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Originally Posted by Cougar
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That's a shame!
I was really looking forward to that. Cape Town's a beautiful city and definitely on everyone's travel bucket lists if they haven't gone already... certainly on my top 10!
I can definitely see the South African Grand Prix in the near future, probably in Johannesburg since that's where the big money is. Also, it is close geographically with Pretoria and somewhat close to Durban. Bernie's got to be thinking about Durban, as well. I think that could be possible, and if Durban was hiding away some cash they just completely called their own bluff. Africa used to be just a big heaving mess of politics, humanity, and untamed geography, but now it seems to be a bit more modern than it used to be, especially since the World Cup of 2010. Johannesburg... that's the place for F1. However, Casablanca, Morocco seems to be putting some big pressure onto bidding for upcoming Summer Olympic Games (2024 or 2028). In 11 years, we may seem them in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. So if they are dedicated to the Olympics, what stopping them from pulling a Sochi and making a racetrack out of an Olympic Park, too? For me, the two big candidates for Africa are South Africa and Morocco. Maybe Egypt if they get their act together politically.
Bangkok would basically be another Sepang, Shanghai, Buddh, or Yeongam... probably the same uninspired style, but one can only hope that maybe Tilke will stop hogging the track designing spot. Indonesia is probably on the map as well... refurbishing Sentul could be an option.
I'm sure Ecclestone is looking at Mexico City. Maybe not Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, because if Bernie thinks Interlagos needs renovating, it is nothing compared to Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. But that's definitely on the map. The French Grand Prix is probably desperate to get back on the calendar, and Argentina showed some interest, and we've got Sochi confirmed. Finally, if Istanbul wins the election for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, that may just give them enough of a push to get the Turkish GP back in action... they would already be zapped of money, but being in the world news every day and having millions of people watching your country's soil on television has to boost moral... and that's really what they need, I think.
About AHR in Mexico City: it is not possible for them to lengthen the preexisting track. They are running into the same problem as Circuit Gilles Villeneuve... they are surrounded on all four corners will geographical barriers, Montreal's being water and AHR's being buildings.
Sao Paulo is coming under a lot of heat recently as Ecclestone said it needed renovation for him to continue the contract. I think it is time to scratch Interlagos off the calendar and start building another Formula 1 racetrack where you aren't surrounded on all four corners by shanties.
This is all pure speculation, however. Nevertheless, I think we can come up with a basic idea of what the 2014 schedule will consist of (in no particular order)...
1. Yas Marina
2. New Jersey
3. Melbourne
4. Bahrain
5. Spa
6. Interlagos
7. Silverstone
8. Montreal
9. Shanghai
10. Hockenheim
11. Hungary
12. New Delhi
13. Monza
14. Yeongam
15. Sepang
16. Monaco
17. Sochi
18. Singapore
19. Valencia
20. COTA
21. Istanbul
22. Paul Ricard
In 2015, we could probably see Zagreb, Bangkok, Africa (probably South Africa or Morocco), and Mexico City on the calendar.
That's my two cents.
