Brit GP for the Chop?
Discussion
The rumours have been flying around with increasing velocity these last few days, and it may turn out that we won't have a British Grand Prix next year. I thought this was the usual hot air until yesterday, but the BBC had it on the lunchtime news and they are usually the kiss of death.
Sad or glad?
Sad or glad?
Sad, but quite frankly looking at the way it's been run the last few years and the amount it costs for a normal punter to get in, they don't deserve to have a British GP for a year or two.
BTW, we're doubly screwed because there's no UK representative on the FIA World Council as the RACMSA cocked up and didn't find a suitable candidate - The UK has been replaced by that great motoring nation, Turkey...
BTW, we're doubly screwed because there's no UK representative on the FIA World Council as the RACMSA cocked up and didn't find a suitable candidate - The UK has been replaced by that great motoring nation, Turkey...
quote:
Oh, and note how Brazil still gets to keep its GP even though it can't afford to carry out safety modifications to the track....
'spect that's more to do with the paddock [ahem] decorations than the track. Although it has to be said that it looks a lot more interesting to drive than Silverstone.
AdrianR
British GP was never the same since it left Brands , ok Brands probably could never handle the numbers of people involved but it`s a damn sight more interesting track ,i was at Saturday practice for the last GP held there 1989 or something like that , got to say standing just down from Druids what an expierience to actually feel the cars come past , now thats GP racing
but i expect safety regs would never allow you to be so close to the action any more....
but i expect safety regs would never allow you to be so close to the action any more....
It's not like Silverston can handle the crowds either, though mind you, once they've finished upgrading the M40 link to dual carriageway, it should get better.
It's daft anyway, as somebody else on this board said(and did can't remember who, sorry), you could have a long weekend in spain and watch the spanish GP for pretty much the same money!
The way they've been carrying on it's not surprising really. No great loss though, F1 is pretty boring now - you're about as likely to see overtaking in the world rally championship as you are in F1
It's daft anyway, as somebody else on this board said(and did can't remember who, sorry), you could have a long weekend in spain and watch the spanish GP for pretty much the same money!
The way they've been carrying on it's not surprising really. No great loss though, F1 is pretty boring now - you're about as likely to see overtaking in the world rally championship as you are in F1
We DESERVE a British GP, but at the moment we're not getting one, we're getting a fiasco. I was at Silverstone in the biblical floods and I'm never going back. What about Donnington ? The local road network could handle it (Don't recall Monsters of Rock screwing up the roads too much) there's oodles of flat, dry parking space and it still resembles a real GP track (ah,I think I've just realised the problem )
And, when the race has got tedious (ie after the first corner) you can go and look at one of the best collections of racing cars in the world and learn about a time when cars could overtake, drivers weren't corporate spokes-bots and men were real (and frequently dead) men.
Edited by jaydee on Friday 7th December 11:05
) And, when the race has got tedious (ie after the first corner) you can go and look at one of the best collections of racing cars in the world and learn about a time when cars could overtake, drivers weren't corporate spokes-bots and men were real (and frequently dead) men.
Edited by jaydee on Friday 7th December 11:05
The Donnington Euro G.P. was a fantastic race - Senna charging to the front of the field in the opening laps made everyone else look like they were just warming up.
Could well be viable as Brit GP site with a little work on the traffic arrangements.
Never could understand the noise argument - you struggle to hear the cars for aircraft noise often.
Marcus
& Ocean Haze Griff 500
Could well be viable as Brit GP site with a little work on the traffic arrangements.
Never could understand the noise argument - you struggle to hear the cars for aircraft noise often.
Marcus
& Ocean Haze Griff 500
Euro GP was the first I went to, our ghastly E-mids drizzle made for some great racing. Sadly the others I've been to haven't really lived up to this.
Vague recollection of going to a street F1 race in Birmingham ? Can anyone fill in the blanks ? Too much
to have any short term memory.
Too much to have any short term memory.
Vague recollection of going to a street F1 race in Birmingham ? Can anyone fill in the blanks ? Too much
to have any short term memory. Too much
to have any short term memory.I suspect that the FIA decisions have a lot more to do with money and TV revenues. When the European countries are trying to introduce legislation to restrict cigarette advertising this forces the FIA to look elsewhere for their global audience. Hence the Malaysian GP etc.
They have already said they want to have a China GP and probably more far east to come. I think the access issue for Silverstone is just being used as a stick rather than a real reason. As Jackie Stewart said on the radio the other day "its just as bad at other circuits".
