Valencia Seek to "Re-Negotiate" F1 Deal

[Prisoner Monkeys]

I would be happy if this race fell off the calender, especially if it gave Spa a firm footing.

It won't. Spa isn't being alternated with Paul Ricard because there is no space on the calendar. Spa is being alternated with Paul Ricard for economic reasons. But before you go criticising Bernie Ecclestone for extortionate race sanctioning fees, consider Europe's economic situation.

[ArrowsFA1]

Bring back Magny Cours. That was a proper circuit with some real character.

Not something that would have been said about that circuit when it first appeared on the calendar in 1991, particularly as it's made up from corners copied from other circuits and is in the middle of nowhere!

[Prisoner Monkeys]

There was absolutely no criticism of Bernie Ecclestone in the post you quoted.

I know. My post was more of a pre-emptive strike than me defending Bernie. As soon as there is talk that a race may be discontinued because the organisers can no longer afford it, it is usually the cue for a slew of criticisms aimed at Bernie. I was simply trying to point out that economically, Europe isn't in great shape, even if the worst of the danger appears to have passed for the time being. With so many races on the calendar relying on government support (I believe Silverstone and India and possibly one other race, but certainly not Spa are run without government aid) and the need to be fiscally-responsible in the light of the soverign debt crisis, Spa could well have lost its funding simply because the Belgian government feels they need to be conservative on economic policy. So unless you can somehow blame the delicate economics of Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain on Bernie Ecclestone, he's hardly responsible for this.

But it's my experience that people will take any excuse to attack Bernie, regardless of whether or not it's actually justified. I thought I'd put that comment there to get people to think about it, because the idea of coming back to this thread in the middle of an anti-Bernie tirade and raising the issue of the European economy as an alternative culprit only to be ignored wearied me.

[philipbain]

The latest, again on Autosport.com is that Barcelona may "re-consider" thier F1 deal, therefore Spain could very well go from having 2 GPs to have 0 GPs in a very short space of time! As I said at the beginning of this thread, I can see Valencia and Barcelona coming to an agreement to alternate the race year on year, therefore cutting the losses in half in theory, but without 2 races competing in the same market directly against each other it may prove beneficial in getting more paying punters through the gates

[Prisoner Monkeys]

without 2 races competing in the same market directly against each other it may prove beneficial in getting more paying punters through the gates

Spain is very funny in Formula 1 - I can't think of a single nation where the popularity of the sport depends on the success of a driver more than in Spain.

[nigelred5]

Spain is very funny in Formula 1 - I can't think of a single nation where the popularity of the sport depends on the success of a driver more than in Spain.

HEY, yoo hooo, over here!! How we somehow now will have two races and no F1 drivers amazes me. I'm hopeful Rossi can make it into a top ride in F1 by '14 at the latest.

[Prisoner Monkeys]

I think Rossi will be lucky to get into Formula 1 at all in 2014, much less with a front-running team. He's been linked to Caterham's GP2 outfit this year, and while they're a promising team, GP2 is a two-year programme at best these days. Unless a driver is insanely talented, he's going to spend more than one year in GP2, and I don't think Rossi has that X factor that means he will win it first time out. So he'll probably spend 2012 and 2013 in GP2, and maybe step up to Formula 1 in 2014. probably with Caterham, if they have a seat going.

But I think what America really needs more than an American Formula 1 driver is an American GP2 driver. I know, it sounds weird, but Formula 1 on its own has no real context. GP2, on the other hand, it hyper-competitive - last year, they managed to make for some fantastic racing at Abu Dhabi of all places - so if you put a talented American driver in, you can showcase his skills, and then demosntrate the difference between GP2 and Formula 1. To get American audiences interested in Formula 1, Formula 1 has to mean something. So what the series needs to do is say "Okay, this is GP2; very competitive, and full of young talent ... and this if Formula 1, which turns GP2 up to eleven".

In order to do this, I think GP2 needs to visit America. GP2 and GP2 Asia have been amalgamated this year, so that GP2 has four flyaway events: Sepang, two races in Bahrain, and Singapore. But when New Jersey joins in 2013 and is twinned with Montreal, it should be very easy to get the GP2 teams out there. If they can afford to fly to Spang and back at the start of the year, and then fly to Singapore and back at the end of the year, then a quick sojurn across the Atlantic in the middle of the season is easy. Plus, Montreal produces great racing and New Jersey looks very promising. GP2 could be phenomenal there.

[Mark]

Not sure I agree with that, F1 is enough on it's own, they just need some American drivers in there. What is true that the best way to get American drivers into F1 is to get a few of them into GP2 so they can earn their place in F1 rather than being handed it because of their nationality.

[Malbec]

IMO Valencia completely missed the commercial point of a street circuit. Races at Monaco, Singapore or Abu Dhabi actually show off the best features of those places, or at least make you want to go there a bit more than you did before. I've heard from friends who've been there that Valencia is pretty special but you wouldn't know that from the race which makes it look like a huge sunny industrial estate. Won't be missed, especially as the racing was pretty poor.

[IceWizard]

I know. My post was more of a pre-emptive strike than me defending Bernie. As soon as there is talk that a race may be discontinued because the organisers can no longer afford it, it is usually the cue for a slew of criticisms aimed at Bernie. I was simply trying to point out that economically, Europe isn't in great shape, even if the worst of the danger appears to have passed for the time being. With so many races on the calendar relying on government support (I believe Silverstone and India and possibly one other race, but certainly not Spa are run without government aid) and the need to be fiscally-responsible in the light of the soverign debt crisis, Spa could well have lost its funding simply because the Belgian government feels they need to be conservative on economic policy. So unless you can somehow blame the delicate economics of Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain on Bernie Ecclestone, he's hardly responsible for this.

But it's my experience that people will take any excuse to attack Bernie, regardless of whether or not it's actually justified. I thought I'd put that comment there to get people to think about it, because the idea of coming back to this thread in the middle of an anti-Bernie tirade and raising the issue of the European economy as an alternative culprit only to be ignored wearied me.

Obviously the economic situation can't be blamed on Bernie, but the point is that F1 surely needs to retain its current number of European races. Europe remains the heartland of the F1 fanbase. How many of these fans would continue to watch if there were only 1 or 2 races in Europe? - I know I wouldn't. There is therefore, perhaps a case for the traditional European venues being offered cut price deals to keep them on the calendar in the current economic climate. Having said that, I don't think much of Valencia but would only like to see it go if its replaced by another European venue.