Future Grands Prix?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Most of that list is fine, but IMO there needs to be a GP in France, which is missing from there. It’s the birthplace of both motor racing and Grand Prix racing. For me it was a travesty it was off the calendar for so long

[Anyopenroad]

The idea that Silverstone is a better track for F1 (or for anything else) than Spa is so bewildering and perplexing that I can't really take in the rest of the list .

[BTCC frog]

Originally Posted by Anyopenroad

The idea that Silverstone is a better track for F1 (or for anything else) than Spa is so bewildering and perplexing that I can't really take in the rest of the list .

I prefer Spa for qualifying or practice sessions, as it is the best track for just watching the cars, and my second favourite overall. But in a race situation, I enjoy Silverstone the most because of the amount of time drivers can spend side-by-side and how long the battles last, and some of the overtakes that are pulled off there are fantastic.

[Anyopenroad]

Originally Posted by BTCC frog

I prefer Spa for qualifying or practice sessions, as it is the best track for just watching the cars, and my second favourite overall.

That criteria is 98.3% of what matters to me, which means Spa and Nurburgring sit all alone in their own categories of awesomeness .

Originally Posted by BTCC frog

But in a race situation, I enjoy Silverstone the most because of the amount of time drivers can spend side-by-side and how long the battles last, and some of the overtakes that are pulled off there are fantastic.

I get that. I'd have Silverstone on the list because of 150,000 fans turning up every year, despite it being a soulless dump .

Your list has circuits on it for a variety of reasons, including some just for the spectacle even if the racing sucks. I like that. That variety is essential.

Brands Hatch though - nah, would be a shambles. Either the cars would be tootling around in a line because it's too narrow and there's no way to pass, or they'd be tootling around in a line behind the safety car because someone went 1cm off the tarmac and put it in the barriers/gravel, necessitating a 30 min recovery/repair. Pretty though, so maybe that's enough!

[Greem]

I was going to suggest that you could hold an F1 *race* at Brands Hatch quite easily (Anyopenroad's comments notwithstanding).

It would be utterly impossible to have all the slebs/guests/paddock club people there though, so revenue would drop, and it wouldn't happen again.

Please don't ever mention Donington holding a future F1 race ever again. I was there when it closed in 2009 and the place has only recently recovered from the butchery that effort caused!

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Greem

I was going to suggest that you could hold an F1 *race* at Brands Hatch quite easily (Anyopenroad's comments notwithstanding).

It would be utterly impossible to have all the slebs/guests/paddock club people there though, so revenue would drop, and it wouldn't happen again.

Please don't ever mention Donington holding a future F1 race ever again. I was there when it closed in 2009 and the place has only recently recovered from the butchery that effort caused!

Is revenue entirely dependent on all the slebs/guests/paddock club people being there?

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Is revenue entirely dependent on all the slebs/guests/paddock club people being there?

Unless things have changed dramatically since Mr E left, then it has no real effect on the circuits revenue. How it was set up meant that all the Paddock Club revenue went into FOM's coffers.

The circuits were pretty well entirely dependant on spectator revenue, which is why the British GP has nearly always been a loss leader for the BRDC.

[Greem]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Unless things have changed dramatically since Mr E left, then it has no real effect on the circuits revenue. How it was set up meant that all the Paddock Club revenue went into FOM's coffers.

Sorry, yes, that's what I meant. All the hospitality stuff, paddock club memberships, etc etc are paid to Formula 1 themselves. That's a bit of a golden goose, so must absolutely not be impacted in any way.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Greem

Sorry, yes, that's what I meant. All the hospitality stuff, paddock club memberships, etc etc are paid to Formula 1 themselves. That's a bit of a golden goose, so must absolutely not be impacted in any way.

When you say it would be utterly impossible to have all the slebs/guests/paddock club people there, is that because Brands lacks the hospitality facilities?

[Greem]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

When you say it would be utterly impossible to have all the slebs/guests/paddock club people there, is that because Brands lacks the hospitality facilities?

No, it's because the inner paddock is absolutely tiny, and half the outer paddock is on a slope. There's no room to build the paddock club structures, yet also have all the behemoth team buildings and hospitality gubbins within reasonable reach of the garages. And that's just the F1 circus - given everything else in support, half the awnings would be out on the M20

Compare and contrast the two at the same scale...





...and then recall that Silverstone keeps all the support stuff over at Copse in the old paddock (which is bigger than both paddocks at Brands added together, and about three times the area of the Wing paddock), and has the old runways and the Stowe circuit for parking trucks on too, I think you'll see the reason why I say it could never happen.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Greem

No, it's because the inner paddock is absolutely tiny, and half the outer paddock is on a slope. There's no room to build the paddock club structures, yet also have all the behemoth team buildings and hospitality gubbins within reasonable reach of the garages. And that's just the F1 circus - given everything else in support, half the awnings would be out on the M20

Compare and contrast the two at the same scale...

Attachment 71451

Attachment 71452

...and then recall that Silverstone keeps all the support stuff over at Copse in the old paddock (which is bigger than both paddocks at Brands added together, and about three times the area of the Wing paddock), and has the old runways and the Stowe circuit for parking trucks on too, I think you'll see the reason why I say it could never happen.

