Why not build a brand new UK circuit?
Discussion
The benefit that all the new F1 circuits have is that they were clean-sheet afairs. What we have in the UK isn't!
So, why not build a new faclity here and be done with it!
Silverstone seems to politicaly intrenched in its own demise.
Brands and Donnington would be great but the development of each would IMO ruin their character.
Rockingham's OK but I don't really think is suitable for F1.
Cost is of course an issue but whilst the governemnt may not be that bothered about propping up Silverstone, there are plenty of brownfield sites around that they'd be keen to see developed.
Just a thought!
So, why not build a new faclity here and be done with it!
Silverstone seems to politicaly intrenched in its own demise.
Brands and Donnington would be great but the development of each would IMO ruin their character.
Rockingham's OK but I don't really think is suitable for F1.
Cost is of course an issue but whilst the governemnt may not be that bothered about propping up Silverstone, there are plenty of brownfield sites around that they'd be keen to see developed.
Just a thought!
I've always harboured that thought, calling it Brooklands too just for nostalgia but unfortunately we live in a country that is run by imbeciles who listen to loud voiced minority imbiciles who wouldn't want anything noisy anywhere near them.
Finding enough space away from a village/town/city would probably mean green belt land or National Trust property. The only solution is former industrial sites, most of the inner city ones are either too small or already earmarked for something else. Plus to build something like that you would need either the infrastructure already in place or a place where investment will create jobs and an industry built up around it.
Which means the only sensible place in the UK to build a new track is........................................
Wales - using an old derelict mining area, lots or ruined land due to slag heaps that can be landscaped without greenies complaining, it will revitalise a high unemployment area with jobs and an industry catering for the circuit, ample space for new roads to be built (on the old land). Anywhere in the Rhonda Valley area could work a treat, close to Cardiff airport as well.
2007 Welsh Grand Prix.
Finding enough space away from a village/town/city would probably mean green belt land or National Trust property. The only solution is former industrial sites, most of the inner city ones are either too small or already earmarked for something else. Plus to build something like that you would need either the infrastructure already in place or a place where investment will create jobs and an industry built up around it.
Which means the only sensible place in the UK to build a new track is........................................
Wales - using an old derelict mining area, lots or ruined land due to slag heaps that can be landscaped without greenies complaining, it will revitalise a high unemployment area with jobs and an industry catering for the circuit, ample space for new roads to be built (on the old land). Anywhere in the Rhonda Valley area could work a treat, close to Cardiff airport as well.
2007 Welsh Grand Prix.
I'm sick of these pristine "facilities". Motor racing is at its best when the cars and drivers have to adapt to the natural topography - not the other way around. That's one of the reasons why rallying is so exciting - or why Spa, Brands Hatch and the old Nurburgring are such a challenge.
Rockingham was built as a state-of-the-art facility on the site of a old steel works in a fairly deprived area but still the locals chunter about the disruption it causes and the several management teams there all seem to be unable to run it at a profit even with the grandstands packed for many events (I know they dish out free tickets Left, Right and Centre).
The planning laws are too restrictive for it to make money, and thats before it has to do without the massive government handouts that other countries ( and other sports in the uk get)
even if you did manage to find somewhere to build it you would only be able to use it 50 days a year, not before 10am and a strict cut of at 5pm incase it disturbs any one
even if you did manage to find somewhere to build it you would only be able to use it 50 days a year, not before 10am and a strict cut of at 5pm incase it disturbs any one
Eric Mc said:
I'm sick of these pristine "facilities". Motor racing is at its best when the cars and drivers have to adapt to the natural topography - not the other way around. That's one of the reasons why rallying is so exciting - or why Spa, Brands Hatch and the old Nurburgring are such a challenge.
The cars get too fast, so we change the circuits. Daft. Why not change the cars and keep the fun circuits? pwig said:
What we need is a 13 Mile long UK Nurburgring but safe enough to be used in modern F1
Trouble is, it wasn't safe enough largely because it is so long - it takes a long time for emergency vehicles to get to an accident. At least, that was one of the excuses put forward.