I doubt that it will not happen - consider all of the GP teams that are based here or have development centres here. FIA and Formula 1 risk loosing more and 200,000 UK visitors if they take the GP elsewhere. This might be why most of the GP teams have branched out into other areas (like F3000 etc) so that as a business they are not at such a risk....
And anyway - why is the FIA based in Paris? The centre for motor sport is not Paris.... I mean, how many French GP teams are left now?
Cheers,
Paul
They have already said they want to have a China GP and probably more far east to come. I think the access issue for Silverstone is just being used as a stick rather than a real reason. As Jackie Stewart said on the radio the other day "its just as bad at other circuits".
I doubt that it will not happen - consider all of the GP teams that are based here or have development centres here. FIA and Formula 1 risk loosing more and 200,000 UK visitors if they take the GP elsewhere. This might be why most of the GP teams have branched out into other areas (like F3000 etc) so that as a business they are not at such a risk....
And anyway - why is the FIA based in Paris? The centre for motor sport is not Paris.... I mean, how many French GP teams are left now?
Cheers,
Paul
Facts:
The British GP is a guaranteed loss-maker, wherever it is held. The last estimate based on good weather and good attendance was well in excess of £2,000,000 - circuits get no TV revenue and have to pay a fortune to be granted the race.
Access is outwith the control of Silverstone. Public roads cannot be altered overnight even if the local authorities had the money to do the job (which they haven't).
Every surplus penny made by Silverstone's profitable activities has been ploughed back into the citcuit and into British motor sport since the place was first used for the GP.
Car parks cannot all be covered in tarmac due to cost and subsequent drainage problems. The water has to go somewhere, and the local authorities can't afford a scheme which would be necessary to ensure protection for nearby housing.
Most foreign GP circuits are heavily subsidised by government or 'global' businesses who see a status or commercial advantage in shelling out the cash.
Donington Park and Brands Hatch are simply too small to accomodate the current GP 'circus' and all the spectators. Car parks, pit and paddock facilities, grandstands and viewing areas wouldn't measure up to FIA requirements.
Other parties have a long-term interest in Donington which must affect the owners' thinking on alterations/improvements, and Brands Hatch has a well-publicised planning problem over environmental issues.
Opinion:
There is a lot more behind all this than meets the eye, and rather than bore everyone to death let me just say that while I prefer Brands as a circuit I see no alternative to Silverstone at present.
The outcome is on a knife-edge, perhaps tilted 1% in Silverstone's favour. But I can't see the government doing much to help an already cash-rich sport, nor can I see Octagon (the American Silverstone organisers) accepting a perpetual loss-making situation.
The pity of all this is that Britain's pre-eminence in the sport's infrastructure would gradually slide downhill, and the nation would lose serious earnings and a considerable number of very high-tech jobs as a result. Why give all this away?
Edited by McNab on Friday 7th December 17:17
The British GP is a guaranteed loss-maker, wherever it is held. The last estimate based on good weather and good attendance was well in excess of £2,000,000 - circuits get no TV revenue and have to pay a fortune to be granted the race.
Access is outwith the control of Silverstone. Public roads cannot be altered overnight even if the local authorities had the money to do the job (which they haven't).
Every surplus penny made by Silverstone's profitable activities has been ploughed back into the citcuit and into British motor sport since the place was first used for the GP.
Car parks cannot all be covered in tarmac due to cost and subsequent drainage problems. The water has to go somewhere, and the local authorities can't afford a scheme which would be necessary to ensure protection for nearby housing.
Most foreign GP circuits are heavily subsidised by government or 'global' businesses who see a status or commercial advantage in shelling out the cash.
Donington Park and Brands Hatch are simply too small to accomodate the current GP 'circus' and all the spectators. Car parks, pit and paddock facilities, grandstands and viewing areas wouldn't measure up to FIA requirements.
Other parties have a long-term interest in Donington which must affect the owners' thinking on alterations/improvements, and Brands Hatch has a well-publicised planning problem over environmental issues.
Opinion:
There is a lot more behind all this than meets the eye, and rather than bore everyone to death let me just say that while I prefer Brands as a circuit I see no alternative to Silverstone at present.
The outcome is on a knife-edge, perhaps tilted 1% in Silverstone's favour. But I can't see the government doing much to help an already cash-rich sport, nor can I see Octagon (the American Silverstone organisers) accepting a perpetual loss-making situation.
The pity of all this is that Britain's pre-eminence in the sport's infrastructure would gradually slide downhill, and the nation would lose serious earnings and a considerable number of very high-tech jobs as a result. Why give all this away?
Edited by McNab on Friday 7th December 17:17
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