Spa to return next season

celticfc

Looks as if Bernie Eccelstone has finally seen sence and the Belgian grand prix @ Spa-Francorchamps will be back next season.

See here for the story

acid

Excellent news, hope it's true

Barry Aldwell

Well, considering that the problem with spa was tobacco advertisements, and that tobacco advertisements have to be phased out over the next few years, the problem is going to be solved anyway.

chernobyl

Originally posted by Barry Aldwell
and that tobacco advertisements have to be phased out over the next few years

No they dont.

Kalina

Glad to hear that Spa is back, I believe China and Bahrain are on the calendar for 2004 aswell. Should be an interesting season, circuit-wise at least.
Barcelona should get the chop, it's the most boring circuit on the present calendar imho.

celticfc

Originally posted by Barry Aldwell
and that tobacco advertisements have to be phased out over the next few years

Originally posted by chernobyl
No they dont.

They do.

Cigarette advertising/sponsorship is to be banned for sporting events. There are only 2 events that are exempt from from this, the world snooker championship & the formula one world championship but that is only until 2006.

Dr. Dre

Faan-tastic.

chernobyl

Originally posted by celticfc
They do.

Certainly if they continue if Europe but Bernie is taking F1 to America and Asia.

celticfc

The FIA are to get rid of cigarette sponsorship completly anyway (so they say).

But do ye seriously think bernie could move a european sport away from europe completly and be in anyway successful ????

Not a chance.

chernobyl

What difference does it make where they race?
No one in F1 gives a flying fuk about 100,000 ppl showing up for a grandprix. Money is made from TV and sponsorship. F1 will move anywhere for money.

Seth Brundle

Originally posted by celticfc
The FIA are to get rid of cigarette sponsorship completly anyway (so they say).

you reckon?
http://www.fia.com/PRESSE/DCM-A/25-06-2003.pdf

But do ye seriously think bernie could move a european sport away from europe completly and be in anyway successful ????

Not a chance.

Given that most of the races are in Europe or the developed world (see list below) there is huge money to be made by marketing the sport in developing countries. There is no better way of marketing it than by visiting there (hence China going on the calendar!)
Australia
Malaysia
Brazil
San Marino
Spain
Austria
Monaco
Canada
Europe
France
Great Britain
Germany
Hungary
Italy
United States
Japan

celticfc

Originally posted by kbannon
Given that most of the races are in Europe or the developed world (see list below) there is huge money to be made by marketing the sport in developing countries. There is no better way of marketing it than by visiting there (hence China going on the calendar!)

I completly agree with you. I think its great that the sport is going more global (what better place than China), however , i just dont like the idea of too many of the well known, great tracks in europe having to lose out (especially Spa).

mike65

In so far as I have any great interest these days I think its terrible that these far away places are getting any action at all, I mean
its never quite right watching a race you know has already been
run and these days its damn hard to avoid hearing the result before you see it...also the tracks these days have no character
so I expect circuits in places like China to be dull and functional.

Mike.

Woden

Originally posted by Kalina

Barcelona should get the chop, it's the most boring circuit on the present calendar imho.

damn right they shouldn't race on a circuit that is so extensively tested on, its ridculous, great to hear that spa will be back

Seth Brundle

It was Barcelona was where Eddie Irvine regretted not bringing his walkman one year as he was so bored!

chernobyl

Originally posted by Dataisgod
damn right they shouldn't race on a circuit that is so extensively tested on, its ridculous, great to hear that spa will be back

SilverStone, Magny Cours?

celticfc

Originally posted by chernobyl
SilverStone, Magny Cours?

We all know how Bernie has a bee in his bonnet about silverstone. It'll get the chop soon.

Woden

i wouldn't be sorry to see the back of silverstone i have to say, i like magny cour though i think its a good track, its got an interesting surface and the hairpin makes for good overtaking

celticfc

Max Mosley has said today that Silverstone is probably the worst track in Europe & its future wouldn't be guaranteed, not even for next year.



See here

Woden

it will be interesting to see how that unfolds, isn't the chinese grand prix coming next year? i hope spa comes back and they boot silverstone

Seth Brundle

Originally posted by Dataisgod
i hope spa comes back and they boot silverstone

It is difficult though to compare the reasons for ones comeback and the others demise as one is gone for tobacco sponsorship whereas the other is just crap!

dmeehan

if spa was booted for tobacco sponsorship, how can it come back next year?

Woden

Originally posted by kbannon
It is difficult though to compare the reasons for ones comeback and the others demise as one is gone for tobacco sponsorship whereas the other is just crap!

indeed but in the interest of the sport i know which track i'd prefare to have on the calender

Kalina

I heard that Williams were in possible talks with Budweiser as a potential sponser. Will alcohol sponsership cause similar problems as tobacco in certain countries? I know some other teams already have alcohol companies as minor sponsers so maybe this won't cause a problem.

Brazil is clearly the worst track on the calendar, regarding facilities and track surface at least but it's safe on the calendar for the meantime cos of it's location. It's a pity to see European tracks of a higher standard which are capable of hosting exciting races under threat because of location- ie. Hockenheim and Imola (beacuse they're situated in countries which host 2 grand prix's). The problem is there just aren't enough weeks in the calendar to run races.

Robbo

Originally posted by Kalina
I heard that Williams were in possible talks with Budweiser as a potential sponser. Will alcohol sponsership cause similar problems as tobacco in certain countries? I know some other teams already have alcohol companies as minor sponsers so maybe this won't cause a problem.

