Monday 23 November at 08:01 : Nov.23 (GMM) Bulgaria was never close to organising a round of the F1 world championship, FIA president Jean Todt insists.

It was reported that, before scrapping the plans on financial grounds, the Bulgarian Motorcycling Federation held meetings with Bernie Ecclestone and even received a race contract for 2011-2015.

But while in Bulgaria to discuss the southeastern European republic's world rally round for 2010, Todt revealed that the FIA never received a formal request to sanction a Belgurian grand prix, according to the news agency Sofia.