Spa's race could go up in smoke...

[paul-collins]

A dispute with the Belgian government over tobacco advertising could result in the classic Spa-Francorchamps circuit losing its place on the F1 calendar according to this week's AUTOSPORT.

With China and Bahrain understood to have signed preliminary agreements to stage grands prix in 2004 and the F1 calendar set to remain at 17 races, two European GPs will have to be dropped to make room. And with Belgium's proposed ban one tobacco advertising the Spa race has been put in the firing line.

-autosport

Not exactly a surprise, given how Bernie's been hassling Silverstone. I wonder if the ciggie thing is what is really bothering him about the British GP?

[Miss Hardt]

I've heard that the 2003 race will be held on 20th July,because the new anti-tobasco law will start working on 1st August.....

[paulzinho]

Hasn't it got its usual spot on the calender though?

[Yoong Montoya]

I would hate to lose Spa. We need both Spa and Monaco on the calendar, as they are the only true tests of driver skill remaining. I couldn't do without either of them!

[Miss Hardt]

Originally posted by Yoong Montoya
I would hate to lose Spa. We need both Spa and Monaco on the calendar, as they are the only true tests of driver skill remaining. I couldn't do without either of them!

Now yes. Before no.

[Epsilon]

Originally posted by Miss Hardt
I've heard that the 2003 race will be held on 20th July,because the new anti-tobasco law will start working on 1st August.....

Anti-tobasco law? I didn't know Belgium was banning hot sauce, now I'm definitely not going there!

[paul-collins]

Naughty boy. Be nice to Missy.

Although my immediate thought was "I guess the Mexicans will be p*ssed."

[Sodemo]

Loosing Spa will be a total joke, an utter disgrace, an abomination, etc etc. Its the last great track on the calendar, truly sad to be hearing of its possible demise.

[Lee Janotta]

Jeeze, just when I was starting to think Bernie might _not_ be the antichrist.

I'm absolutely sure of it now, though.

[Jordi]

I wonder why we can only race 17 races.... less testing and more racing!!!!

[f1manoz]

Losing Spa will be a tragedy for Formula One. The last true test of driver skill, and one of the final links to the heroic days of the sport.

[senna12]

I will be disappointed when Spa is replaced by the GP of Bahrain .

Is their anything there besides desert, camels, and oil?

[Valve Bounce]

Losing Spa would be one of the greatest tradgedies in the history of F1 tracks. Historically, it is famous, or infamous, depending who is driving and who is scared to go flat strap through Eau Rouge.
But China has me really worried. I saw a recent photo of Shanghai and this place has really gone ahead - capitalism at it's most affluent levels. Some history is necessary here: China's second most powerful person, Zu Rhongi is from Shanghai - the person who was in charge of Shanghai during the Tien An Mien massacre, and who kept the army from perpetrating the same massacre in Shanghai. As a result, he was quickly shuffled up to Bei Jing, and has enormous influence over expenditure, and of course any developments associated with Shanghai.
But to see any other city get a GP in place of Spa would make me invoke the worst hex on Bernie one could imagine, worst than Tom Walkinshaw's. Bernie would endure pestilence, plague, and lockjaw, all at the same time.


Valve[img]http://www.**************************/smilies/bouncy.gif[/img]

[Jukebox]

Originally posted by senna12
Is their anything there besides desert, camels, and oil?

Money $$$$$$$$$$$

[Super Tourer]

I suspect this is just one, in a long line of ploy's by Bernie to put pressure on countries were tobacco ad ban's exist.

It's fast becoming a reality that the IT and tech companies that were supposed to take over from the fag brands, are either broke or nearly broke - so they simply can't fill the void left by tobacco companies. This leaves F1 with a big hole in its future finances come 2006,and with even the big car makers under fairly tight financial pressure, they can't be guaranteed to stick around for ever either.

Yet despite all the recent stock market turmoil, the fag brand's are increasing, or at worst holding their value as they are perceived as safe haven stocks - why, because their profits and demand are unceasing, paricularly in the far east and eastern bloc countries.

