Politics threaten to create "serious delays" in preparations for Formula One's first Russian Grand Prix, an adviser with the Russian Automobile Federation told RIA Novosti on Tuesday.
Igor Yermilin insisted that the project is not at risk of collapse and that Russia will deliver the race, scheduled to be held in the Sochi Olympic Park in 2014, a matter of months after the Winter Games.
But very little construction work has been carried out since March after a reshuffle in the government of Sochi's region of Krasnodar, Yermilin said.
Among those to lose their positions were representatives of a company named Omega, which is responsible for the Formula One track project, he said.
"In the Krasnodar region there has been have been quite serious changes in the leadership," Yermilin said.
Regional governor Alexander Tkachev has been re-appointed, "but the entire rest of the team has changed, including people from Omega who signed the contract on holding the Russian Grand Prix," he said.
In October 2010, Omega chief Mikhail Kapirulin signed an agreement with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone on staging the Russian Grand Prix for six years through 2020, in the presence of then-Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
"As soon as a Krasnodar government is appointed, they will return to this question" of preparing for the Grand Prix, Yermilin said.
"The main thing at the moment is the Olympics, the Grand Prix is on the back burner. Although there may be serious delays in meeting preparation deadlines," he said.
Ultimately, Yermilin said he was confident the project would succeed.
"I have no doubts that this event will be held successfully. Our country has never failed in delivering such big international events, nor has it neglected its obligations. Especially considering Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin has become our president."
Putin won a third term in March elections.
