Bernie Ecclestone has warned some European countries that their grand prix faces the axe as he tries to make way for new venues.
With India set to make its Formula One debut next season, the calendar will be extended to 20 races, a number that Ecclestone has stated in the past he'd be happy with.
However, Moscow and New York are both looking for a place on the calendar, with 2012 and 2013 being touted as possible dates for their debut seasons.
But in order to make space for the new grands prix, Ecclestone says he is going to have to cull some of the current European venues.
"We're going to lose some races for sure, there are some races we can afford to lose without too much problem," he told Autocar.
"I've spoken to the countries to see what we can come up with."
as my vote shows, i would only really miss spa and silverstone from that list.
i like nurburgring and catalunya, but could do fine without.
i don't care at all about budapest or hockenheim.
i'd be happy to see monza, valencia, and monte carlo go.
I would not mind if Catalunya, Valencia, and Hungaroring were replaced IF the replacement tracks are not Tilke clones.
I want silverston, spa, hungaroring, monaco and monza to stay. The rest, I'm like whatever. I rather nurburgring over the current hockenheim, but interested to see lother german tracks.
I don't think any new venue could be better than any of the traditional races. Even Budapest has a right to be there. Couldn't care less about Valencia, though, get rid of that. Losing Spa, Monaco and Monza would be a reason to stop watching F1.
Spa, Monza, Silverstone, and Monaco have to stay as they are part of F1's history and provide great races. The rest of the tracks are good but i wouldn't necessarily miss them all that much, but if they are replaced it has to be with a track that will provide a exciting race, do we want more Bahrain's and Abu Dhabi's on the calender modern facilities but a processional race.
I also think we are at the limit of the number of fly-away races at the beginning of the season, with no time back in Europe for development 1 team could have a locked in advantage till round 5. Just think right now we could have been looking at Sebastien Vettel on 75 points with every one else no where near and still China to come before heading back to Europe.
there are only 7 real f1 tracks: spa, monaco, silverstone, monza, bremgarten, reims-gueux, and indy. all these crappy new tracks, like suzuka, montreal, istanbul, hockenheim, nurburgring, interlagos, etc. are all crap that doesn't live up to the history of f1. they shouldn't even be considered. only the 7 real ones. and don't go changing the tracks, either. indy is a rectangle. reims-gueux is a triangle. monza is an insanely long figure 8.
/sarcasm
Change is inevitable.
Being successful in life/work/love/play requires accepting change. The more you accept change the more successful you will be.
The only constant in life is change.
/motivational speech mode.
Yes, change is nice, but only if it is change for the better. It is not just the history that make circuits like Spa unique. The more important part is they require skill and guts from the drivers as well as entertainment for the fans. I'm not opposed to a circuit in New York or Moscow in principle, it "only" has to make for more entertainment than the race it replaces.
Now if you think of all the circuits introduced in the new millenium, is there even one that stands out? Only one comes to mind is Singapore, and that's just because it's a night race, the circuit itself is not that great.
Bernie got F1 were it is today, but he needs to understand that by just getting nice with arab princes and russian oligarchs will not get him the money to pay for Slavica and Fabiana. If no one wants to watch the races on TV, he loses his main income.
I'm not sure when, exactly, they were introduced, but I think Istanbul and shanghai are entertaining circuits.
Monza and Monaco have tons of history, but host dull races.
I never watch the Monaco race because it puts me to sleep. Modern F1 cars don't race very well around Monaco. If it wasn't for the fact Bernie really likes all the people who have money that attend the race it would be off the calander for "saftey" reasons.
I read Bernie hates Monaco as he gets virtually no money for it. The on track advertising is owned by Monaco (which is why it is always different advertisers there) and he cannot get the money out of the paddock club as it is so small there.
But it will always bring the crowds and the glamour and glitz that keep the hype going so even Valencia (the modern Monaco - remember?) cannot drag the series into the mud.
Monaco has the "glam" and "glitz" but not much else - mind you we have other boring tracks that don't have that - at least at Monaco the backdrop is not a desert or a waterfront industrial precinct.
Monaco, Hungary and Valencia would be my 3 if some have to go.
Rationally I agree with you all, but I love this circuit and always enjoy the races - no overtaking, but drivers must be 100% precise to survive there.
Good thing about Monaco is that the crashes are big.
Mark Webber is also crap in Monaco, a reflection of his poor driving style compared to David (13GP Wins) Coulthard.
Finishing 3rd in Monaco makes 1 a crap driver, sorry tricky have to disagree on that.
Webber also won a race in Monaco in F3000. He was looking at a win or a strong Podium before his Williams gave in.
I made a thread how I think Hungary is an under rated track, with lots of great races, and lots of F1 achievements achieved there. Nasir linked a great scrap between Piquet snr and Mansell at the first race. Damon Hill's heroic drive keeping second in an Arrows powered by an electric keyboard and Alonso claiming his maiden win by lapping Schumacher.
Sure Hungary had it's precessions, but so has Monza, and last year the holy of all Asian tracks loved by all Suzuka.
I'm still standing by the Abu dhabi track. I think it's interesting and if all think it's a procession I think I remember Kobayashi actually passing a lot of cars, which is why we all wanted him to race this season. (I still have hope for him).
I think there are a bunch of great tracks out there, and I think with all the costs maybe some tracks could ink a sharing deal like Suzuka and Fuji had once in place and Hockenheim and Nurburgring, but say between countries. I think if a track like Istanbul only hosts a race every two years sharing with someone like Bahrain, maybe the crowds will value it more and actually attend.
To defend Monaco. I think like Indy has a layer of bricks for sentimental purposes, F1 should keep Monaco. I like the races there. It's a hard track to race, and it really tests the drivers. It's not a race of passes, but more endurance.
You can tell Bernie is looking for a Monaco Alternative. It would explain all these new street circuits, and he has expressed interest having F1 cars drive around the rocks and circular quay area of Sydney ( No Idea how that would be safer then Monaco).
I think Monaco as a one off is great for F1. No need for knock offs like Singapore or Valencia, but if it brings good racing, no problem, but they don't.
(04-11-2010 04:59 AM)Baumgartnerfan Wrote: [ -> ]I think like Indy has a layer of bricks for sentimental purposes, F1 should keep Monaco.
if a yard of bricks is enough sentimentality, can we just keep one of the trackside shops and lose the rest of the track?
(04-10-2010 10:40 PM)Our Nige Wrote: [ -> ]Finishing 3rd in Monaco makes 1 a crap driver, sorry tricky have to disagree on that.
DC won twice in Monaco in 2000 and 2002 with McLaren