Wednesday 4 June at 19:53 : Bernie Ecclestone has slammed the brakes on rising speculation that the US grand prix at Indianapolis could return to the formula one calendar next year.

The F1 chief executive and Indy promoter Tony George failed to reach a financial agreement for 2008, but it is an open secret that George would like to reinstate the race in 2009 and beyond.

Also admitting the need for a title sponsor, he said recently that the likelihood is only "50-50" that the grand prix will be resurrected in time for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's centennial year.

F1's manufacturers and sponsors are also keen to see a US grand prix back on the schedule, but Ecclestone has played down the importance of the North American market.

"My motto is 'go east' rather than 'go west'," the 77-year-old told the French language Canadian newspaper La Presse in an interview.

"So far I have been proved right about that.

"I am always working on getting the US grand prix back, but I do not consider this as fundamental," Ecclestone insisted.