Ecclestone plans to cut Europe Grands Prix

Fast worker: Bernie Ecclestone (Getty Images)

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone says Europe will be left with only five Grands Prix in the coming years.

The 81-year-old said in an interview in Spanish newspaper Marca that "Europe is a good place for tourism and not much else. Europe is finished." Ecclestone did not say which races of the current nine would remain.

Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 world champion, will return to F1 next year with Lotus Renault.