F1 returning to Paul Ricard, alternating with Spa

[Mark_Karting]

Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed to L’Équipe that the French Grand Prix will be returning to Formula 1 from 2013 onwards. The race, to be staged at Paul Ricard for the first time since 1990, will be alternating with the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa.

http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/277769/ecclesto...

[Allyc85]

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Do not like at all!

[sherbert90]

Why you would get rid of a circuit like Spa whilst leaving in ste like Valencia in the calendar is beyond me. Money is clearly the deciding factor. Shame really.

[Eric Mc]

No doubt Bernie will claim "Who cares where a race is held?. It's only another race".

BE, singlehandely destroying F1.

[anonymous-user]

Well better than losing Spa altogether from the GP calendar. Its been losing money for years.

Must just be a coincidence the Bernie also owns the Paul Ricard circuit and the Magnys-Cours circuit (although F1 ready) has been overlooked.

[24lemons]

Great. I suppose we'll keep the wonderful venues that are Bahrain, Valencia and, well any of the recently added circuits. Spa isn't exactly interesting/challenging/universally loved/part of the fabric of F1 or anything is it? or am I missing something?

[Panclan]

Doesn't Bernie own Paul Ricard?

[Fire99]

It's all about the money...

Paul Ricard is now a nonsense circuit for the spectator. Set up for testing.

[RDMcG]

Not to worry. The Grand Prix of Gibaltar will return, followed by Turkhmenistan,Chad and Tonga. That tradition stuff is for wets. Following the encouraging example of Bahrain, spectators will be done away with.
Not sure we really need drivers either. Possibly some sort of robots will do the job.

[RDMcG]

Gaz. said:

I wonder what people said at the time when F1 went to Japan in the 70's?

Weare now in a different phase, because some of the core circuits that form the remaining historical links to F1 racing are in play. Spa is one of the greats. Silverstone barely escaped. Melbourne seems to be next on the chopping block. Places like Bahrein which have no connection to the sport except a huge amount of money from a dictatorship are less appealing.

[TheHeretic]

Even the classics had to have a first race. Spa along with Suzuka are my favourite tracks by a long margin, so mucho miffage for me. Still, maybe Paul Ricard will give us a good race?

[Eric Mc]

TheHeretic said:

Even the classics had to have a first race. Spa along with Suzuka are my favourite tracks by a long margin, so mucho miffage for me. Still, maybe Paul Ricard will give us a good race?

It wasn't that great a venue in its previous stint - especially after the Mistral Straight was chopped in length.

[TheHeretic]

Eric Mc said:

It wasn't that great a venue in its previous stijnt.

Here's hoping. Of all the races to remove... It is Spa.

[Streps]

Panclan said:

Doesn't Bernie own Paul Ricard?

Yep.
more £££ for his wallet.

F1 without Spa is a shame

[GreigM]

Fire99 said:

It's all about the money...

Paul Ricard is now a nonsense circuit for the spectator. Set up for testing.

To be fair, Spa is bks for spectators as well - complete lack of suitable viewing areas for the numbers let through the gate, woeful facilities once they are through the gate....maybe Bernie is taking the spectator experience into account.

[TheHeretic]

It does have a nice straight, and the last corner is always good for a drag race, from what I remember. I suppose we'll have to see.

[EDLT]

Streps said:

Panclan said:

Doesn't Bernie own Paul Ricard?

Yep.
more £££ for his wallet.

F1 without Spa is a shame

How does he make money off of this, I thought he got paid by the track owners for the privilege of hosting a race?

[skinny]

i've been to paul ricard several times for testing. the access is a small road up the side of a mountain, and i don't recall seeing much in the way of grandstands there either.

[_Batty_]

GreigM said:

To be fair, Spa is bks for spectators as well - complete lack of suitable viewing areas for the numbers let through the gate, woeful facilities once they are through the gate....maybe Bernie is taking the spectator experience into account.

Erm, really?
I had grandstand seats when i went a few years ago, but spent alot of time around the circuit with the general admittance crowd.
There was plenty of decent places to watch, and is infact better than alot of british GP circuits.

[Allyc85]

GreigM said:

To be fair, Spa is bks for spectators as well - complete lack of suitable viewing areas for the numbers let through the gate, woeful facilities once they are through the gate....maybe Bernie is taking the spectator experience into account.

Bull st!!

Even as a peasent in General admission there are some great viewing points where you can see the cars for ages and through some of the best corners in the world!

When I went in 2010 we watched from the back straight to Les Combes, which also gave us viewing of a big screen and the run up to the last chicane! Have you actually been to Spa?