F1 in Iran? Never say never

An extraordinary PR release landed in my Inbox last night relating to the recent speculation about Iran as a possible F1 venue.

The email confirmed that the Tehran-based TSI Group is building an enormous multi-purpose facility called iLand just outside the capital with a 5km circuit designed by a UK agency called Apex Circuit Design at its centre.

The development, on which construction started in 2008, will also feature “housing for 50,000, shopping malls, water parks, hotels, an International standard 18 hole golf course,  indoor  and outdoor fun parks, equestrian facilities, auto mall, motorcycle dirt tracks, an Olympic standard sports complex and an International standard kart circuit designed by Schreiner Consulting in Austria.”

We're told that the track will be based on "naturally contoured circuits such as Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), the Nürburgring Nordschleife (Germany) and Donington Park (UK)."

I say 'extraordinary' because, while it is always nice to see motor sport expanding to new territories, it is difficult to conceive of a less likely venue for many people's idea of the apotheosis of bloated, western, capitalist culture. There is also the issue of security for F1's multi-national community (current FCO advice states that “British travellers to Iran face greater risks than nationals of most other countries… There is therefore a risk that British nationals could be arbitrarily detained, despite their complete innocence… There have been occasional cases of independent travellers detained for more than a month without access to anyone outside the Iranian system.”)

In fact, the PR statement goes on to say that the initial intention is only to apply for a FIA Grade 2 licence, which would not be enough to host a F1 race. But it's always possible to upgrade. And F1 has already shown that if a state is prepared to fork out the big bucks to host a grand prix then it is prepared to suspend moral judgement. Politics has no place in sport, so the saying goes…

"Initial groundworks have commenced for construction and Phase 1, the West circuit, is scheduled for completion in 2012, with full construction and operation anticipated in 2013," the statement adds.