Grand Prix Calender

[Stephen Green]

With the demands from emerging countries for a Grand Prix fixture, isn't it about time the FIA and teams got together and extented the series to a 20 race program? This would give them the ability to include countries like Russia, China and South America, all of who are vying for a Grand Prix. If you look at the current sponsors in F1 you would see that they too would be happy to have the race series increased as many of the 'new' races would be held in counties where they are trying to penetrate markets!

There are constant threats to remove European races from the calendar if the circuit owners do not improve the facilities, namely Silverstone and Octagon Motorsports. Let us not forget that many European countries effectively have two races already. Germany at Hockenheim and the European at the Nurburgring. France at Magny Cours and Monte Carlo at Monaco. Italy at Monza and San Marino at Imola. Why oh why do they have to persevere with threats of moving the British Grand Prix when over half of the industry is bases in the UK?

Ok, I've stepped down from my soap box now and taken a few aspirin to calm the nerves.

Stephen.

[DNQ]

Well, 20 races a season would put a lot of strain on drivers, teams and their families. Firstly, FIA should scrap the Italian and German 'second Grand Prixs' ie the San Marino and European Grand Prix. Why should Germany and Italy get two races when places like Russia and China get none.

I would like to see 18 races - the current 17 without Imola and Nurburgring, as well as races in a China, Russia, and a third GP that alternates between tracks, like the European GP did earlier in the 1980's.

[Wrex]

I'm pretty sure the current concord agreement prohibits anymore than 17 races in a season.

I would like to see a few more races (20 is'nt that bad, look how many do CART and NASCAR DO) but I think Nurburgring and San Marino should get the chop. I liked DNQ's suggestion od having one alternating race. Very interesting.

[Stephen Green]

There is another alternative we haven't mentioned yet and that is to hold races on consecutive weekends, rather like the French then British GP this year. If the calender were planned a little better that could be achieved. Say, Malaysia the weekend after Australia. The US race the weekend after Canada and so on and so forth. If that were done then the season could easily accomodate 20 races. Don't forget that all the major teams run a 'race# team and a 'test' team.

To answer your point about families, with the vast amounts that drivers get paid these days, surely it's not too much of a problem to add another three race weekends to the calendar?

I accept that Imola and Nurburgring should be given to other nations. Do you remember when the European (or extra) grand prix went to the country of the current world champion. ie, Brands Hatch for Mansell, Germany for Mickey the Shoe etc etc.

Stephen.

[f1manoz]

China should definetely get a race as it's currently an untapped marketing resource, it has a massive fan base in the country and would do a lot for the exposure of Formula One and China's international image. Russia appears to be going ahead, amid controversy about mafia influence and the perceived lack of finance, but again it will do the sport a lot of good.

Races to go? Imola (no way could the FIA rid of Monza) and the European round of the Nurburgring (unless they race at the old one!).

From what I know, the current Concorde Agreement does not allow more than 17-18 races, and the reason there are not more is 'Bakersville', the massive telecommunications circus that follows F1. That takes quite a procedure to construct and take down, which is why we don't see a week between races often anymore.

However, 20 races a la CART is definitely possible, especially in Europe where the close proximity of circuits makes it easy to move about.

And I would certainly think about moving the American GP from Indianapolis and move it to a circuit like Road America.

[Speedworx]

F1 season should be 20 races without Imola, Montreal, Hungaroring, Nurburgring and Monza. It should include Mugello, Misano, Brno, Toronto, Sachenring and Kyalami.

[hunttheshunt]

You can't be serious Hakkiman?! Get rid of Monza and Montreal! They are two blody goog circuits! And i agree w/Brno, but Kyalami is just another mickey-mouse circuit as is Misano!

[Jay]

yes, of course, everyone hates those two tracks.

I wouldn't mind if Formula One added more races, as long as it stuck with its policy of only having one race in any given country. (with the exception of Imola, and perhaps the nurburgring)

But, there are plenty of other places capable of holding a Grand Prix that don't. Mexico, South Africa, Russia, China, Argentina, Netherlands, etc..

[Stephen Green]

I happen to have marshalled at Kyalami and would beg to differ with your description of it as a Mickey Mouse circuit. It has some wonderful sweeping bends and some great undulations (hills and drops to the peasants). It is the high crime rate and relative lack of finance that has precluded them from the current F1 calendar. Did you know that Kyalami still holds a current F1 track licence?

[Speed]

What about "boring" Monaco ? (besides historic and monetary reasons, Sunday's GP is so )

[Stephen Green]

Somehow I don't see Monaco ever being dropped. It has so much charisma and money and of course half the F1 drivers live there! It's a shame in a way because it's one track where overtaking is almost impossible, worse that Hungary!

