Donnington again, again

[Derek Smith]

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/...

Now bernie's talking about alternative venues for the brit Gp just like, according to the article, Germany and Japan. Presumably the Germany and Japan with just the one venue each. Or is that Germany one year and japan the next?

[dpbird90]

Germany was going to alternate between Hockenheim and Nurburgring, but Hockenheim is in doubt after next year. IMO Hockenheim went down the pan as soon as they tore up the old track. I wish they'd bring it back, reminds me of the old Mansell v Senna battles, wheel to wheel, 220mph down those long straights in the foreat. Anyway I digress.

Back on topic, Japan had a similar agreemement, Fuji one year, Suzuka the next, but Fuji recently announced they're pulling the plug on F1, which is good, as the current circuit is too boring. Yes I know Lewis had an immense drive there in 2007, but Fuji's been Tilke'd, which makes it crap. No atmosphere as fans need to sit 400,000 miles away from the track because there's so much run off area. Why can't the FIA just say, F1 has the best drivers in the world, the cars are very safe now, so if they stuff it into the wall, tough st".
Suzuka has many memories, Senna & Prost (although I wasn't quite born for the 1989 race, I was just a baby crawling around the lounge that Sunday when Ayrton took his revenge)


So basically, we'll be alternating between Donington and Silverstone. I don't want this to happen, because I love Donington. I don't want Herman Tilke ruining it. Silverstone is good enough to host F1 as it is, just let things be!

Edited by dpbird90 on Sunday 19th July 19:57

[stifler]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77070

Damon Hill's comments at the end ring true with me.

[Chrisgr31]

I am not sure how alternating the race between circuits helps. Although I guess if they lose money on the event it enables them to reduce their losses! But of the event makes profits for them surely they need those profits annually to maintain the circuit etc? Halving the profit will make it uneconomic.

[anonymous-user]

F1 is a loss leader for the tracks, which is why the current setup with the money split is madness if you have any concern for the circuits viability long term. At least now some of the venues have started to wise up and are walking away from F1 rather than spending a fortune to go backwards financially.

[DWP]

The British GP used to alternate between Brands and Silverstone. But much has changed, money wise , since those days. Pity.

[V8 GRF]

stifler said:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77070

Damon Hill's comments at the end ring true with me.

Well he would say that wouldn't he, vested interests and all that he should shut up and be glad that Bernies seen sense. I don't see anything wrong with the alternating plan. As said above it used to alternate between Brands and Silverstone in the seventies and eighties and it worked well, Brands was imo the far better track.

[scoobydude]

V8 GRF said:

stifler said:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77070

Brands was imo the far better track.

Still is IMO

[jamiebae]

V8 GRF said:

stifler said:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77070

Damon Hill's comments at the end ring true with me.

Well he would say that wouldn't he, vested interests and all that he should shut up and be glad that Bernies seen sense. I don't see anything wrong with the alternating plan. As said above it used to alternate between Brands and Silverstone in the seventies and eighties and it worked well, Brands was imo the far better track.

The GP isn't a loss leader in the UK and does make a contribution to the running costs of the track, Damon's problem is that they're being told to do all the upgrades which were viable based on holding the race every year for the next decade, but only have the race every other year.

[stifler]

jamiebae said:

V8 GRF said:

stifler said:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77070

Damon Hill's comments at the end ring true with me.

Well he would say that wouldn't he, vested interests and all that he should shut up and be glad that Bernies seen sense. I don't see anything wrong with the alternating plan. As said above it used to alternate between Brands and Silverstone in the seventies and eighties and it worked well, Brands was imo the far better track.

The GP isn't a loss leader in the UK and does make a contribution to the running costs of the track, Damon's problem is that they're being told to do all the upgrades which were viable based on holding the race every year for the next decade, but only have the race every other year.

Quite. 2x expenditure for 1x return. Bad business except for Bernie. Damon was perfectly correct in what he said.