Fair enough.

[wolfhound]

Then look at Zandvoort where there is very little space for an F1 size paddock.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

Then look at Zandvoort where there is very little space for an F1 size paddock.

Still more space than at Brands though!!

[crmalcolm]

An interesting observation (and maybe a fact for the race thread when it is created):
This weekend sees the inaugural Grande Prêmio de São Paulo. All previous races hosted in Brazil have been variants of Grande Prêmio do Brasil.

Which made me wonder, how many other F1 races now (and in future) are no longer named after the nation?
We have the following for 2021:
Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna
Grosser Preis der Steiermark
Gran Premio de la Ciudad de México
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Emilia Romagna and Steiermark are recent additions due to COVID calendar changes, and Abu Dhabi has always been named after the city.
Ciudad de México however is a 2021 change to also be named after the city.

2022 will also see the introduction of the Miami Grand Prix, are we going to see more races named locally rather than nationally in the future?

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

2022 will also see the introduction of the Miami Grand Prix, are we going to see more races named locally rather than nationally in the future?

i guess it depends on where the funding comes from (federal or regional) or what the goals are for the event (promote tourism for the country as a whole or primarily just for the region).

its an interesting trend you point out though...i would infer that the current trend is towards promoting specific places/more targeted advertising programs hence the growing number of regional/city names?

naming something the Pacific GP or European GP feels too broad and is passé now?

would add a change from the Canadian GP to the Montreal GP would be a welcomed change for me. within Canada, Montreal is unique in its connection with F1 and it is something the city should be able to specifically highlight (even though though receive some federal funding).

[BTCC frog]

I don't like the name changes at all, personally. I feel there is a long standing tradition of 'the Brazilian GP' and that this renaming is a pointless way to complicate statistics for the sake of advertising, in the same way as the change in name from Toro Rosso to Alpha Tauri was.

[Mike Harte]

Could it possibly have anything to do with the fact that Liberty seem to want to expand the championship, so therefore requiring more than one race in some or maybe many countries?

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by BTCC frog

I don't like the name changes at all, personally. I feel there is a long standing tradition of 'the Brazilian GP' and that this renaming is a pointless way to complicate statistics for the sake of advertising, in the same way as the change in name from Toro Rosso to Alpha Tauri was.

For sure I get that and for sure some names carry more history then others.

But in fairness, the race's name does already change from time to time, different sponsors come and go, and in this case, it has been held at different venues so any statistics would have to be compiled accordingly anyways.

Or if a name change here helps Interlagos keep its race (through returns on advertising or tourism etc) then for me my desire would be more towards the place rather then the country.

Always difficult to know which history is worth holding on to and what stuff isnt as important...and once its gone its gone.

[Alan52]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Could it possibly have anything to do with the fact that Liberty seem to want to expand the championship, so therefore requiring more than one race in some or maybe many countries?

Possibly in the case of Miami but they’re not thinking of multiple races in Mexico or Brazil.
The level of government funding the race is saying they want the race named after that level of government.Hopefully here in Australia we won’t get the Victorian Grand Prix.
Do Liberty know how to say no?

[S griffin]

Yes, it’s fine when you have a GP in one more than one country. If it’s the only GP what’s the point? It should be better known by the country it hosts. For me, this weekend will be the Brazilian GP and it being called the Sao Paolo GP is a nonsense. And the San Marino GP is better than the Emilio Romanio GP

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by S griffin

And the San Marino GP is better than the Emilio Romanio GP

I can't agree on that. The race is held in Emilia-Romagna, not San Marino.

Personally, I'm all in favour of more regional names for races. In many countries, there are large cultural differences between regions, and a locally named race can reflect that.

e.g. for many people in Campangia, a race north of Lazio could just as well be in a different country. The cultural association with northern regions can be hard to identify.

[bjohnsonsmith]

I like that each country has its own Grand Prix. It's an international series. So continuing with Italy as an example, the Grand Prix race at Monza is the Italian Grand Prix, not the Monza Grand Prix and the other Grand Prix races held in Italy use the regional names like Emilia Romagna and the Tuscan Grand Prix, like last year.

[S griffin]

For me, San Marino GP is iconic. It has great history and something a lot of fans can recognise. Let’s face it, there is never going to be an actual GP in San Marino. You’d have more chance of their national team reaching the Euros!

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by john ruston

If the teams and drivers had an ounce of morals they would not consider going to Saudi Arabia

Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali says the new grands prix in Qatar and Saudi Arabia can help drive progress on human rights in the countries.

'The Gulf states have been criticised for their human rights records but Domenicali argued that "shutting countries off" would have a negative effect.

Domenicali said: "Such an important change cannot happen overnight. It is a cultural change that will take time.

"But the timing will be accelerated by the fact big events are there. And Formula 1 will play an important role in that respect."'

[S griffin]

Typical sportwashing comment there. Continuing to line the pockets of these government backed races doesn’t make the problem go away, just plays into their hands more. I just hope more sports people speak out against these type of events