The sport's commercial boss hinted last week that a 'contract' was in place with the Nevada city – but did not specify further details.

Speaking in Bahrain on Friday, Ecclestone said that it would be premature to state a deal had been agreed, but he made it clear that things were edging further.

“I am going to be talking to them [Las Vegas promoters] in another 10 minutes,” he said in the Sakhir paddock.

“It is possible that there could be an event there. They are going to have Formula E anyway.”

When asked by Motorsport.com about the timeframe for an F1 race, Ecclestone said: “It would be a couple of years I suppose.”

He also made it clear that a possible race in Las Vegas would be as a second event in the USA, not as replacement for Austin.

“We will keep Austin and have another race,” he said.

Las Vegas last hosted grand prix racing in the early 1980s with two races held in the Caesars Palace parking lot in 1981 and '82, while more recently the city played host to a single Champ Car event in 2007.