FourWheelDrift said:
Wales - using an old derelict mining area, lots or ruined land due to slag heaps that can be landscaped without greenies complaining, it will revitalise a high unemployment area with jobs and an industry catering for the circuit, ample space for new roads to be built (on the old land). Anywhere in the Rhonda Valley area could work a treat, close to Cardiff airport as well.
2007 Welsh Grand Prix.
The problem with Motorsport is that it is politically incorrect these days...
Safety has often been cited as the reason why tracks are deemed unsuitable for modern F1. This reasoning has been used for many years - going all the way back to the dropping of the original 7 mile Spa in 1971 and, eventually, the 14 mile Nurburgring in 1977. In fact, the REAL reasons behind these circuits being deemed unsuitable are money and television. And since about 1974, lurking in the background of nearly every decision to axe a GP track is the figure of Bernard Ecclestone.
Most tracks have fallen by the wayside because BE was unable to wring enough money out of the circuit owners. As far as F1 is concerned, it has been a seller's market for decades. If a track wants F1 at its venue, then it must pay BE the going rate. Over the years, these rates have risen inexorably. Because of these extortionate amounts, virtually every circuit makes losses on the running of GPs - simply because BE's fees are so high. In most cases, these losses are subsidised by either local or national governments. In many cases, the extent of these losses remains hidden. Take Australia as an example. It appears that Melbourne has lost millions over the years in running the GP there, but no one knows how much because special "secrecy" acts have been passed by the state of Victoria preventing the tax payers of that state knowing how much the GP is really costing them. In countries like China or Bahrain, the respective governments have no obligations to tell their populations ANYTHING about how these GPs are being paid for.
This is the environment in which the BRDC find themselves having to operate.
>> Edited by Eric Mc on Saturday 16th October 10:41
Most tracks have fallen by the wayside because BE was unable to wring enough money out of the circuit owners. As far as F1 is concerned, it has been a seller's market for decades. If a track wants F1 at its venue, then it must pay BE the going rate. Over the years, these rates have risen inexorably. Because of these extortionate amounts, virtually every circuit makes losses on the running of GPs - simply because BE's fees are so high. In most cases, these losses are subsidised by either local or national governments. In many cases, the extent of these losses remains hidden. Take Australia as an example. It appears that Melbourne has lost millions over the years in running the GP there, but no one knows how much because special "secrecy" acts have been passed by the state of Victoria preventing the tax payers of that state knowing how much the GP is really costing them. In countries like China or Bahrain, the respective governments have no obligations to tell their populations ANYTHING about how these GPs are being paid for.
This is the environment in which the BRDC find themselves having to operate.
>> Edited by Eric Mc on Saturday 16th October 10:41
FourWheelDrift said:
I've always harboured that thought, calling it Brooklands too just for nostalgia but unfortunately we live in a country that is run by imbeciles who listen to loud voiced minority imbiciles who wouldn't want anything noisy anywhere near them.
Finding enough space away from a village/town/city would probably mean green belt land or National Trust property. The only solution is former industrial sites, most of the inner city ones are either too small or already earmarked for something else. Plus to build something like that you would need either the infrastructure already in place or a place where investment will create jobs and an industry built up around it.
Which means the only sensible place in the UK to build a new track is........................................
Wales - using an old derelict mining area, lots or ruined land due to slag heaps that can be landscaped without greenies complaining, it will revitalise a high unemployment area with jobs and an industry catering for the circuit, ample space for new roads to be built (on the old land). Anywhere in the Rhonda Valley area could work a treat, close to Cardiff airport as well.
2007 Welsh Grand Prix.
The problem with Wales is that all the drivers would have lost their licences before raceday..........
Eric Mc said:
Safety has often been cited as the reason why tracks are deemed unsuitable for modern F1. This reasoning has been used for many years - going all the way back to the dropping of the original 7 mile Spa in 1971 and, eventually, the 14 mile Nurburgring in 1977. In fact, the REAL reasons behind these circuits being deemed unsuitable are money and television. And since about 1974, lurking in the background of nearly every decision to axe a GP track is the figure of Bernard Ecclestone.
