Bernie Ecclestone puts Russia top of his F1 agenda

Formula One could return to South Africa in the next three years but a Russian Grand Prix is top of the agenda, commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone said on Sunday.

"The only question mark is Russia, where we should be and we are not," Ecclestone told BBC Radio ahead of Sunday's British Grand Prix.

"It would be nice to have covered the world, but Russia is more important right now. Africa is limited for all the people who are involved in F1 for business, whereas Russia is wide open."

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel is on pole at Silverstone for the race, which starts just hours before the World Cup final between Spain and Netherlands in Johannesburg.

For Ecclestone, South Africa's successful running of the world's top sporting event has made the staging of a Formula One race there more realistic again. The last South African Grand Prix at Kyalami was in 1993.

"Hopefully now people will think what the World Cup has done for Africa would be good for Forumla One," the 79-year-old added.

"We have been talking to the people there for quite a long time. It is another continent where we should be."

Ecclestone said Cape Town had been discussed as a possible circuit venue but other options were now emerging.

"The chances are all right, its just a case of getting the right venue ... It's probably three years away," he added.

Russia has long been Ecclestone's priority, with talk of a race in Sochi, which is also hosting the next Winter Olympics in 2014.

Renault's Vitaly Petrov this season became the country''s first F1 driver, with carmaker Lada also joining that team as a sponsor.