The Portuguese Formula One Grand Prix, scheduled for November 9th, has been cancelled, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) said yesterday. "Following consultation with all the competing teams, it is clear there is no unanimous agreement to add an extra event to the 1997 FIA Formula One World Championship," FIA said in a statement from its headquarters in Paris. The Portuguese race had originally been scheduled for October 26th. But it was replaced with the European Grand Prix at Jerez, Spain after it appeared that required safety work at the Estoril track would not be completed in time.
Although the Portuguese Minister for Economic Affairs stepped in and announced that the track would be ready for a race on a new date of November 9th, the FIA responded that it would only go ahead if there was unanimous approval among the teams. The majority of teams were in favour of the added event, but it is believed that McLaren, Ferrari and Sauber were against the idea.
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