Most tracks have fallen by the wayside because BE was unable to wring enough money out of the circuit owners. As far as F1 is concerned, it has been a seller's market for decades. If a track wants F1 at its venue, then it must pay BE the going rate. Over the years, these rates have risen inexorably. Because of these extortionate amounts, virtually every circuit makes losses on the running of GPs - simply because BE's fees are so high. In most cases, these losses are subsidised by either local or national governments. In many cases, the extent of these losses remains hidden. Take Australia as an example. It appears that Melbourne has lost millions over the years in running the GP there, but no one knows how much because special "secrecy" acts have been passed by the state of Victoria preventing the tax payers of that state knowing how much the GP is really costing them. In countries like China or Bahrain, the respective governments have no obligations to tell their populations ANYTHING about how these GPs are being paid for.
This is the environment in which the BRDC find themselves having to operate.
The best summary of the situation I've ever seen. Who in their right mind would build a new circuit here?
Thanks for the compliment.
Building a new circuit would do nothing to guarantee anything. There are no guarantees in Bernie's world - you don't produce the required readies, you don't get a Grand Prix - end of story. You could have the best "facilities" in the world - Bernie would find some excuse to drop you if you can't meet his cash demands. The current bleating over facilities is just the latest permutation of Brernie's tactics. Up until the mid 80s safety was the stick with which to beat the circuit owner. With most F1 circuits being as safe as they are ever likely to get, "facilities" is now the weapon.
I'm in the middle of reading the book "bernie's Game" and you can see that his style and tactics have a pretty constant line to them over the years.
Building a new circuit would do nothing to guarantee anything. There are no guarantees in Bernie's world - you don't produce the required readies, you don't get a Grand Prix - end of story. You could have the best "facilities" in the world - Bernie would find some excuse to drop you if you can't meet his cash demands. The current bleating over facilities is just the latest permutation of Brernie's tactics. Up until the mid 80s safety was the stick with which to beat the circuit owner. With most F1 circuits being as safe as they are ever likely to get, "facilities" is now the weapon.
I'm in the middle of reading the book "bernie's Game" and you can see that his style and tactics have a pretty constant line to them over the years.
Eric Mc said:
I'm sick of these pristine "facilities". Motor racing is at its best when the cars and drivers have to adapt to the natural topography - not the other way around. That's one of the reasons why rallying is so exciting
you mean why rallying WAS so exciting its now too dull and next year will be even worse as they reduce power and reduce stage milage.
world gone mad
Bernie's unstated mission statement -
"Make myself as wealthy as is humanly possible"
"Make Formula 1 the dominant expression of motor sport in the world"
"Undermine and hopefully destroy any motor sport series that threatens Formula 1 for popularity".
Can't you see the trends over the last 2 years. Nearly every motor sport category which had World Championship ambitions which has come under the commercial imfluence of BE has, despite promises of untold riches for the participants, eventually been destroyed by BE's involvement. Watching world rallying being emaciated and emasculated by changes to the regulations is so sad - as it is bound to leave it in tatters eventually.
>> Edited by Eric Mc on Sunday 17th October 09:41
"Make myself as wealthy as is humanly possible"
"Make Formula 1 the dominant expression of motor sport in the world"
"Undermine and hopefully destroy any motor sport series that threatens Formula 1 for popularity".
Can't you see the trends over the last 2 years. Nearly every motor sport category which had World Championship ambitions which has come under the commercial imfluence of BE has, despite promises of untold riches for the participants, eventually been destroyed by BE's involvement. Watching world rallying being emaciated and emasculated by changes to the regulations is so sad - as it is bound to leave it in tatters eventually.
>> Edited by Eric Mc on Sunday 17th October 09:41
agent006 said:
Why not build a new circuit?
Because we've already got plenty of fantastic circuits as it is.
For club racing, for F1 we only have one that has the space, the safety and opportunities to overtake. Our circuits would need massive investment, some of them it would be wasted on because their layout doesn't suit F1.
At the moment Germany has 2 F1 standard circuits, Hockenheim & Nurburgring, Italy has Mugello, San Marino and Monza, France has Magny-Cours & Paul Ricard even Spain has three Barcelona, Jerez & Valencia.
A newer better circuit would be of benefit to all racing not just F1.
>> Edited by FourWheelDrift on Sunday 17th October 10:38
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