This season may be barely half over and the title race still wide open, but the 2009 calendar for Formula 1 has been announced, well at least provisionally - here it is.
29 March - Australia (Melbourne) 5 April - Malaysia (Sepang) 19 April - Bahrain (Manama) 10 May - Spain (Barcelona) 24 May - Monaco 7 June - Canada (Montreal) 21 June - Britain (Silverstone) 28 June - France (Magny-Cours) 12 July - Germany (Nuerburgring) 26 July - Hungary (Budapest) 9 August - Turkey (Istanbul) 23 August - Europe (Valencia) 6 September - Italy (Monza) 13 September - Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps) 27 September - Singapore 11 October - Japan (Suzuka) 18 October - China (Shanghai) 1 November - Brazil (Interlagos) 15 November - Abu Dhabi
Every peice I've read has gone with the finale at a new Abu Dhabi track as the main angle. This is just another example of Bernie Ecclestone, the poisoned dwarf who runs the commercial side of F1, going where the money is, at the expense of tradition and fans. NASCAR has the demise of tracks like Rockingham in favour of unloved dates in places like Fontana, in the future I fear F1 fans will talk of a calendar packed with dates in the Middle and Far East with only a bare minimum of races in Europe, the main historical F1 fan base and the locations of all the current teams.
Bernie wants dates in Russia, and a return to the US, while tracks and the governments in India and South Korea want races in the near future. At the same time traditional tracks and nations find their races under threat. Magny-Cours in France is said to have hosted it's last GP last weekend (despite the fact that it appears on the list above). Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Canada has been slated in recent years due a percieved lack of facilities and a poorly maintained track. Even Silverstone is perennially threatened with the loss of its race. Yes, moves like this push places to improve their facilities - Montreal have already said they will repaved the circuit and Silverstone has recently had massive paddock improvments approved. However, F1 has to remember it is not Bernie's personal play thing, nor the car manufacturers biggest billboard. IT'S A SPORT! IT HAS FANS. Bernie is already presuring Australia into making it's GP a night race, because 3am European starts don't go down well, and now he wants to move more races towards that time zone.
Aside from that there are a few other points. Turkey has moved back to August after this year's race in May, Silverstone has been shuffled up a month to June. The awful and boring Hungaroring remains in place (surely if any track should be taken off the calendar this is it). The two Spanish races (in Barcelona and the Valencia street track) remain despite it being totally unncecessary to have two races there - the resurrection of the 'European' race this year seems to be another money led move, thinly veiled under the excuse that it''s due to Spanish fan's demand following Fernando Alonso. Surely if every race was decided like this ltaly would have half the calender, Britain the other half. On the subject of Italians the old San Marino GP at Imola remains AWOL despite it being another track that's recently upgraded its facilities.
And Formula Two!?
Another thing to come out the FIA's meeting was the plan to resurrect the Formula Two series, as an affordable feeder series, reports put the target cost at 200,000 Euro a year, compared to the current feeder series, GP2, where a years campaign costs over 1million Euro. No Idea about how they plan to keep costs down to this extent, especially if this new series follows F1 around, like GP2 currently does. And bringing it back full circle Motorsport magazine Autosport descibes this move something that could be a 'clear provocation' to the afore-mentioned Bernie Ecclestone, who position means that GP2 is very much his series. Any new rival feeder series could undermine him, and at least take this chunk of power from him.
I could stand to see the Valencia street circuit go away, as well as the Hungoring. Bring back Imola and the A1 Ring in Austria, and leave Silverstone and Magny-Cours on the schedule.
At least Spa is listed for 2009.
*sigh* No United States GP in 2009. Is Bernie still hoping to see a track built in Las Vegas? I just don't see that happening. To me, logical locations for a renewed USGP include:
(1) Indianapolis
(2) Miller Motorsports Park in Salt Lake City
(3) street circuit in Long Beach.
Why not USA this year. We have tracks. Indy, what about Road America. I would like to have a chance to go to an F-1 race. I would love to take my son. But I dont want to have to fly over a big pond to do it. Bring F-1 back to the states. If they race the fans will come.
Moseby - I know Bernie wants the Aussie race at night, because of European (and US?) audience figures. I presume that any race in South Korea would likely be a night race, but of course it all really depends on how Singapore goes. If that's a disaster it'll be pretty hard to convince countries and tracks to agree to another night race.
bc - I'd forgotten the old A1 Ring, wonderful little track that seemed to breed huge accidents. Last I heard of it was owned by Red Bull, but there was no racing on it. I think they were considering updating it to use it as a personal test track for their F1 team and trying to get a few smaller series to race there.
Noahspop - Bernie wants a race somewhere in the US, I don't know the exact reasons why they left Indy. I could write a long list of tracks where F1 could fit in, but several have problems - facilities not to F1 standard, not big enough capacity etc. A street track somewhere would be Bernie's dream as he seems to be a big supporter of them of late - Valencia, Singapore, he wants a new French venue on the streets of Paris.
Lori - first I've heard of that, seems a strange idea. I'm all for motorsport trying to be more environmentally friendly, but not sure I agree with the green credentials of a car getting in the way of the actual racing.
jbroomy
And once again where a race is needed most the powers that be within F1 are unwilling to acquiesce and lay the foundation work for the resumption of a US Grand Prix on American soil. The stupidity of it all hasn't been lost on the manufaxcturers and their corporate sponsors.
The likes of Ecclestone and Mosley really do need to rethink their position befor all hell breaks loose within their ranks. If that should happen then what the fans know as F1 will become just another moribund sport sport amongst the masses.
The sport can't continue to thrive without there being a competitive race here in the US .
Forensic2
As you very well know there's good and bad almost everywhere that one goes. Even in dear ol' Blighty.
But it's my inherent belief that if there's isn't a US Grand Prix on the calendar anytime soon. Then F1 might as well call it quits with their foray into the North American market once and for all.
I always want to write something witty here, but my wit is always confused with something worse ------------- ------------- ----NASCAR and Auto Racing in general mostly here, but I get distracted by shiny sporting objects as well and give them an airing too---------- ------------- -----Pastimes include rooting for the underdog and trying to fathom why Golf is considered a sport-------- ------------- ---
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