the US, cast doubt on the race’s future last month, and offered a bleak prognosis if the requisite cash is not found.

‘If it’s changed, it’s going to be difficult to continue the race in Austin,’ the F1 supremo said.

Officials with the Texas governor’s office confirmed last month that the state’s payment to support the 2015 race would drop by more than 20% from previous years. The state had contributed about $25m in 2012, 2013 and 2014; this year the amount will be closer to $19.5m.

The track was built specifically to host Formula One, which has run in Austin since 2012. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has won three times, including this year to clinch this third world championship.

But this year’s race was hit by torrential rain that wiped out a practice session and postponed qualifying. The storms also reduced the overall weekend attendance.