No French GP until 2011!

[Marbot]

At the earliest!

How can we still call them "Grand Prix" ?

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpa...s_art_id=36630

[Naruto]

He rather have a race in India

[Pingguest]

Ohlala, Renault is not going to like this.

[Ingsy]

I've just read this on F1 ITV, with this quote making me laugh:

Ecclestone has been looking for a new home for the French GP for several years, with Magny-Cours unpopular with many in the paddock due to its remote location and lack of atmosphere.

Hang on, doesn't that sum up practically every track that has been added to the calendar for the last 5 years or so?

[Marbot]

Bernie has a reasonable track himself in France (Paul Ricard) and it would be an ideal track to go to the weekend before or after the Monaco GP,at least for the time being.

But Bernie will do what most businessmen do..follow the money!

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by Marbot

Bernie has a reasonable track himself in France (Paul Ricard) and it would be an ideal track to go to the weekend before or after the Monaco GP,at least for the time being.

There are literally no spectator facilities at Ricard though, because it's solely a test venue.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

There are literally no spectator facilities at Ricard though, because it's solely a test venue.

That's true,it would be difficult to find someone to promote the race!

But he could always use cardboard cut out people or just get the cameramen to do what they do at Bahrain,Fuji,Malaysia and one or two other tracks.

[duke_toaster]

Temporary seating? Like a street circuit but without the "street" part?

[Marbot]

So it looks like no French GP for a while and probably no French driver either.Very sad.

[JeremySmith]

I did not find anything wrong with Magny-Cours myself....The racing should be enough to provide the atmosphere...

[JohnMiller]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

There are literally no spectator facilities at Ricard though, because it's solely a test venue.

Not quite true, there is a grandstand.

[chrisp2006]

They should have a temporary venue at least. this is a bit farcical really, makes the sport look like a joke

[Dutton]

I think that is a bit OTT, chrisp2006. It is one country losing a race (presumably temporarily in this case). These things happen with motorsport series.

I agree that it is a negative thing to see France without a GP, but that doesn't mean it is the end of world, or farcical, or that it makes the sport look like a joke.

It is unfortunate and regrettable to not have a French GP, but I do feel things need to be kept in perspective.

[Teretonga]

Getting a venue is the easy part. Reality doesn't have to match....err... reality in Bernies world. Its like a Hollywood stage lot.

Bernie could have a couple of venues (Ricard and Donnington!) with artifical buildings like a movie lot and import audiences for far less cost and just make it all up....

Ricard could be used for day and night races, street races (put up some walls with big fences), races in different countries (new facades on the buildings & import some palm trees and an audience and he could be in Durban, Costa Brava, Hawaii or West Africa .....)

Just use the same track, add a few corner options and chicanes and change the direction and the surroundings like they do on a movie lot.

The trouble is he wouldn't get the millions in race fees and he doesn't promote races (he just charges the promoter to put the race on for him and CVC....)

[werner]

We could call the Belgian GP French. They speak French over there anyway, it's close to France, and there have been Luxemburg GP's at Germany, Swiss GP's at France, San Marino GP's at Italy, so this is possible to.

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by werner

We could call the Belgian GP French. They speak French over there anyway, it's close to France, and there have been Luxemburg GP's at Germany, Swiss GP's at France, San Marino GP's at Italy, so this is possible to.

The reason the San Marino, Swiss and Luxembourg Grands Prix were named so, was because there were already Italian, French and German Grands Prix on the calendar.

There is no legitimate reason for renaming the Belgian GP.

[duke_toaster]

Alternative view : The reason that the Swiss GP was held in France was because Switzerland, a country with a classic grand prix, banned motorsport as a knee-jerk reaction to Le Mans 1955.

With the current points system, all F1 races are equal in one sense. However in the sense of prestige, some are more equal than others. There are some genuine time-honoured classic races

The original six Grands Prix in 1950 should be on the calendar - if possible at the original venue. France needs to find a venue, and Switzerland can't hold the race due to lack of a venue, and (I think) the car racing ban is still in force.

