Belgian GP: saved?

[zootv]

Today, Belgian press announced that Bernie has given Belgian authorities time until december to sort out a solution for the tobacco advertising.

Powerful Walloon socialist leader Elio di Rupo is reported to have a plan. He is busy to convince the Greens. In order to obtain a permission for tobacco advertising in 2003, 2004 and 2005, Greens would get a lot of money for a tobacco prevention fund.

So, there's still a small chance.

Fingers crossed then.

[Red]

Fingers crossed fingers crossed, but not what I've heard:

Originally posted by BBC quoting Max:
They should concentrate now on trying to get things sorted out for 2004, 2005 and 2006

[f1manoz]

I've read the opposite. Apparently there will be no Belgian GP at all in 2003, but if it can be sorted, the race will return in 2004. I think the FIA realise they need Spa on the calender, and considering the furore when it was dropped...

[Damon]

As ever they (the FIA) only realised their mistake when it was too late .

[Team Astromega]

I don't think this will happen. The last rumour is that CART could come to Spa instead of the race in Germany wich is cancelled for 2003 and replace the F1 race. It's just a rumour but you never know.

[Team Astromega]

April 27th is open for a race in Europe, track tba. See the cart website www.cart.com

[ASCII Man]

It would be great to see CART in Spa!

[BootsOntheSide]

Best of all would be to have both CART and F1 there at different times, but I think CART is more likely. As CART can now run on non-oval tracks in Europe, this idea makes a lot of sense, but I think the logistics of doing it for 2003 rather than 2004 may be too much. That said, a lot of publicity statements from CART re being stifled until the end of the season, so they may be further down the line to sorting it than we think.

[Bononi]

That could be nice. But how CART will be in 2003 ?

[Mal]

Perhaps that is what Chris Pook has been chatting to Bernie about

[Stephen Green]

It's fair to say that April in Belgium is not the best time to bring CART over given the high possibility of rain?

[bella]

they've arranged the british f3 race for the date intended for the belgian grand prix, so they're obviously not hopeful of getting it back....

[ASCII Man]

There is ALWAYS a possibility of rain at Spa, doesn't matter which season or month it is...

[Wrex]

Originally posted by zootv
Today, Belgian press announced that Bernie has given Belgian authorities time until december to sort out a solution for the tobacco advertising.

It's dead for 2003.

From F1newswire.com

The President of the FIA, Max Mosley, has insisted there will be no reversal over the fate of the Belgian Grand Prix after it was dropped from the calendar last week. The legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit will be subject to a tobacco advertising ban from the 1st of August next year, and after a meeting of team bosses at Heathrow Airport the unanimous decision was not to visit the circuit in 2003.

Speaking today, Mosley said he will stand firm on the decision taken and advised organisers of the Belgian event to concentrate on solving their differences with the FIA in the hope that the race - a favourite with drivers and spectators alike - can be reinstated to the calendar for 2004.

"The decision was just that: a decision. It was not an attempt to open negotiations," Mosley revealed to BBC Sport Online. "The politicians have known about the problem for more than a year. They could have solved it easily for 2003 by moving the date of implementation by just four weeks: from 1 August to 1 September. They should concentrate now on trying to get things sorted out for 2004, 2005 and 2006.

"What the Belgian politicians have done will not reduce tobacco publicity, not even in Belgium, where everybody can go on seeing tobacco sponsorship on television from outside the country. All they have achieved is to damage the local Belgian economy and deprive Formula One™ fans of a good circuit."

[Valve Bounce]

Wrex, you do mean 2003, don't you?

[Wrex]

Of course, Why?

[Adam43]

I am still going to go to Spa next year. Hopefully to the 24hours. I wonder if there is a European GP on the weekend before or after?

It could make a good ten day holiday...

A bit of research needed.

[Total-F1]

FIA realise fully what they are doing. All the other circuits in Europe are filling their pants with worry knowing that there are 2 more GPs to fill in 2004 and FIA won't mess around getting rid of them.

Taking Spa off the calendar for next year is a relative slap on the hand. It'll be back.

[zootv]

I'd go to Spa if CART would come. I would be honoured if the only real racing series would come to my country :-)

[paul-collins]

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
Best of all would be to have both CART and F1 there at different times, but I think CART is more likely. As CART can now run on non-oval tracks in Europe, this idea makes a lot of sense, but I think the logistics of doing it for 2003 rather than 2004 may be too much.

Brands Hatch is poised to replace Rockingham as the UK venue for the 2003 round of the CART Championship Series.

The Kent track is likely to be joined by Spa-Francorchamps and Estoril on successive weekends in May as the championship goes on the offensive against its rival the Indy Racing League and its centrepiece, the Indianapolis 500.

-autosport

[Stephen Green]

If that's true then it signs the death nell for Rockingham.

[Rob29]

Statement from Rockingham manager confirms CART is off for 2003.

[Stephen Green]

This is the article that appears on Reuters newswires this morning:

18:21 25Nov2002 RTRS-UPDATE 1-Motor racing-Rockingham gives up 2003 CART race

(Adds Rockingham statement)
By Alan Baldwin
LONDON, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Britain's Rockingham circuit will not host a CART race next year but Brands Hatch could be in the frame instead along with Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium and Estoril in Portugal.
Rockingham organisers said in a statement on Monday that they had agreed with the U.S.-based series to be removed from the 2003 calendar.
"For 2003 at least, CART and Rockingham have jointly agreed to remove the event scheduled for May 3-4 from the championship calendar," the statement said.
"The situation will be reviewed later next year regarding a return of the series to Rockingham in the future."
Rockingham chief executive Ashley Pover said Rockingham, which has hosted a round of the championship for the last two years, had decided that the 2003 event would be "fiscally unviable".
"We have currently less than five months to develop new marketing programmes and find sponsors. Frankly we don't have the resources to make that work.
"If we were to plan towards a future date, such as mid-season 2004, that would give more time to achieve the targets, which makes a lot more sense."
Sources said Rockingham was paying in the region of $4.0 million to host the CART race while making less than half that from ticket sales.
Pover said Rockingham would now concentrate on other activities such as ASCAR, British superbikes and Formula Three.
OTHER VENUES
The Guardian newspaper reported earlier that CART's board of management was close to finalising a deal to run races at the three European circuits on successive weekends next May.
There was no immediate comment from CART organisers but a spokeswoman for Brands Hatch owners Octagon confirmed that there had been informal talks about the southern English circuit hosting a round.
"We've been having some informal discussions with CART in the last week or two," said Ruth Wicks, adding that Brands Hatch would be interested in the series "if it were to become possible and we could make it all add up."
Brands Hatch, once a regular Formula One venue, hosted a CART race in 1978. Octagon also represent CART for sales of worldwide television rights and marketing.
Spa-Francorchamps, one of the great Formula One circuits, has been dropped from next year's grand prix calendar due to a row over tobacco advertising while Estoril has not been used for Formula One since 1996.
CART boss Chris Pook and Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone have been discussing closer alliances, with CART possibly acting as a feeder series for the grand prix championship.
Europe hosted just one round of the CART championship this season, at Rockingham's purpose-built oval in central England in September, after Germany's Lausitzring EuroSpeedway filed for insolvency in June.