When Schumacher was World Champion there were two races in Germany so that more German fans could go to the races. When Fernando Alonso was World Champion, it was announced (and later happened) that there would be a second Spanish race. As Lewis Hamilton is World Champion...........

[onemorelap]

stifler said:

jamiebae said:

V8 GRF said:

stifler said:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77070

Damon Hill's comments at the end ring true with me.

Well he would say that wouldn't he, vested interests and all that he should shut up and be glad that Bernies seen sense. I don't see anything wrong with the alternating plan. As said above it used to alternate between Brands and Silverstone in the seventies and eighties and it worked well, Brands was imo the far better track.

The GP isn't a loss leader in the UK and does make a contribution to the running costs of the track, Damon's problem is that they're being told to do all the upgrades which were viable based on holding the race every year for the next decade, but only have the race every other year.

Quite. 2x expenditure for 1x return. Bad business except for Bernie. Damon was perfectly correct in what he said.

When Schumacher was World Champion there were two races in Germany so that more German fans could go to the races. When Fernando Alonso was World Champion, it was announced (and later happened) that there would be a second Spanish race. As Lewis Hamilton is World Champion...........

Someone stated previously that a fundamental part of any concorde agreement has / is based on key countries races being maintained in the calendar, one of which is the UK.

If any stall can be held against the above then i think Damon / Silverstone are in a sound negotiating position with CVC given the current state of play at Donington and there being no other track in the UK that could realistically hold a GP in the short to medium term at least.

[jamiebae]

stifler said:

jamiebae said:

V8 GRF said:

stifler said:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77070

Damon Hill's comments at the end ring true with me.

Well he would say that wouldn't he, vested interests and all that he should shut up and be glad that Bernies seen sense. I don't see anything wrong with the alternating plan. As said above it used to alternate between Brands and Silverstone in the seventies and eighties and it worked well, Brands was imo the far better track.

The GP isn't a loss leader in the UK and does make a contribution to the running costs of the track, Damon's problem is that they're being told to do all the upgrades which were viable based on holding the race every year for the next decade, but only have the race every other year.

Quite. 2x expenditure for 1x return. Bad business except for Bernie. Damon was perfectly correct in what he said.

When Schumacher was World Champion there were two races in Germany so that more German fans could go to the races. When Fernando Alonso was World Champion, it was announced (and later happened) that there would be a second Spanish race. As Lewis Hamilton is World Champion...........

I don't suppose the numbers stack up for Donnington Park holding the race every other year.

[Derek Smith]

jamiebae said:

I don't suppose the numbers stack up for Donnington Park holding the race every other year.

I hadn't thought of that.

[flemke]

jamiebae said:

stifler said:

jamiebae said:

V8 GRF said:

stifler said:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77070

Damon Hill's comments at the end ring true with me.

Well he would say that wouldn't he, vested interests and all that he should shut up and be glad that Bernies seen sense. I don't see anything wrong with the alternating plan. As said above it used to alternate between Brands and Silverstone in the seventies and eighties and it worked well, Brands was imo the far better track.

The GP isn't a loss leader in the UK and does make a contribution to the running costs of the track, Damon's problem is that they're being told to do all the upgrades which were viable based on holding the race every year for the next decade, but only have the race every other year.

Quite. 2x expenditure for 1x return. Bad business except for Bernie. Damon was perfectly correct in what he said.

When Schumacher was World Champion there were two races in Germany so that more German fans could go to the races. When Fernando Alonso was World Champion, it was announced (and later happened) that there would be a second Spanish race. As Lewis Hamilton is World Champion...........

I don't suppose the numbers stack up for Donnington Park holding the race every other year.

A cynic might say that the numbers don't stack up for Donington's holding the race any year.

[Skywalker]

flemke said:

jamiebae said:

stifler said:

jamiebae said:

V8 GRF said:

stifler said:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77070

Damon Hill's comments at the end ring true with me.

