2016 F1 season to start in April

[bjohnsonsmith]

The 2016 F1 season is not only to start in April, the first time since Brazil 1988 but it will also be more condensed. The article suggests this may be a way of reducing lengthy gaps in the schedule as well as a way to help reduce costs for teams.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/118705

[ECW Dan Selby]

Errrrm, always liked March as a start. Christmas and New Year being done, it was nice to have something to look forward to. You got your testing underway nice and early, as well as the launches, and it kept everything flowing.

Shame to hear this, but I won't miss the big 3-4 week gaps, I guess.

Selby

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Apparently the FIA have done this in response to complaints to the current calendar. Seems a lot of people (as in practically everyone) who the FIA listen to are the sorts who complain and complain without any care. Why the FIA listen is beyond me. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Rob29]

I liked the Jan1 starts is south africa myself-gave us something to watch in cold winter here?

[wolfhound]

Joe Saward has been speculating on the real reason for the move to an April start. For example April is Aussie rules time in Melbourne. It could be to do with compressing the calender in order to get the teams to agree to more races.
It could also be a way of holding onto the payments to the teams for a longer peroid as these are based on the races that teams participate in.

You never know what is going on in Bernie's fertile mind to get another few bob in.


https://joesaward.wordpress.com/2015/04/29/dates/

[mikuni]

Slightly risky moving it further towards Winter in the changeable Melbourne conditions, but it sounds like they are moving the race earlier in the day to account for this, so not too big an issue. It is a strange move though, considering how adamant Bernie used to be about making sure the race aired at a suitable European time, and now allowing it to be moved even earlier. I know his is because of Suzuka, but I would have thought Bernie would go the opposite way and bring Melbourne forward into Summer more to allow more daylight hours and subsequently a later race.

Is Bernie making room for another race to open in 2017?

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

Apparently the FIA have done this in response to complaints to the current calendar. Seems a lot of people (as in practically everyone) who the FIA listen to are the sorts who complain and complain without any care. Why the FIA listen is beyond me. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Except it isn't the FIA; it's FOM that has decided on the changes. I just hope that BCE isn't going to attempt to do away with the August break, because that is the only time that the travelling team members are able to spend any quality time with their families pretty well during the whole season.

[Paradise City]

I don't mind too much. I'm always wrongfooted about the hour back, getting my start times confused with these early morning races. That, at least, won't happen now.

It is very late though. January to March is kinda manageable but startin' in April is a loooong time. It's on the verge of summer on this side of the planet and that's a wait.

Yeah, they should do a New Years race and then put the next race until April.

Howa 'bout that?

Of course, I'm sure Eccelstone is up to some scheme with all this.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by ECW Dan Selby

Shame to hear this, but I won't miss the big 3-4 week gaps, I guess.

Selby

i will likely be the odd duck on this one but i like the breaks particularly the summer break.

already i think there are too many races and if they move to 20plus races all on back to back weekends then i will be less inclined to watch. mainly time zone related but i only have so many 6am Sundays wake ups in me to begin with so best to stagger them around imo.

im sure they dont care but i think if they condense the season while adding races they risk destroying the uniqueness of an GP weekend. perhaps they already have but imo making an event more common is not a solution to falling tv numbers.

[Paradise City]

A gap between January and April is something I find conspicuous whereas I don't notice the August break as the motorsport season is quite congested at that point and there's lots of great series to watch.

[billybanana]

2016 Calendar leaked ?

http://www.foxsports.com.au/motor-sp...-1227328202950

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by billybanana

2016 Calendar leaked ?

http://www.foxsports.com.au/motor-sp...-1227328202950

What leak?

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

I don't mind too much. I'm always wrongfooted about the hour back, getting my start times confused with these early morning races. That, at least, won't happen now.

It is very late though. January to March is kinda manageable but startin' in April is a loooong time. It's on the verge of summer on this side of the planet and that's a wait.

Yeah, they should do a New Years race and then put the next race until April.

Howa 'bout that?

Of course, I'm sure Eccelstone is up to some scheme with all this.

It would be a good move for Melbourne, Autumn has the best and most settled weather.

With such a long break, perhaps somebody will help us out and arrange a winter series in the southern hemisphere!

Tasman Series anyone? Formula Libre, 8 races say $50m prize money!

That will get their attention!

[NaBUru38]

Actually, this could bring more F1 drivers into Formula E.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by wnut

It would be a good move for Melbourne, Autumn has the best and most settled weather.

With such a long break, perhaps somebody will help us out and arrange a winter series in the southern hemisphere!

Tasman Series anyone? Formula Libre, 8 races say $50m prize money!

That will get their attention!

'
TransTasman F4 seems to be the current thinking...

[bella]

am i the only one who thinks this is a good move? it gives the teams more time to build their cars and brings f1 into line with the majority of other european based series that also start in april at some point.

anyone concerned at the length of the off season should remember that most other series have a 6 months long winter break (aside from testing)

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by bella

am i the only one who thinks this is a good move? it gives the teams more time to build their cars and brings f1 into line with the majority of other european based series that also start in april at some point.

anyone concerned at the length of the off season should remember that most other series have a 6 months long winter break (aside from testing)

I think April is awesome to start F1... the only thing about scheduling is that most race teams seem to know the start date and work backwards, meaning they probably have the same time as before, as they choose to start later...

The Go/No Go points still exist, its just that they may fall on the last week of March now, not the last week of February...

A cynic might suggest the late start is to ensure that HaasF1 arrives with a proper bang too..