French/Belgian GP alternance to be announced

[ioan]

There are rumors about a planned alternance between Belgian GP (Spa) and French GP (Paul Ricard / Castellet) starting next year.

[Mark]

First the BBC / Sky thing then this!

[Koz]

While Circuit Paul Ricard looks interesting, it'd be a real shame not to have Spa in the calender. IMO it is one of the best tracks we have now.

Such a shame.

[Hawkmoon]

Drop one of the boring Asian, or Middle Eastern tracks I say. Can't see a logic in dropping the majority of the drivers favourite tracks for alternate years. Then again Bernie is keen to cut the viewing audience in the UK from next year so nothing surprises me.

When has either logic, what's good for the sport or what the fans want ever played a role in Bernie's plans for F1? Spa, like Monza, Silverstone and Monaco, should be a protected event with a guaranteed place on the calendar. Of course the only guarantee Bernie is looking for is one that brings in more and more $$$$$$$$.

[Malbec]

There are rumors about a planned alternance between Belgian GP (Spa) and French GP (Paul Ricard / Castellet) starting next year.

Paul Ricard? The one circuit in Europe with hardly any viewing facilities? I suspect if there is going to be an alternating French/Belgian GP then it will involve another French GP.

Another story going around is that Belgium is on the verge of breaking up and the southern French speaking component will inevitably merge with France, resulting in Spa becoming the French GP.

On the whole though, I don't understand the point of alternating GPs. The expensive part of holding a race (apart from paying Bernie's fees) for each circuit ensuring the track is safe and modern, access is good and the facilities are up to date stay exactly the same but income is halved. This is especially true of Spa which has now become a permanent circuit with lots of investment loans to repay.

[steveaki13]

This is another nail in F1. What is going on.

Bernie and the FIA are ruining our sport and we have no say in it.

I agree with Henners. with all the terrible Asian circuits being bought in F1 is now only about making money for the few and sod the masses.

[Mark]

They've been talking about Belgium breaking up for decades. I don't see it happening any time soon. Nevermind union with France.

[Malbec]

They've been talking about Belgium breaking up for decades. I don't see it happening any time soon. Nevermind union with France.

Things have come to a head since there hasn't been an elected Belgian government in office for several years now, with giving each part of the country greater autonomy being the sticking point.

If there is an agreement over how Brussels with its equal French and Dutch speaking population will be handled in the event of a split then I think Belgium may well split up.

One of my in-laws is a senior civil servant in Lilles, they are already preparing for such an eventuality although public opinion in France is deeply divided as to whether they'd want Wallonia. The vast majority of Walloons though want to merge with France.

[ioan]

They've been talking about Belgium breaking up for decades. I don't see it happening any time soon. Nevermind union with France.

Exactly!

[ioan]

Things have come to a head since there hasn't been an elected Belgian government in office for several years now, with giving each part of the country greater autonomy being the sticking point.

If there is an agreement over how Brussels with its equal French and Dutch speaking population will be handled in the event of a split then I think Belgium may well split up.

One of my in-laws is a senior civil servant in Lilles, they are already preparing for such an eventuality although public opinion in France is deeply divided as to whether they'd want Wallonia. The vast majority of Walloons though want to merge with France.

So teh question is if teh French want them not first if the French speaking Belgian want to be part of France?! Strange one as I do not think that they really want to be part of the country who's been making fun of them since ever. :s

[52Paddy]

When Bernie dies, will we get all our great tracks back?

[Daniel]

When Bernie dies, will we get all our great tracks back?

Wow. That would be such a horrible day, Bernie is the reason F1 is so great now and without him F1 would be much poorer :dozey:

*Tip* Read the text above out loud to yourself in a sarcastic tone and you'll get the idea.

[steveaki13]

When Bernie dies, will we get all our great tracks back?

I really hope so.

I hold out a hope that we get back to a calender like the 90's and lose all this talk about "The Show" and get back to "The Sport".

[Daniel]

Bernie is not alone in these decisions so I fear money is the motivation behind locations whether Bernie is here or six feet under. I doubt we will suddenly get the great tracks like Imola and others back if they can't pay the 40 million it costs to host. The teams demand more money every year and it has a knock on effect with venues and TV rights being the casualties.

Tbh I see this as only being bad for Formula 1.

You only need to look at the WRC now compared to 10 years ago to see how fast interest in a sport can decline due to bad sporting regulations, inability to change regs fast enough, changing regs too often and also moving events to crappy places like Jordan, Mexico and other anonymous events which have no character.

