Discussion
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/76751
No more Japanese GP's to be held at Fuji circuit.
No more Japanese GP's to be held at Fuji circuit.
Autosport said:
Fuji International Speedway has pulled the plug on hosting the Japanese Grand Prix in the future, track officials confirmed on Tuesday.
The circuit had been planning to share the event with Suzuka, having held the last two Japanese GPs, but the global economic downturn that has affected track owners Toyota has forced a rethink.
A statement on the circuit's website said that although planning had already been underway for the 2010 event, the track had no option but to abandon its plans.
"In view of the sharply deteriorating business conditions and few signs of a rapid economic recovery, we decided it would be extremely difficult to continue holding the F1 Japanese Grand Prix," said the statement.
Fuji returned to the F1 calendar in 2007, following huge efforts by Toyota to revamp the circuit.
Lewis Hamilton won that first event amid torrential conditions, while Fernando Alonso took a surprise win for Renault in last year's event following a chaotic first corner.
Fuji said its focus now would be on holding Formula Nippon and Super GT events.
Hiroaki Kato, president of the Fuji track, could not hide his disappointment at the decision that brings an early end to the track's return to the F1 schedule.
"After only having announced barely three years ago, in March 2006, that Fuji Speedway would hold the F1 Japanese Grand Prix, it is heart-wrenching that we were not able to avoid the decision to abandon our plans to hold the race from 2010," he said.
"To the people who attended the event at Fuji Speedway last year and the year before, to those who were looking forward to the event there in the future, and to all those locally and elsewhere who granted us their immense understanding and encouragement, I deeply apologize for a result not commensurate with your expectations.
"At the same time, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation for your kind support.
"Fuji Speedway intends to devote itself with even greater intensity to promote motor sports. For this, we humbly seek your continued understanding."
Suzuka is due to hold this year's Japanese GP, and the future of the country's race will now depend on whether the track's owners Honda wish to bankroll the event in the future - having already pulled out of F1.
Toyota's decision to stop the bankrolling of the Fuji event, which Reuters has suggested was costing it around £12-£18 million GBP, come against the backdrop of the company expecting overall losses of £5.5 billion GBP in the business year to March 2010.
The circuit had been planning to share the event with Suzuka, having held the last two Japanese GPs, but the global economic downturn that has affected track owners Toyota has forced a rethink.
A statement on the circuit's website said that although planning had already been underway for the 2010 event, the track had no option but to abandon its plans.
"In view of the sharply deteriorating business conditions and few signs of a rapid economic recovery, we decided it would be extremely difficult to continue holding the F1 Japanese Grand Prix," said the statement.
Fuji returned to the F1 calendar in 2007, following huge efforts by Toyota to revamp the circuit.
Lewis Hamilton won that first event amid torrential conditions, while Fernando Alonso took a surprise win for Renault in last year's event following a chaotic first corner.
Fuji said its focus now would be on holding Formula Nippon and Super GT events.
Hiroaki Kato, president of the Fuji track, could not hide his disappointment at the decision that brings an early end to the track's return to the F1 schedule.
"After only having announced barely three years ago, in March 2006, that Fuji Speedway would hold the F1 Japanese Grand Prix, it is heart-wrenching that we were not able to avoid the decision to abandon our plans to hold the race from 2010," he said.
"To the people who attended the event at Fuji Speedway last year and the year before, to those who were looking forward to the event there in the future, and to all those locally and elsewhere who granted us their immense understanding and encouragement, I deeply apologize for a result not commensurate with your expectations.
"At the same time, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation for your kind support.
"Fuji Speedway intends to devote itself with even greater intensity to promote motor sports. For this, we humbly seek your continued understanding."
Suzuka is due to hold this year's Japanese GP, and the future of the country's race will now depend on whether the track's owners Honda wish to bankroll the event in the future - having already pulled out of F1.
Toyota's decision to stop the bankrolling of the Fuji event, which Reuters has suggested was costing it around £12-£18 million GBP, come against the backdrop of the company expecting overall losses of £5.5 billion GBP in the business year to March 2010.
johnfelstead said:
Will it though? How many race circuits is that now that have pulled out of F1 in recent times due to the cost of running an event, rather than not being selected by Bernie as was the previous reason they dropped out?
I think it's great !The more circuits which "grow a pair" and turn round and state it's simply not commercially viable for them to stage a GP the better, not leazt because any new locations will hopefully think twice about the merits of 'buying' a GP. I mean, how on earth is a Bulgarian GP supposed to turn a profit for the circuit ??
FOTA have to push to ensure that any GPs are staged in markets which are relevant to the teams and their sponsors rather than in the back end of beyond.