[francis]

I can't believe I'm reading some of this. Races on 3 consecutive weekends!! Do you actually go to GPs and see what's involved? I do agree that I see no justification for 2 races in Germany and Italy - but maybe we don't understand the financials. Given the lack of attendance in Malaysia - what justification is there for that race other than cigarette advertising? Further threats against the British GP this week although it is massively attended. I doubt any decisions will be taken based on any criteris that anyone on this list might easily understand

[Mekola]

Originally posted by francis
I can't believe I'm reading some of this. Races on 3 consecutive weekends!! Do you actually go to GPs and see what's involved?

Please tell that to Euro F3000 organizators, who will made three races on three consecutive weekends this month: Donington at August 12th, at Zolder August 19th and Nürburgring at August 26th.

[Wrex]

What Bernie is doing is basic Marketing. He is ensuring the future of F1 by making sure demand for a race always exceeds supply. This way he can dictate to the tracks his terms instead of visa-versa.

Imagine if a track screwed up and there were no replacement, would they be really worried about Bernies threats? No.

It's because there are so many venues that want a race that Bernie can hold that over the tracks that exsist.

And at the end of the day - it is about money - no money - no F1

[Nicholas]

I thought a couple of years ago the teams were making a bit of a fuss now that there were 17 races with no time for a decent holiday and how it's all much more stressfull etc.etc. Of course if they banned testing, this problem wouldn't happen and they probably wouldn't mind an extra race. And the lap times would be slower...



As for CART and NASCAR, aren't most of their races within America? Also, didn't Bernie say that he wanted a WC, not a European championship, so it seems unlikely that he would include a European round.

And speaking of boring circuits, who cares if they allow plenty of overtaking?

[Stephen Green]

Frances you could say the same about Spain, very poor attendance figures and yet they still keep a Grand Prix.

Money is the key issue here as someone said earlier. The races will go where Bernie gets the most cash and also where the sponsors want to sell the most product. That's one of the reasons the South American GP's went on all these years, it's a huge market for Marlboro etc etc.

[Pieter]

Malaysia attendance was poor due to the fact that it was held shortly after the last race there and the people there just don't have enough money to buy two tickets within a couple of months. Last year's Malaysian Grand Prix was attended much better and should be representative for next year's attendance figures. Beside that, a yearly review of tracks would be more than welcome. It adds something to the competition: who adjusts the best to new circumstances?

[Total-F1]

Bernie has categorically said that he won't have more than 17 races - he says that Football is on the decline, because you can switch the TV on anytime and watch it - and I agree with him - F1 has a mystique, a sparkle - if you limit what people can see of it, then you keep the anticipation and thus your viewing figures high

[jonboyG]

IIRC, the teams have all said that 17 is the most races they can handle in one season.

I definately agree with scrapping one of the races in Germany and one in Italy, but I'm not sure China is a good idea, given their political situation - I don't think they should have got the Olympics either though.

India could be good, and possibly the middle east.

[Stephen Green]

Actually, it's not Bernie that decided on the number of races, it's the teams u der the existing Corcorde Agreement. They ALL have to agree for the number of races to be altered.

[Epsilon]

Originally posted by hakkiman
F1 season should be 20 races without Imola, Montreal, Hungaroring, Nurburgring and Monza. It should include Mugello, Misano, Brno, Toronto, Sachenring and Kyalami.

Don't forget that Mugello is Ferrari's private test track, so they'd have a bit of an unfair advantage there. As for the Toronto idea, I love it (being only about an hour's train ride from where the race is). Hungary should go, it's only purpose was to take F1 into the Eastern Bloc, which makes it redundant with the Russian GP. Imola should go too. I disagree with the idea of dropping the Nurburgring. Comparing it to the "new" Hockenheim is like comparing Spa to Barcelona - just doesn't do it justice. The Euro GP should get rotated, but it should be at the 'Ring more than other places (like what happens with the Canadian Open golf tourney - it's in one city about half the time, but won't be back there until 2007). It could work something like this:
'03 - Jerez
'04 - Zandvoort
'05 - Nurburgring
'06 - Donington
'07 - Imola
'08 - Nurburgring and so on....

Originally posted by jonboyG
I'm not sure China is a good idea, given their political situation - I don't think they should have got the Olympics either though.

Thank you!! Good to see I'm not the only one here who "Expected the World". Plus from the F1 point of view, they had a chance, and they blew it. Don't let them do it again.

Originally posted by Stephen Green
Actually, it's not Bernie that decided on the number of races, it's the teams u der the existing Corcorde Agreement. They ALL have to agree for the number of races to be altered.

But isn't the Concorde agreement up for renewal soon? They could theoretically change it then.

[jonboyG]

Yup - there are problems with the concorde agreement at the moment.

link

But as it's the teams that don't want the longer series, even when they sort this out I wouldn't count on a 20 race year.

Maybe if the breakaway series starts we'll see it?

[Stephen Green]

Yes but I don't think the breakaway race series will ever get off the ground. In my view it was politicing to get a greater say in what happens to the TV money that F1 generates. After all, without the teams there would be no television income. You only have to look at CART and what the splt there has done!