Hence, we may well see more and more european races disappear in favour of far/middle east/eastern bloc countries where you can advertise virtually anything.

To Bernie a GP track is simply a means to an end, hence the fact that he doesn't really care whether it's held in Britain or Russia. He was very quick to lash out at Silverstone on the way they treated spectator's, yet has no quarm's in dropping a countries only race off the calendar, denying spectator's entirely.

Yet he know's that the majority of fan's, and therefore punters for his sponsors, watch the races on TV - hence it doesn't matter to him where it's held.

Bet you the Italian GP never comes under threat though....

[Sato san]

This just goes to show the way bernie doesnt care about anything but money.

[Adam43]

No Spa

Every year we get this rumour though and so far we have been saved from a calendar without Spa.

[Jukebox]

to support your claim sato_san....just imagine if China and the middle east countries were to air live formula1 races every two weekends, the income generated from the tv rights would be mind bogling as there are millions of untapped market there.

[Super Tourer]

Originally posted by Sato san
This just goes to show the way bernie doesnt care about anything but money.

I guess that's why he's a billionaire. You don't accumulate this amount of wealth and subsequent power without putting yourself first at every opportunity, regardless of who it effects on the way.

As was quoted in one of the papers recently, you could fit all the people, who've got the better of bernie in a deal - into a phone box.....

[paulzinho]

You could probably fit them in a shoe box....

[SolemHill]

When I visited Spa last year for the GT 24hr I was shown around a bit by some very nice official chappie's. They both worked on F1 and the likes. I'm sure they both agreed that Bernie owned about 40% of Spa. Of ourse this would put him in the enviable win - win. When F1 pay for the circuit - he get's the profit and so forth throughout the whole period of the GP carnival....I can't believe he would go against his own interests. They may have been mistaken, these ever so nice gents, but they did seem pretty certain that he owned the white challet opposite the F1 pits just before la source.........Hmmmm conflicting stories always seem to be in plentiful supply! Maybe tobacco is a bigger income than actually owning the circuit. Can anybody confirm Bernie does have an interest in Spa?

[DNQ]

We almost lost Spa in 1999...but we didnt.
Hopefully its going to be the same outcome again.

[freud]

Originally posted by Jukebox
to support your claim sato_san....just imagine if China and the middle east countries were to air live formula1 races every two weekends, the income generated from the tv rights would be mind bogling as there are millions of untapped market there.

And I can imagine the money would safely land inside Bernie's underwear...

Spa is the only GP that gives me some thrills every year. I have rarely seen a bad race at Spa. I was standing at Eau Rouge last year saying $%$# about how Ralf wants it to be turned into a Chicane. Now we hear the GP can be taken off the calender. I am just totally fed up with Bernie & Mosely. Both of them are just destroying the legacy of a great sport.

[SolemHill]

Come on! Do we need to hang on to the lagacy of F1.

Every marshall compains about the conditions they have to put up with. The crowds complain about the conditions they have to put up with. The access to the cicuits was outgrown a decade ago. and now we don't want the sport updating and brought into the modern world with purpose built facilities and more to the point the size of circuit that will accomodate todays high performance F1 cars. The cars have outgrown many of todays circuits and we all complain about the lack of overtaking and true racing other than stategy in the pit lane......maybe we will see what we have all asked for..more overtaking..better racing...better facilities...better access to cicuits...

I agree Spa is not only beautifull but there is nowhere in the world that can hold a light to the sight of an F1 going through eau rouge and up the hill...but do we really want to stifle progress?

[Jay]

I somewhat agree. And don't use this as an opportunity to dump on other potential GPs. If Spa goes, it will have nothing to do with other races.

I hope Spa stays, but at the same time I wouldn't mind seeing a few European races get the boot in favour of more races around the world. There are a lot of countries out there that have load of F1 zealots that would be willing to open their wallets to Bernie for a "Grand Prix".