Alfie Noakes said:
I love a good conspiracy story.
Toyota can’t afford to make a loss on hosting a race which they are spending 200m+ pa to compete in (and just committed to continue for three years). IMO rubbish.
This is a shot across the bows of Mr E.
Toyota can’t afford to make a loss on hosting a race which they are spending 200m+ pa to compete in (and just committed to continue for three years). IMO rubbish.
This is a shot across the bows of Mr E.
Maybe, but I can't think of a people that are more averse to the shameless insincerity of committing to one thing in public and then reversing course, as epitomised by Max and Bernie, than the Japanese are.
flemke said:
Alfie Noakes said:
I love a good conspiracy story.
Toyota can’t afford to make a loss on hosting a race which they are spending 200m+ pa to compete in (and just committed to continue for three years). IMO rubbish.
This is a shot across the bows of Mr E.
Toyota can’t afford to make a loss on hosting a race which they are spending 200m+ pa to compete in (and just committed to continue for three years). IMO rubbish.
This is a shot across the bows of Mr E.
Maybe, but I can't think of a people that are more averse to the shameless insincerity of committing to one thing in public and then reversing course, as epitomised by Max and Bernie, than the Japanese are.
Well to extrapolate the conspiracy a little more, how about pulling out of Bernie’s series so that you would make your circuit available for a FOTA one and at the same time shafting your arch rival Honda.
DIW35 said:
Unfortunately it's some of the countries in the back end of beyond that can still afford the exhorbitant cost that Bernie demands to host a F1 event.
Countries who actually put their money where their mouth is. If Silverstone had done that already then we wouldn't be always wondering about the status of the British GP.oyster said:
DIW35 said:
Unfortunately it's some of the countries in the back end of beyond that can still afford the exhorbitant cost that Bernie demands to host a F1 event.
Countries who actually put their money where their mouth is. If Silverstone had done that already then we wouldn't be always wondering about the status of the British GP.flemke said:
oyster said:
DIW35 said:
Unfortunately it's some of the countries in the back end of beyond that can still afford the exhorbitant cost that Bernie demands to host a F1 event.
Countries who actually put their money where their mouth is. If Silverstone had done that already then we wouldn't be always wondering about the status of the British GP.If the government of this country showed as much support for the GP as say Bahrain, Singapore etc. then we may not be talking about the loss of Silverstone to the calendar.
oyster said:
flemke said:
oyster said:
DIW35 said:
Unfortunately it's some of the countries in the back end of beyond that can still afford the exhorbitant cost that Bernie demands to host a F1 event.
Countries who actually put their money where their mouth is. If Silverstone had done that already then we wouldn't be always wondering about the status of the British GP.If the government of this country showed as much support for the GP as say Bahrain, Singapore etc. then we may not be talking about the loss of Silverstone to the calendar.
d charging exorbitant amounts of money for the privilege of hosing the race then the future of Silverstone wouldn't be in doubt anyway.oyster said:
flemke said:
oyster said:
DIW35 said:
Unfortunately it's some of the countries in the back end of beyond that can still afford the exhorbitant cost that Bernie demands to host a F1 event.
Countries who actually put their money where their mouth is. If Silverstone had done that already then we wouldn't be always wondering about the status of the British GP.If the government of this country showed as much support for the GP as say Bahrain, Singapore etc. then we may not be talking about the loss of Silverstone to the calendar.
It's not clear that the UK government should subsidise a GP. If anything, it is clearer that the UK government should cease to subsidise other special interest sporting events, such as the Olympics.
There is more than enough non-government money available in Britain, and in Germany, France, etc, to support the true costs of holding GPs. The root cause of the problem is not that running a GP is inherently too costly. Rather, it is that running a GP and also paying CVC/Bernie their monopolist fees is too costly.
oyster said:
I mean Britain.
If the government of this country showed as much support for the GP as say Bahrain, Singapore etc. then we may not be talking about the loss of Silverstone to the calendar.
Others have corrected you somewhat with some of the commercial facts, but allow me to point out that you are utterly wrong in your statements and in your sentiment.If the government of this country showed as much support for the GP as say Bahrain, Singapore etc. then we may not be talking about the loss of Silverstone to the calendar.
There are UK Government funded innovation programmes supportive of the British motor racing industry and you only have to look to find the evidence of real money delivering real differences. The last time I looked (with respect to a certain well-known player), the sums involved were high enough to likely exceed the true cost of running one or more F1 races at Silverstone.
Still, why let a few facts and a little research get in the way of a prejudiced political statement....
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