new 2012 calendar 21 races

[CNR]

Twenty-One Grands Prix for 2012 | Fox Sports (http://www.foxsports.com.au/motor-sports/formula-one/fia-release-largest-ever-formula-one-calendar-for-2012-season-with-21-grand-prix/story-e6frf3zl-1226070301746)

Formula One will have its biggest ever calendar in 2012 with the United States Grand Prix to make it a massive 21 event schedule.

2 down from Mercedes F1 change name, again (http://www.foxsports.com.au/motor-sports/formula-one/mercedes-benz-formula-1-team-to-add-famous-luxury-road-car-specialists-amg-nameplate-from-2012/story-e6frf3zl-1226215761093) but old news

[Dave B]

Bahrain will almost certainly be cancelled, and Austin is still in doubt, so chances are we'll have a 19 race calendar just like this year.

[Nikki Katz]

The very first 2012 calendar also had 21 races on it, which caused Todt to say that there would be 20 races at an absolute maximum, despite what the promoter says. The one released today (as the last one) has 20, but it could still fall down to 17.

[nigelred5]

Austin paid the sanctioning fee, so lets see how quickly they can build a track. half of the plan appeared to utilizs temporary grandstands anyway. I want to know how folks are going to get in and out of the place.

[555-04Q2]

21 races! WOW! Pity I aint gonna watch em :(

[RS]

Hope Bahrian is cancelled, apart from the political issues I would prefer to see the season opened somewhere with a bit more character (Oz)

[F1boat]

this is so stupid... less is more sometimes.

[Dr. Krogshöj]

The correct number of scheduled races is 20.

World Motor Sport Council (http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/wmsc/2011/Pages/wmsc-310811.aspx)

Will Bahrain, Korea and Austin actually happen? We'll see.

[Warriwa]

Australia will be gone in a few years.
Henners, I am curious. Imagine in the future there were thirty F1 circuits around the world that you absolutely loved.
Racing at all of these tracks is spectacular. Would you still advocate a twenty or less race calendar?

[555-04Q2]

Australia will be gone in a few years.
Henners, I am curious. Imagine in the future there were thirty F1 circuits around the world that you absolutely loved.
Racing at all of these tracks is spectacular. Would you still advocate a twenty or less race calendar?

I would love 52 races a year...1 a week :D

[Bullet]

I'm an F1 fan who enjoys the sport primarily by watching races. Why should I be dissappointed by 21 races? I'd like to work fewer weeks a year, races though... I think I'd rather see a few more.

[Prisoner Monkeys]

There's only twenty Grands Prix in 2012. The nineteen races of 2011 plus Austin and Bahrain make twenty-one, but Istanbul has been removed from the calendar, so that makes twenty races. Formula 1 cannot have more than twenty races without the consent of the teams, and the teams think twenty is the maximum possible. That number is set by the Concorde Agreement, which is up for renewal next year. If any more races are to be added, the maximum number will be renegotiated then. With New Jersey and Russia coming in, plus interest from Mexico, Argentina and South Africa, there's probably going to have to be some expansion of the calendar, since there are more races joining the calendar than there are with contracts that are soon to expire.

[call_me_andrew]

this is so stupid... less is more sometimes.

I do not believe this is one of those times.

Though on some of these Tilkedromes, practice is more interesting than the race itself.

[IceWizard]

I do not believe this is one of those times.

Though on some of these Tilkedromes, practice is more interesting than the race itself.

Agreed, although I think 20 is about the limit in terms of the balance between quantity and quality. Would be surprised if the schedule stays at 20 in future years though with New Jersey and Russia coming on board and places like Argentina, Mexico and South Africa knocking on the door for races.

[zako85]

I don't see a reason why all of those new and old venues can't be accommodated in some way. One simple way of doing this is to hold a race at some tracks only every other year or so. A lot of governments are willing to sponsor the F1 race because holding F1 race is akin holding Olympic games in terms of national prestige. However, the Olympic games last only two weeks and often won't return for 50 years. The F1 weekend lasts 3 days but could easily return every other year or every two years if there is enough interest. This arrangement could be problematic if the race track was built by investors who are anxious to recoup their investment. Those could be accommodated with a contract agreement that gives them a race every year for say five years, and then an option to hold the events less frequently.