2012 Formula 1 calendar

[NaBUru38]

The FIA has published the 2012 FIA Formula 1 World Championship calendar, or at least the first draft. It's 2011's 20 races plus Austin. Korea is placed in April, United States one week after Canada in June, and the final three Grands Prix are India, Abu Dhabi and Brazil. Turkey is officially in danger.

[Chatters]

21 GPs next year - This is ridiculous. Trying to cut costs and then forcing the teams to spend more on flights, accommodation etc every year is lunacy.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Chatters

21 GPs next year - This is ridiculous. Trying to cut costs and then forcing the teams to spend more on flights, accommodation etc every year is lunacy.

Bernie pays for transportation costs of the cars etc. The teams will be more than fully reimbursed for the extra races they have to do. The more they race, the more potential they have to earn. The main problem is organizing the schedule.

[Chatters]

I still think 21 is about 6 too many. However less GPs mean the price for hosting one goes up, and places like Bahrain, and Abu Dhabi will get a race over somewhere like Italy or Britain.

Nothing is sacred with Bernie Ecclestone.

[bjohnsonsmith]

21 races; the season will be ridiculously long and no French GP; have it replace the Turkey GP. The last 3 races are going to be a bit of a logistical head ache

[GTRMagic]

More interestingly, will the teams be allowed a 9th engine allocation for 21 races?

[ScotsBrutesFan]

I think they could comfortably pull three of those races without it having an undue effect on the "greater F1 Experience".

Bahrain: until such time as a stable regime (of whatever flavour it may be) can demonstrate that the country is safe and worthy of hosting a GP... Added to the fact that the circuit is dull.

Valencia: Lets face it Spain got another GP because Alonso won a championship. The circuit winds its way between boat sheds belonging to what I think many Valencian's believe to be a larger event the America's cup.

Hungary: Yes Eastern Europe needs to be represented but the Hungaroring has had it's day. It rarely provides exciting racing (unless processions excite you).

Why leave Turkey in...it's a great Track (Tilke's best in my view) even if the locals don't turn up.

That leaves an Asian presence of 6 races.
China, Japan, Korea, representing the power houses of the far east
India the subcontinent
Abu Dhabi the Middle East
Turkey the Western part of Asia.

Europe: All very much the traditional playgrounds of Formula 1.
Great Britain, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Monaco, Italy

The Americas are represented
Canada, USA (with Austin being close enough to the Mexican border to attract fans from there) and Brazil for South America.

Oceania/Australasia. I'm not sure what the politically correct name would be for the following grouping so I hope the one I've used doesn't offend.
Australia, Malaysia and Singapore.

The Logistics and working out of diaries I'd leave to someone else

[HJJ]

Austin, Texas, June 17th.

Didn't the FIA learn from Dallas that the Southwest in the summer is not the time to have a motor race.

[JeremySmith]

June is not a good month for a race here..

[Marbot]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/388

hmmm......so a bit hot and sticky then, Jeremy ?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Why not have Canadian and the US GPs back to back but before Spain and Monaco?

[JeremySmith]

Well for starters I think there are too many races on the calendar for 2012.. I am not sure that Canada and the US Grand Prix should be back to back..

[p-matt]

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

Well for starters I think there are too many races on the calendar for 2012.. I am not sure that Canada and the US Grand Prix should be back to back..

Indeed. They could probably combine US with Brazil

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by p-matt

Indeed. They could probably combine US with Brazil

I agree 100% that is what I have been thinking..

I think ScotsBrutesFan has the right idea..

Let Brazil be the last race of the year, it's a special place...

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by p-matt

Indeed. They could probably combine US with Brazil

With Canadian and US GPs back to back the travelling time and distances involved would be considerably less, compared with combining US and Brazil.

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

With Canadian and US GPs back to back the travelling time and distances involved would be considerably less, compared with combining US and Brazil.

True, but I think the two locations are too close to each other..

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

True, but I think the two locations are too close to each other..

Wouldn't that be good from a logistical point of view? Flying from Austin to Sao Paulo must be a good 11+ hours.

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Wouldn't that be good from a logistical point of view? Flying from Austin to Sao Paulo must be a good 11+ hours.

Distance from Austin to San Paulo..

http://www.indo.com/cgi-bin/dist/pla...place2=@174090


Distance from Austin to Montreal...

http://www.indo.com/cgi-bin/dist/pla...place2=@174000

A lot shorter of course, but I feel the two races distance wise are located too close to each other..


Logistically I understand why the FIA have scheduled it this way..

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by Marbot

http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/388

hmmm......so a bit hot and sticky then, Jeremy ?

Just a tad yes, today we will see 99F....

[Spritle]

Make sure if you go to Austin you have a tank full of petrol, working AC and a cooling system that is in good condition...

...just in case those traffic jamb estimates are correct!

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Spritle

Make sure if you go to Austin you have a tank full of petrol, working AC and a cooling system that is in good condition...

.....and some tickets to get in.

I also understand that the record temperature reached for Austin, Texas was 112 degrees f, in 'September' of 2000 ?

It's easy to understand why a US GP further towards the time that the Brazilian GP usually takes place (Nov), might be a better idea!

[JeremySmith]

I take your word for that Scott..

For me the race would just sit better later in the year for the reasons I have explained..

[chillibowl]

the distance between Montreal and Austin is 2 to 3 times further apart than the distance between Barcelona and Monaco or Hockenheim and Budapest (a couple of other races only separated by 1 week) and many times further apart than Montreal was to Indy.

maybe i am one of the few who like the hot weather challenge. the heat is one of the few elements that encourage attrition and hence force compromises to set up and body work. that this is also a fly away race makes this even more difficult challenge.

imo each track should present unique challenges and if one of Austin's traits is the heat then hopefully they can turn it into a positive.

[duke_toaster]

Bear in mind they've probably got DHL or whoever to fly all the stuff in two or three 747s it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Most European races could probably be run back to back, but the sport should be careful. I'd rather see eighteen races, but many of which would be different races to the 20/21 we have now.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

the distance between Montreal and Austin is 2 to 3 times further apart than the distance between Barcelona and Monaco or Hockenheim and Budapest (a couple of other races only separated by 1 week) and many times further apart than Montreal was to Indy.

maybe i am one of the few who like the hot weather challenge. the heat is one of the few elements that encourage attrition and hence force compromises to set up and body work. that this is also a fly away race makes this even more difficult challenge.

imo each track should present unique challenges and if one of Austin's traits is the heat then hopefully they can turn it into a positive.

It gets pretty sweaty at the Malaysian GP and the humidity is a challenging factor at that race.