Short lived GP's

[IRLS]

Does anyone know why the following Formula 1 Gp's were so short lived:
1.Pacific (1994-1995);
2.European(Donington) (1993);
3.US(Phoenix) (1989-1991);
4.Argentine (1995-1998)?

P.S. Feel free to add any others

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by IRL sucks
Does anyone know why the following Formula 1 Gp's were so short lived:
1.Pacific (1994-1995);
2.European(Donington) (1993);
3.US(Phoenix) (1989-1991);
4.Argentine (1995-1998)?

P.S. Feel free to add any others

Not really, but bearing in mind the memories many have of Donington '93, it's a crying shame F1 never went back. But then again, perhaps it just enhances the memory?

[Rob29]

Donington was a one-off to replace cancelled Asian GP at Autopolis which went bankrupt.
Pacific GP was proof that Bernie will take anyones money.Organised by a Japanese bilionare at his private circuit up a mountain,access so bad that all spectators and even the press had to go by bus.
Argentine is beset wilh financial problems.Expect them back in a few years.1953-60,1971-81.1995-97.2008-?
Pheonix was a disaster as no spectators turned up.Reported that a nearby ostrich race pulled more punters.AFAIK this is the only street race to have failed for lack of fans.

[Lee Janotta]

Phoenix: Crappy track, with a fantastic circuit just outside town. At the time, the oval and infield road course at Phoenix International Raceway could also be connected to a wonderfully fast and challenging 1.4-mile road course outside, for a full lap of 2.7 miles.

http://www.racingcircuits.net/United...lOrigLong.html

Sadly, the infield course has since been reprofiled and slowed down a lot, while the outside course has had all it's barriers and curbing removed, and is part of the parking lot now.

It's not like the fans there don't like racing, they always showed up in droves for the CART Indycars before the split, and for NASCAR and USAC. Perhaps they just felt cheated for having the race on that stupid street course.

[IRLS]

Does anyone know where I can find video clips of any of these GP's and the South African GP (1992 or 1993)? Preferably dowmloads because I'm cheap and am not buying a video.

[Peter Mallett]

Donington,
Syracuse,
Porto,
San Remo,Tunis.

There are loads.

[Peter Mallett]

Er, When I said "Tunis" I of course meant Tripoli. Well they both start with "T" don't they?

[eclectic]

The VSCC (don't laugh) is having a celebation of Senna's win at Donnington the weekend 21/22 June, I wont be there cos of a family commitment, but it does seem a bit off topic for the VSCC!

I was never a Senna fan, thought he was too arrogant, never gave anyone else credit..like Schoomie really, he might be the best, but...

Here's a thought, perhaps Michael could be persuaded to donate a year to Minardi when he retires from Ferrari, just to let him prove how really good he is.

[Rob29]

Originally posted by Peter Mallett
Er, When I said "Tunis" I of course meant Tripoli. Well they both start with "T" don't they?

Actually Peter,Tunis also had a GP pre-war and still has a historic event in the autumn in celebration of this.
Perhaps this subject should be in the historic forum?

[x_dt]

The Phoenix races were poorly attended - apparently the 1991 US GP's attendance was less than that of a nearby ostrich race.

[IRLS]

I don't suppose Bernie Ecclestone was around when Tripoli was cancelled?

[Rob29]

He would have been 9 yrs old IRLS! In fact Tripoli was not 'cancelled' in the modern understanding of the word.It was one of the few races held in 1940. All motorsport stopped when Italy joined the war.Post war Tripoli was in the independent country of Libya which it seems has no interest in the sport.

[Peter Mallett]

Hmm,

Wonder if I could "blag" an entry for Tunis with my "Classic Touring Car".

Thanks for the info Rob. I think it might get a better airing in the Historic Forum.

[IRLS]

Where can I download vids of the Argentine(1995-1998) and/or South African(1992-1993) and/or European(donington) and/or Pacific and/or U.S.(Phoenix) Grands Prix

[Peter Mallett]

You don't want much do you?

[Rob29]

I think you can buy all of those on VHS.It would take a month to download them here,no chance of broadband for at least 10yrs.

[429CJ]

Dallas GP, the only time it was driven was 1984, and it's also the only victory of that ugly junk called Williams FW09.

[IRLS]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Rob29

Argentine is beset wilh financial problems.Expect them back in a few years.1953-60,1971-81.1995-97.2008-?

2005 looks more likely

[Rob29]

Only country to have held a WC race only once was Morocco in 1958.
With Bahrain,Turkey,India,China,Russia all planning to have races and Argentina,Austria & Belgium looking to return,the need to find somewhere better than Silverstone is becoming urgent if we are to keep a race in UK?

[paulzinho]

Bremgarten in Switzerland didn't have many races but that's because motor racing was banned after the Le mans accident of 1955.

Morocco, that was in Casablanca wasn't it, where Stuart lewis Evans was crashed fatally in the final round of the championship.

[paul-collins]

Canadian GP Ste-Jovite 1968, 1970. Track deemed unsafe, and facilities/access poor.
Canadian GP Mosport 1967, 1969, 1971-77. Decay of track and facilities and upgrading of expectations in F1.
USGP Watkins Glen 1961-1980 (ok, not so short-lived). See Mosport.

Not F1, but Nassau Speed Weeks 1954-1966. I think it partly had to do with customs problems with the US (seizure of the ships that ferried the racecars) and Bahamian indifference in the end.

[paulzinho]

Just thought of Aintree, that didn't have that many races did it?

Or the Le Mans Bugatti circuit!

[Rob29]

Aintree-held British GP 1955,57,59,61-62.Organized by BARC.GP circuit closed after 1964 when plans anounced to turn it into a housing estate! nearly 40 yrs later its still there if looking somewhat run down.Would be an ideal site for the GP with a rail station within walking distance.But a lot of armco & debris fencing would be needed which would upset the horsey people.

[Fish_Flake]

Le Mans Bugatti: French GP held there only once, in 1967, because the drivers were so critical of the track layout, which was the first turn of the 24-hour circuit followed by a purpose-built series of hairpin bends behind the pits that eventually led onto the front straight. Perhaps the only track taken off the calendar bacause it was too boring, the circuit still exists today, and would be a perfect fit in my opinion for today's sterile Formula 1. Unfortunately, Magny-Cours is even more bland than LM-Bugatti, so it will not see another French GP in the near future.

[Fish_Flake]

Swedish GP: With the success of local heroes Ronnie Peterson and Gunnar Nilsson, the inaugural Swedish GP was held in 1973. The trademark of the Scandinavian Raceway at Anderstorp, the venue where the race was held, was the long back straightaway which doubled as an airstrip. The most memorable moment of the event came in 1978, where the Brabham BT46 Fan Car ran away from the field and was banned immediately afterwards. That 1978 race was also the last, as the deaths of Peterson (race accident at Monza) and Nilsson (cancer) later that year had ceased the need for it.