Ecclestone hints at Sochi night race

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone believes the Russian Grand Prix would be a better spectacle if it was staged after dark.

More than 50 billion dollars have been invested in the Sochi venue that will host the inaugural Russian Grand Prix and the surrounding facilities that staged the Winter Olympic Games recently.

Although this year's Russian GP will be a normal day race, Ecclestone believes the venue would be better suited to hosting night races in future.

"I think they would go for the idea. At night the stadiums are very colourful with lots of lights and the backdrop to a race would be fantastic. It (the surrounding area) was a bit of dump, quite honestly," Ecclestone admitted.

"But they have spent a lot of money and there is a lot going on and the place is changing all the time."

F1 correspondent from The Times Kevin Eason believes Ecclestone might be onto something and admitted that Olympic Stadium and ice rinks under floodlights would be a picturesque backdrop for a Grand Prix.

"The idea is a clever one, given that the Olympic park looks more like a vast car park than a picturesque sports arena in daylight," Eason said.