New Jersey preparations continuing as planned, per Pook

As Formula One heads to its final two race weekends of the 2013 season, there’s still the matter of sorting out the final 2014 calendar. It will be ratified at the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in December.

Representatives from the Grand Prix of America at Port Imperial, slated for June 1, 2014 in Weehawken, N.J., are on site here at Circuit of the Americas this weekend for meetings. Over the last month or so, there’s been an “on-again, off-again” saga about the race depending on which media outlet was doing the reporting.

I spoke briefly on Friday with GPoA special assistant Chris Pook, who was the founding architect of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Pook, who joined the GPoA executive team in May, dismissed suggestions that the race is off.

“There’s a lot of misinformation floating about out there. We’re progressing on planning and moving ahead,” he said en route to further meetings at the circuit.

The race’s provisional date, June 1, falls in-between Monaco on May 25 and Canada June 8. There have also been some questions regarding the Korean (April 27) and Mexican (November 16) races and whether they’ll make the final calendar, as well. All were listed as provisional on the Sept. 27 version of the calendar released by the FIA. Still, with 22 races, it’s likely at least one of the three listed, if not two, will fall off.

The potential exists that the New Jersey date will shift. Sunday, June 15 is open but poses a direct conflict with the 24 Hours of Le Mans, primary event for the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Follow @TonyDiZinno