It may be interesting to see what happens in Bahrain next year. Although F1 already runs in a Muslim country (Malaysia), I believe Bahrain is a bit stricter. One can only imagine what the grid girls would look like...

Imposter

At the moment Austria is also scraped from next years calendar.

I'd like to see a system where they have say 2 full and 100% different programmes. As in race one german and one Italian this year and the other the next year. That way they could expand the series to more developing countries etc but only race a circuit every 2 years. If they fixed it giving a good mix of locations then more people would get to see it live albeit only every 2 years.

Also don't forget there are none and no plans for races in Scandinavia, Africa or Central america at the moment. (There's probably more areas too)

Robbo

Originally posted by Imposter
Also don't forget there are none and no plans for races in Scandinavia, Africa or Central america at the moment. (There's probably more areas too)

Egypt has been mooted a couple of times in the past. I don't think anywhere else in Africa (bar South Africa) would be able to put together a serious proposal.

There have been Swedish GPs before (back in the early 80s I think) and some ITC (International Touring Car)/F3000 races in Helsinki during the mid 90s.

Central America had the Mexican GP until 1992 and I believe the Indycar series' visit there.

At the moment, I feel the calender is too focused on Central Continental Europe. I don't like the idea of 2 races in Italy or Germany as the races at San Marino and Nurburgring are always fairly dull. Plus a bit of variation of circuits from season to season would add a few more variables into the mix and stir up the results a bit.

dmeehan

There's also 2 races in France; Magny Cours and Monaco

Woden

monaco is a country in its own right afaik and the race takes place in monaco so there is only one race in france. San marino is different, while it is its own country or whatever the race actually takes place in italy IIRC, i think the idea of a european grand prix is ridculous and that it should be scrapped saying that i don't disklike the nurburgring as a track.

I read this morning that bernie ecclestone is looking at a grand prix in india own the next few years or whatever and also a return to argentina

Kalina

Williams signed Budweiser as main sponser today according to F1racing.net, their livery will be on the car this weekend.

celticfc

Looks as if there might be an Indian grand prix to come

See here


I'd hate to see the Austrian GP going. A1 is another of my favourites.

celticfc

Bernie Ecclestone has given BDRC less than a month to commit to a £40m British Grand Prix will not be on next years calendar



New threat to Silverstone

Woden

I didn't manage to see the budweiser on the williams car (bad reception) where is it?

celticfc

It only a very small logo behind the dribers head & its also on their overalls.

Why are you posting thet in this thread ???

Woden

Originally posted by Kalina
Williams signed Budweiser as main sponser today according to F1racing.net, their livery will be on the car this weekend.

thats why

Töpher

itv posted this today...

http://www.itv-f1.com/news/news_story/16756

hope it all works out!

Kalina

Originally posted by celticfc
It only a very small logo behind the dribers head & its also on their overalls.

Why are you posting thet in this thread ???

I just stuck in that piece of info about alcohol sponsorship cos I thought it may have a similar affect as tobacco sponsorship in that certain countries may object to cars carrying alcohol logos!

On topic of Spa being back next season, Bernie says it will be back on the calendar for definite in 2005.

http://www.f1racing.net/news.php?ID=60481

celticfc

It's looking very good for spa to return even in the 2004 season. I've just seen here that Belguims government has voted to soften their ban on tobacco advertising.

Kalina

I read that too on F1Racing, Austria is one of the tracks in line to get the axe. Pity cos I think that's one of the better tracks!

celticfc

Originally posted by Kalina
I read that too on F1Racing, Austria is one of the tracks in line to get the axe. Pity cos I think that's one of the better tracks!

I agree, it would be a big loss if A1 was to go. It's another one of the best tracks.

Kalina

Every time I look up the F1 news it seems that Bernie is planning to add another new circuit to the calendar. There is Bahrain and China while Russia and India have also been mentioned. He's making promises to a lot of people so it will be interesting to see how the calendar shapes up for the next few years. Countries like Germany and Italy won't want to lose one of their races and it's a matter of national pride for Brazil, England, France and Spain to host a race. Though imo, Barcelona and Brazil should be the first circuits to go!!

celticfc

It's just been confirmed Canada has got the chop & Spa will be taking it's place for next season.

I wonder what that track will be used for now, as far as I know F1 was just about all that it was used for.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/3133815.stm

Woden

damn i like that track do anyone feel that F1 is being governed by tobacco? Theres blatantly worse tracks out there that are staying on the calender or was i just too naive that they work in the interest of the sport

irishman_abroad

I wonder what that track will be used for now, as far as I know F1 was just about all that it was used for.

Dont the Indycars have a race there too?

celticfc

Originally posted by irishman_abroad
Dont the Indycars have a race there too?

I'm not sure, maybe they do. I know it's a track thats very rarely used though.

I was a bit surprised to har it was goin aswell. Mind you I'd rather see Spa, A1 & Silverstone on the calender.

celticfc

A date for the return of the Belgian grand prix @ Spa has just been announced for the 29th August 2004.

Provisional calender for 2004 season :


AUSTRALIA (07 March)

MALAYSIA (21 March)

BAHRAIN (04 April)

SAN MARINO (25 April)

EUROPE (09 May)

MONACO (23 May)

SPAIN (06 June)

USA (20 June)

FRANCE (04 July)

BRITAIN (11 July)

GERMANY ( 25 July)

HUNGARY (15 August)

BELGIUM (29 August)

ITALY (12 September)

BRAZIL (26 September)

JAPAN (10 October)

CHINA (24 October)