China's Race Could Go Up In Smoke

Zinger · 22 Oct 2003, 07:35 (Ref:759101)

Found this article does relate much to the V8 race but if the F1 race does happen would this strengthen or weaken the V8's going to china ??

China's Race Could Go Up In Smoke
China needs to overcome a major hurdle before Formula One cars grace the Shanghai International Circuit next September for the first time ever.

It is reported that Yu Zhifei, deputy general manager of the circuit, did the deal with F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone whilst juggling a sensitive problem.

China now holds a contract to stage grands prix until 2010.

The People's Daily newspaper reckons Yu is seeking a government 'franchise' to permit the legal appearance of F1's tobacco adverts in China.

China has agreed to adopt the World Health Organization's Convention on Tobacco Control, which will restrict retailing licenses for foreign tobacco products.

But Yu is confident this obstacle can be overcome: 'Chinese people are wise enough to deal with such matters,' he said.

'We are working very hard to negotiate with various departments and will achieve our goal (ie. staging the race) while also following international practice.'

Shi Tianshu, president of the China Motor Racing Federation, doesn't think tobacco-ads from F1 will directly lead to an increase in the number of smokers.

'F1 will bring enormous ads and commercial value and improve a lot of related industry and local employment,' he said.

'China is a developing country, so development should be a priority.'

But Yang Gonghuan, vice-president of China Smoke and Health Association, believes 'It is illegal if there are tobacco ads in next year's F1 event.'

**GTRMagic** · 22 Oct 2003, 07:51 (Ref:759110)

Like most things, decisions can be made and unmade depending on the size of the brown envelope.... in this particular part of the world it is particularly this way...

Wizzby · 22 Oct 2003, 14:18 (Ref:759589)

I think Bernie would still want to go, he knows how much money is involved...

I don't think it will affect the V8's though. Has anyone seen a map of the circuit yet? I've only seen a quote from Ralf Schumacher saying it's got lots of overtaking opportunities, so it sounds like a good one.

Quested · 22 Oct 2003, 14:58 (Ref:759650)

What has tobacco advertising got to do with V8s?

vatuloa · 22 Oct 2003, 22:51 (Ref:760078)

All I can think of is some of the team members must smoke. This might mean they will have to keep there smokes in a packet with no advertising.

**GTRMagic** · 22 Oct 2003, 23:07 (Ref:760089)

I thought it was more that if the F1 cars couldnt come, would the Chinese consortium still spend the dollars on the infrastructure for the circuit and beyond, and perhaps more importantly, still be inclined to support the Supercar event.

Not an illogical question at all...

prn 31 · 23 Oct 2003, 02:58 (Ref:760197)

China being the country it is, I'm sure they will get around the Tobacco issue. If developed democratic countries like Canada and Belguim can do it, then a communist country like China that suits itself regarding these issues, will suit itself.

The fact that the F1 race's go-ahead is contigent on the V8 race's existence is something that TC wouldn't want known to the masses, I bet.

harderfaster · 23 Oct 2003, 04:47 (Ref:760230)

Quote:

Originally posted by GTRMagic
...depending on the size of the brown envelope....

Interesting use of terms GTR... haven't heard that one before

tiko · 23 Oct 2003, 05:10 (Ref:760249)

I am not 100% sure but isn't it an FIA rule that domestic championships (V8Supercars) can't go international, well they can to neighbouring countries, ie new zealand, but once you start jumping countries the series is classified international?!?

Does anyone know much about the FIA ruling etc.?

racer69 · 23 Oct 2003, 07:38 (Ref:760315)

The FIA rule, as far as i know, is that a national championship cannot have more than 2 rounds held overseas.

That quota is full with the NZ round and the China round. All this talk about a second NZ round is just that, unless sanity prevails and China is dropped.

CAMS have kept quiet so far about Cochrane's rants about 5 overseas rounds etc......either because they are laughing at him or once again won't enforce their own rules.

spook · 23 Oct 2003, 08:11 (Ref:760335)

If you want to know what the China Circuit looks like, go to the e-tracks site.

The circuit layout/shape is based on a "Chinese Character" (no Mabel, I don't mean Tony Cochrane, a letter/symbol type character - like a, b, c, etc.).

It looks, well, interesting !

spook · 23 Oct 2003, 08:13 (Ref:760339)

You will find e-tracks at:- www.etracksonline.co.uk

mmciau · 23 Oct 2003, 19:49 (Ref:761164)

Crash.net has a news article re China and F1 and the hassles over advertising.

Mike

http://www.crash.net/uk/en/news_view...id=1&nid=79724

Wizzby · 24 Oct 2003, 07:46 (Ref:761607)

Thanks for that!

And for those who are interested... here it is! I can see what Ralf means by plenty of overtaking opportunities!!

Zinger · 31 Dec 2003, 03:54 (Ref:824196)

Wednesday December 31, 05:45 AM

SARS returns to haunt China

A suspected SARS case in south China's Guangdong province was upgraded to a confirmed case by a senior health official, but the World Health Organization (WHO) said it needed more time to complete its own diagnosis.

"The case has been confirmed," Feng Shaoming, spokesman for the Guangdong Centre for Disease Control, said. "Our experts at the Centre for Disease Control have made many tests and they are all positive."