[Daniel]

Considering Bernie is happy to slash the viewing figures for half a season the UK by a fourth, I think he is happy for the quick cash rather than interest. If the venues like the desert car parks are happy to pay the fee to hold a race and viewing figures in places like China and India are going up, he doesn't care about character and desirability IMO. Fast money = happy teams and investors. Sod the fans and enthusiasts.

The thing is that can only happen for so long. The WRC went along for a few years with very poor coverage, but once they started dropping classic events like San Remo, the Safari and so on and not doing anything about how boring the cars were to watch (comparatively speaking) then it dropped right off the radar.

F1 can get along right now purely on having Ferrari in there, having all the beautiful people around and all the money and so on, but there will come a point (if we continue allowing Bernie to rape the sport) where it drops off a cliff.

[52Paddy]

The thing is that can only happen for so long. The WRC went along for a few years with very poor coverage, but once they started dropping classic events like San Remo, the Safari and so on and not doing anything about how boring the cars were to watch (comparatively speaking) then it dropped right off the radar.

F1 can get along right now purely on having Ferrari in there, having all the beautiful people around and all the money and so on, but there will come a point (if we continue allowing Bernie to rape the sport) where it drops off a cliff.

I see it that way too.

[F1boat]

Horrible idea. Spa is the best track in the calendar. The gnome has gone crazy with greed.

[Daniel]

Horrible idea. Spa is the best track in the calendar. The gnome has gone crazy with greed.

Stating the obvious there :p

[52Paddy]

The gnome has gone crazy with greed.

That's a good point. I guess he is kind of greedy.

[steveaki13]

We should have a French & Belgium GP.

French GP = The origin and history of Grand Prix racing and Belgium one of the most iconic and the best track in the world.

F1 is losing while it thinks it gains.......

[Nikki Katz]

While I think that Spa is probably my favourite track, if it is struggling financially a little then this is a lot better than losing the race altogether. As far as the races are concerned, obviously I'd rather it if we lost, say, Valencia, but that's just not going to happen right now.

I think that F1 does need a race in France every now and then.

[gloomyDAY]

No thanks! That's one thing I won't compromise on in F1. I said it 4 years ago and I'll say it again, if Spa gets dropped then I'll quit watching F1. Pretty extreme, but I feel as if Spa gets dropped then other iconic tracks will get axed even if they provide great racing and entertainment. Turkey got cut from the schedule today, so it obviously doesn't matter what the fans think, and certainly doesn't matter that the drivers like this track too!

[IceWizard]

It would be good to see France back on the calendar but not at the expense of an annual Belgian GP. If anything has to be alternated with France then I'd much rather it was the Nurburgring with Hockenheim dropped altogether. Better still would be to drop Valencia but sadly I can't see that happening.

[nigelred5]

Wasn't Bernie also personally involved in promotion of Spa? I know he was in the past from time to time.

As long as Bernie ultimately answers to the bottom line of CVC, it's his duty to maximize profits at the expense of tradition. I don't agree with that strategy because tradition increases attendance. Taking supply/demand too far IMHO. How's alternating Hockenheim and Nurburgring worked out?? Not very well for either IMHO. In the end you loose attendance at both tracks.

[nigelred5]

No thanks! That's one thing I won't compromise on in F1. I said it 4 years ago and I'll say it again, if Spa gets dropped then I'll quit watching F1. Pretty extreme, but I feel as if Spa gets dropped then other iconic tracks will get axed even if they provide great racing and entertainment. Turkey got cut from the schedule today, so it obviously doesn't matter what the fans think, and certainly doesn't matter that the drivers like this track too!

Spa's been dropped before, BE will drop it again. Hell, He dropped Silverstone for Donnington. I don't care what they would have done @ donnington, it would never match Silverstone.

[mousti]

Lol about Belgium breaking up, a government will be faster made than breaking Belgium up, the Wallon people need the Flemish because of money. And is only a Ego thing what's going on now so if there would be a risk of breaking up then forming a government will probably become very fast!

Btw drop those Tilke circuit they're boring as hell if it's in dry circumstances! But yeah money,money, money..

EtdfUFHV shamballa pulseiras (http://shamballapulseiras.webnode.pt/#0990) njdrQIDti shamballa pulseiras (http://shamballapulseiras.webnode.pt/) ytflicdcnz louis vuitton portugal (http://louisvuittonportugal.webnode.pt/#8398) KUHpVxfky mwkxua ray ban portugal (http://rayban-portugal.webnode.pt/#8647) EcjSYEYWzuj