Wednesday 4th September 2002

No More Spa GP's?

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[Tony Hall]

F1 is boring, Belgium is even more boring, Spa_F is the only interesting thing in Belgium!
Superbikes/Moto GP, thats the stuff.

[viperman]

just get rif of F1, the FIA will have to radically re-think there plans for F1, as it can not carry on the way it is going, and i thought the FIA wanted asmany teams as possible, and they have thrown arrows out havent they?, bye bye Boremula 1

[wolosp]

I used to be enthusiastic about F1. I've attended test sessions and quite a few GPs, but this year in particular it's ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz

[hansgerd]

I can live with that. According to the official sources at Spa there were only about 91.000 visitors this year, rather depressing. Does that say anything to Bernie ? Last year there were some 150.000, about the same figure as at the 24 Hs this year. The only question will be, what sponsor will the Hezemans' Viper have other than Route 66 (a shite cigarette btw, but the only marque available at the whole circuit).

[Jarrett]

So Tony,

What is so boring about Belgium then? Let us all into your astute criticism.

Jarrett

[castex]

Boremula 1, yuk, yuk

What we need is for it to get worse, much worse. People will stop watching, manufacturers will start losing interest...Everything will be scaled down a few notches. Without the power of the big companies we'll be able to have manual gearboxes and no TC : people won't mind engines blowing up through over-revving as it won't directly influence people's perception of their wares. Let's go back to the 60's, a bit of derring-do and a few more moustaches, please!

[ahonen]

There's nothing wrong with Belgium. The Ardennes is a great part of Europe where the scenery is good, the roads are challenging and the beers are varied and strong; like Kwak, for instance. There's Spa-Francorchamps and just over the border is the 'Ring.

There's plenty wrong with F1, however. Dull rubbish these days. I'm so glad the TV audiences are falling: it might wake Ecclescake up. There are only two reasons to watch F1: Raikkonen and Montoya, who both have a taste for opposite lock. Raikkonen, in particular, is getting more impressive race by race.

[hansgerd]

Belgium and the Ardennes, nothing against this. It's one of the loveliest parts in the world and it has one of the best circuits which is a crowd puller when it comes to racing. This year was the first time that there were less people for the F1 race than for the Spa 24 Hours (it was about half the size) and you have seen that on TV. Normally, Malmedy (that's the 180 degree curve behind Les Combes at the top of the hill through the woods) is full of crowds. I was astonished to see that this year it was nearly abandoned. It's still my favored circuit but F1 is doing something wrong here. Get on the 24 Hours... ...or first the FIA SCC in two weeks, whoohoo.