The German Grand Prix is another classic race. It was left out for 1950 but in the 1930s was a Grand Epruve.

Singapore will cement a status as a classic race, the USA partially has it as does Canada. The Japanese Grand Prix has that sort of presence too.

I imagine the manufacturers would want to go to the places where they can sell their cars the best, as well the historic events for promotional reasons.

Malaysia, China (and when it comes in) and India are not the sort of places which would largely fit.

[johntt]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

Alternative view : The reason that the Swiss GP was held in France was because Switzerland, a country with a classic grand prix, banned motorsport as a knee-jerk reaction to Le Mans 1955.

The original six Grands Prix in 1950 should be on the calendar - if possible at the original venue. France needs to find a venue, and Switzerland can't hold the race due to lack of a venue, and (I think) the car racing ban is still in force.

The ban was lifted last year, although with a lack of tracks I can't see anything significant happening. The ban only covered cars competing against each other, so time trial events and rallying are allowed to continue The IRC has the Rally du Valais in Switzerland. Swiss championships continue to exist with races taking place on bordering countries.

Singapore will cement a status as a classic race,

Agree, it is something special as long as we don't have any more than two other night races per year.

the USA partially has it as does Canada.

The US GP should be in the schedule, Watkins Glen would be nice but F1 would ruin it. Indy using the MotoGP track with Speedway T1 would be the lesser of many evils. Canada should be on there but the poison dwarf wants another middle/far eastern government cheque.

The Japanese Grand Prix has that sort of presence too.

Japan and Australia are essential flyaway races given their history and signiicance in motorsport.

I imagine the manufacturers would want to go to the places where they can sell their cars the best, as well the historic events for promotional reasons.

Malaysia, China (and when it comes in) and India are not the sort of places which would largely fit.

China and India are on the manufacturers list of emeriging markets, these places are boomtown in terms of car sales. Malaysia has a great track, but it has no reason other than the state/state oil company backing it. Move Sepang Circuit to Delhi and you'll be onto a winner.

[Stefvh]

Originally Posted by werner

We could call the Belgian GP French. They speak French over there anyway, it's close to France, and there have been Luxemburg GP's at Germany, Swiss GP's at France, San Marino GP's at Italy, so this is possible to.

Why ?

[f1manoz]

I'm saddened not see the oldest and grandest Grand Prix of them all on the calendar for 2009. Forget Monaco or whatever, the French Grand Prix is THE true race event, 102 years (ignoring the war years etc) and counting, even if it has been held at the rather dull Magny-Cours for 17 years now.

Another bit of F1 history bites the dust... will it ever return?

[Teretonga]

The French may have known somethiong others apparently did not.

At the present rate of progress, if the doom and gloom writers on the forum are correct, F1 is dead or dying and the 2009 season may be over before July comes around anyway...

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Teretonga

The French may have known somethiong others apparently did not.

They eat snails and frog legs...go figure.

Originally Posted by Teretonga

At the present rate of progress, if the doom and gloom writers on the forum are correct, F1 is dead or dying and the 2009 season may be over before July comes around anyway...

When TGF was around,the season was more or less over by that time anyway.

I feel fairly optimistic actually,but there is talk that maybe two or even three other teams may not make it onto the grid in Melbourne!

[Teretonga]

So we may see 'Grand Prix' races padded out with GP2 cars and a sub class within the field to bump up the numbers for Bernies TV buddys.....

[duke_toaster]

That is a bit of a prophesy of doom, although it is possible that it may happen (albeit unlikely). Customer cars would be allowed first, I recon.

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

That is a bit of a prophesy of doom, although it is possible that it may happen (albeit unlikely). Customer cars would be allowed first, I recon.

The drivers series was run for F2 cars way in the 50's during a time of difficulty although todays 2009 F2 would be pretty anemic.
However GP2 isn't and with a reasonable power increase could probably do quite well as a subclass or even an interim solution for a YEAR OR TWO.

I would agree it is a doomsday style prohecy although the ultimate one would be the complete failure of F1 for 2009/2010... something highly unlikely (too many contracts to service or buy out).