Wednesday December 13th, 2000
The Hungarian Grand Prix's long-term future has been placed in doubt after the national parliament voted to ban tobacco advertising.
Since it entered the Formula One calendar in 1986, the Hungarian race had heavily relied on the financial support of tobacco brand Marlboro, but as a result of the new law, cigarette advertisements in all public places will be prohibited from January 2001.
However, it is thought that the Hungarian government could make an exception with the Grand Prix, as the law allows some international events to be made exempt from the ban.
Formula One teams and Grand Prix have had tobacco advertising as one of the main financial sources for decades, but the FIA - the sports' ruling body - plans to end this by 2007.