Is F1 over it's "yellow fever?"

[AJS-]

Having spent the last few years cutting back on European races in favour of the far east, I find it interesting that next years calendar has 2 new venues in Europe (counting Sochi, Russia) and 2 in North America. India is taken off the calendar. No new races in

Is F1 over it's infatuation with Asia? Are the races held in Asia not proving as profitable and well received as anticipated? Or are European and American crowd getting bored of watching cars circulate around fields in the far east with no motorsport pedigree or real fan base? Or is it just a quirk of next season?

[AJS-]

Oh settle down.

I live in Asia and my wife and daughter are "yellow."

It's a well known byword for infatuation with all things Asian. And if you're not interested, feel free not to comment.

[AJS-]

There's no shortage of well off people in Korea, Iain. I'd put it down to it not being a country with any real F1 fan base and now that they've had F1 for a couple of years the novelty is wearing off.

Plus it's a dull as ditch water Tilke track designed for snazzy TV shots and a nice media centre.

[AJS-]

Gaz. said:

It would be unthinkable to not have Japan on the calendar, a purpose built track in a yellow rice eating country that had no global autosport drivers at the time of the first race, it wasn't even permanently on the calendar until the 80's. They're just 20 years ahead of Malaysia & Korea. My son is six, I bet in ten years time he'll look at me like I have three heads when I tell him people used to question the inclusion of these 'yellow' tracks in a global sport.

That's not quite true.

After a foray in the early 60s with a non-championship race Japan wasn't really on the calendar until 1976.

There was a Honda GP team in the 1960s, and by 1976 had seen a few Japanese drivers and the (admittedly pretty disastrous) Maki team. They had also had big success in rallying and motorbike racing, and I believe a growing domestic motorsport scene. Korea, Malaysia et al simply do not have this, nor show any signs of developing it.

That's not to say there should never be GPs there, I just think it's a great shame to sacrifice the likes of Imola and have no French GP in order that we can watch cars droning around in South Korea and Malaysia.