Well he would say that wouldn't he, vested interests and all that he should shut up and be glad that Bernies seen sense. I don't see anything wrong with the alternating plan. As said above it used to alternate between Brands and Silverstone in the seventies and eighties and it worked well, Brands was imo the far better track.

The GP isn't a loss leader in the UK and does make a contribution to the running costs of the track, Damon's problem is that they're being told to do all the upgrades which were viable based on holding the race every year for the next decade, but only have the race every other year.

Quite. 2x expenditure for 1x return. Bad business except for Bernie. Damon was perfectly correct in what he said.

When Schumacher was World Champion there were two races in Germany so that more German fans could go to the races. When Fernando Alonso was World Champion, it was announced (and later happened) that there would be a second Spanish race. As Lewis Hamilton is World Champion...........

I don't suppose the numbers stack up for Donnington Park holding the race every other year.

A cynic might say that the numbers don't stack up for Donington's holding the race any year.

A greater cycnic might say that Simon Gillet hasn't even got any numbers in his bank account to try and stack up, and the prosepct of being leant further numbers is exceedingly slim (unless Bernie underwrites it)

[TimCrighton]

I can only think of two other circuits close to being able to host a GP - Brands or Rockingham.

Brands would need to undertake a lot of circuit and pitlane works which I suspect JP wouldn't be keen on, but it has shown with the WSB, WTCC etc that its capable of hosting high profile large spectator events. Rockingham is still looking for an event to put in on the map, its the newest circuit in the UK, geared up for large crowds with the right infrastrucure, but again would need work to the infield and pitlane - but somehow the thought of Alfred Buller and Bernie round a table talking business - I just can't see it.

Edited by TimCrighton on Tuesday 21st July 18:03

[AndrewW-G]

stifler said:

jamiebae said:

V8 GRF said:

stifler said:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77070

Damon Hill's comments at the end ring true with me.

Well he would say that wouldn't he, vested interests and all that he should shut up and be glad that Bernies seen sense. I don't see anything wrong with the alternating plan. As said above it used to alternate between Brands and Silverstone in the seventies and eighties and it worked well, Brands was imo the far better track.

The GP isn't a loss leader in the UK and does make a contribution to the running costs of the track, Damon's problem is that they're being told to do all the upgrades which were viable based on holding the race every year for the next decade, but only have the race every other year.

Quite. 2x expenditure for 1x return. Bad business except for Bernie. Damon was perfectly correct in what he said.

When Schumacher was World Champion there were two races in Germany so that more German fans could go to the races. When Fernando Alonso was World Champion, it was announced (and later happened) that there would be a second Spanish race. As Lewis Hamilton is World Champion...........

Not one but two Swiss GP's?

[stifler]

TimCrighton said:

I can only think of two other circuits close to being able to host a GP - Brands or Rockingham.

Brands would need to undertake a lot of circuit and pitlane works which I suspect JP wouldn't be keen on, but it has shown with the WSB, WTCC etc that its capable of hosting high profile large spectator events. Rockingham is still looking for an event to put in on the map, its the newest circuit in the UK, geared up for large crowds with the right infrastrucure, but again would need work to the infield and pitlane - but somehow the thought of Alfred Buller and Bernie round a table talking business - I just can't see it.

Edited by TimCrighton on Tuesday 21st July 18:03

No chance at Brands. The infrastructure isn't there, the pits are a st fight and the access via the roads is pathetic. The whole of the Brands site, including car parking, could fit in the site of Silverstone (car parks not included).

As for Rockingham, there is no want to have the event seemingly. Does Bernie even know that the Rock exists?

[flemke]

I'm not sure whether we're talking about having 2 GPs in Britain each year, or having one but at alternating venues, or having one bi-annually (perhaps alternating with Germany or France?). If the first, there is no way that the market would support 2 "British" GPs. It would be like having 2 Wimbletons. Not only would you fail to draw as many people to the second as you now draw to the first, but you would also draw fewer to the first than you do now.