Is Italy next to go?

[Hawkmoon]

I can't imagine Ferrari being pleased about losing the Italian Grand Prix.

[BDunnell]

A1GP series folded because all the cars were the same and the quality of the drivers was quite poor. The idea of a nations cup of GP racing was doomed from the start. It was too contrived, plus the circuits it raced on were not good and the racing never caught the attention

I don't really agree with that. It folded because, above all, the public didn't care. Why? Because they already have F1. Were F1 in its current form to cease to exist, there would be room for something else.

[Osella]

And therein lies the opportunity..
If F1 only races in the far east, middle east, with the odd trips to Europe, North & South America then theres a huge opportunity right now for someone to come up with an European-based GP series.
There are plenty of potential 600hp engines ready for 2017, there are also employees from Caterham, Marussia, Williams, Red Bull et al as teams cut back on employees around in Europe with the expertise & facilities to manufacture CF cars & parts (and companies that do, for Force India, McLaren, Williams etc).

Circuit-wise there's Magny-Cours, Nurburgring, Hockenheim, Donington, Imola, Monza (possibly), Estoril, Algarve, Jerez, Valencia (Ricardo Tormo), Paul Ricard, Brands Hatch, Brno, Zandvoort, Zolder, Sachsenring.
Imagine a European-based championship, single-seaters powered by a variety of Turbo and NA engines, V6, Flat-6, V8, I4, I6, at those tracks..
F2/F3000 only flopped when it all went spec-cars & it got tied into F1's support races.

[driveace]

But after the Dwarfs remarks about Manor,and it's a disgrace they are there.Why would any new entrants think of spending millions to hear degatory remarks from the ringmaster ? Manor came out of administration to be in Australia,and get their car out in Malaysia ,and at least run .Lots of teams not sponsored by a large motor manufacturer ,put in an enormous amount of effort and money in to be in F1 ,but dont need to hear remarks like this from the Dwarf

[BDunnell]

But after the Dwarfs remarks about Manor,and it's a disgrace they are there.Why would any new entrants think of spending millions to hear degatory remarks from the ringmaster ? Manor came out of administration to be in Australia,and get their car out in Malaysia ,and at least run .Lots of teams not sponsored by a large motor manufacturer ,put in an enormous amount of effort and money in to be in F1 ,but dont need to hear remarks like this from the Dwarf

I don't see the point of Manor being there, but Ecclestone has no moral authority to make such remarks about anyone any more. Their best reaction would be to say, "If it's a disgrace we are here, it's even more of a disgrace that you aren't currently sitting in a German jail."

[AAReagles]

I don't see the point of Manor being there, but Ecclestone has no moral authority to make such remarks about anyone any more. Their best reaction would be to say, "If it's a disgrace we are here, it's even more of a disgrace that you aren't currently sitting in a German jail."

I could think of some other facilities there that he could be housed at... but then that would be wrong... maybe....

Anyways the subject has cropped-up again just recently, about an idea of altering the Italian GP between Imola & Monza, starting in 2017. Of course Monza would still be obligated to Bernie's fees, or at least I assume so with his quip; "I want Italy to stay on the calandar at all costs."

Any thoughts about the proposed switcher-roo format similar to what Silverstone & Brands Hatch had years ago?

[Rollo]

I can't imagine Ferrari being pleased about losing the Italian Grand Prix.

For that reason I hope that the Italian Grand Prix does disappear. It'd be ace to see Ferrari tell Bernie off. Ferrari would drop Bernie faster than a plate of cold sick.

Whatever happens, we'd all win.

[truefan72]

monza will never leave the calendar. if it does then Bernie would be digging his own grave.

[truefan72]

imola track is a relic imo and i'm not sad it left the calendar.
Monza is one of F1'a temples and removing it is simply not possible

then again they destroyed my all time favorite track the old hockenheim and removed my 2nd favorite suzuka for a few years (until sanity prevailed)
and left out my 3rd favorite Spa for a couple of years and it always seems to be in a precarious situation. And my 4th favorite and best tilke track Turkey, isn't even on the calendar anymore
so who knows

... I really do miss that turkey track, loved it
in fact going to go look at a some old youtube videos now
sigh

[AAReagles]

For that reason I hope that the Italian Grand Prix does disappear. It'd be ace to see Ferrari tell Bernie off. Ferrari would drop Bernie faster than a plate of cold sick.

Whatever happens, we'd all win.

Holy $hit that would be cool! Watching the first pillar of his empire starting to crumble as a result of his strung-out-on-stupid gluttony of failsafe extortions.