Ecclestone pushing hard for F1 in Sochi

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone said on Thursday he is pushing hard to take Formula One Russia's Sochi as contracts with some European cities that soon run out will not be renewed.

Ecclestone has reportedly said he was also bidding to take the motor sport back to the United States, hopefullly to New York for 2012.

"We've got two or three places in Russia which we're dealing with at the moment," Ecclestone told reporters before touring a circuit that being built in South Korea for its first race in October.

"There is a big push for us to do something with Sochi," he added.

The Russian resort city hosts the 2014 Winter Olympics.

South Korea is working on the circuit on a massive plot of reclaimed land on the west coast in the in the South Jeolla province about 370 km (229.9 miles) from Seoul.

Ecclestone rejected a report in a German magazine quoting the circuit's designer, Hermann Tilke, as saying it would not be ready for the race, adding he was confident works will be finished before deadline. "I'm absolutely sure. No doubt at all."

German magazine Focus claimed there was major problems with the construction of the new track designed by Tilke and quoted him as saying: "For the first time I fear that a circuit is not going to be ready in time."

Ecclestone said: "I've spoken to Tilke and he denies saying it."