SARS triggered a worldwide health crisis after emerging in Guangdong in November last year, causing 774 deaths and more than 8,000 infections, the vast majority in Asia.

Feng said three experts from the WHO were in Guangdong's provincial capital Guangzhou and were going over the test results.

He acknowledged that the case could not be officially upgraded to a confirmed case until the Ministry of Health made a formal announcement.

"So far the Ministry of Health has not announced it, nor has the WHO. I don't know when they will, it is up to them, but our experts here have confirmed it."

The WHO said in a statement it had reviewed the latest test results along with Chinese health ministry officials and medical experts and that they had determined the results remained "inconclusive".

"Consequently, experts recommend that further tests are needed," the WHO said.

The Chinese health ministry had agreed to send samples abroad for lab tests under the WHO international reference network, the WHO said.

In its daily SARS report, the ministry said no new suspected, clinically confirmed or confirmed cases of SARS had been reported nationwide from 10am Monday to 10am Tuesday (local time).

"According to reports from across the country at present there is only one suspected case of SARS and no clinically confirmed or confirmed cases," the ministry said.

Wang Maowu, director of disease control at the national-level Chinese Centre for Disease Control, told AFP an official statement was likely to be issued onThursday.

Roy Wadia, WHO's Beijing-based spokesman said that the health agency was trying to contact their ministry counterparts and reiterated that the WHO would be prudent in verifying the test results.

"We are trying to get confirmation with the Ministry of Health," Wadia said. "So far we have no official word ourselves."

China's health ministry announced Saturday the discovery of a suspected SARS case in a 32-year-old man in Guangzhou, near where the virus was first detected in Foshan city on November 16 last year.

Panyu city, where the freelance journalist, identified only as Luo, comes from, is barely 40 kilometres from Foshan.

None of the 42 people identified to have come in close contact with Luo nor the 39 who had normal contact with him have developed fever or other abnormal reactions, the ministry said, adding that nine people have been removed from medical observation.

It said Luo was in a stable condition and had a normal temperature for seven consecutive days.

Luo developed a fever on December 16 and was hospitalised with pneumonia in the right lung on December 20.

Scientists suspect the SARS epidemic may have originated from wild animals sold for food in Guangdong's markets.

While both Singapore and Taiwan have reported SARS cases since the epidemic petered out in July, they were traced to laboratories where research had been conducted on the virus and not to the general population.

On Tuesday, the WHO team in Guangzhou met with the patient, Hong Kong radio reported.

After the meeting, WHO expert Augusto Pinto told reporters they would be carrying out detailed investigations on test results and estimated that it would take several days to review the data.

SARS symptoms are similar to other respiratory diseases with the onset of the disease only fully confirmed after a battery of tests are taken, including tests for SARS antibodies in the patient.

No vaccine is yet available.

China was the country worst affected by the SARS epidemic, with 5,327 people nationwide infected and 349 killed.

The disease spilled into neighbouring Hong Kong where 299 died as it spread globally, devastating economies across Asia with travel and tourism sectors losing billions of dollars.

Just Do It! · 31 Dec 2003, 04:32 (Ref:824210)

By golly, thats a hang of a long front straight!!

What final drive ratio will you use there or will it be 70% of the straight on the ruddy limiter?

V8 Supercars will go to China. You can't possibly believe that if F1 doesn't go then Supercars won't for 2 reasons:
1) If F1 doesn't go, how will China find a replacement frontline act? Enter V8 Supercars....!
2) How will Alex Yoong ever sell $5 million worth of merchandise for the team that he drives for as the only "Oriental" driver in the field if Supercars don't go?

TSR · 31 Dec 2003, 04:50 (Ref:824217)

Alex Yooung will NOT drive a v8 supertaxi in 2004

RaceTime · 31 Dec 2003, 05:48 (Ref:824244)

Interesting that the scheduled meeting between AVESCO and Chinese 'partners' which was to happen in Oct/Nov, postponed once doesn't appear to have happened.

Everything else on the China front is very very very quiet....anyoe want to hazard a guess as to why?

stoned pony · 31 Dec 2003, 05:48 (Ref:824245)

Said with great certainty, TSR. What do you know that we don't?

pete55 · 31 Dec 2003, 05:56 (Ref:824247)

Well i don't have a place for him in V8 Supercars in 2004 either.

**GTRMagic** · 31 Dec 2003, 05:58 (Ref:824248)

Maybe he is the driver for GMR???

pete55 · 31 Dec 2003, 06:45 (Ref:824256)

Not that i know of.

**GTRMagic** · 31 Dec 2003, 06:47 (Ref:824257)

Its not technically impossible, and there must have been some ulterior motive for Mr Yoong to get a test at LRT considering how many other placed he could have tested....

aj_308 · 31 Dec 2003, 06:54 (Ref:824259)

holden to lift support for its only team in its biggest market, bring in a big talent, no experience driver and supply them with one of the numerous vy/vx/whatevers lying around from their many sister teams???

pete55 · 31 Dec 2003, 07:01 (Ref:824260)

I thought Mr Yoong's aussie connection just found it more convenient to get a run with that team as they were testing at the time, while he was in Australia. Nothing more, nothing less i thought.

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