Europe's F1 'Renaissance'

[Azumanga Davo]

By the looks of things, it was fairly certain a few years ago that F1 in Europe would be on a drip feed whilst many Far Eastern and Middle Eastern nations competed for a spot on the calendar.

Now I read that bids from Rome and a plan of action in France is taking place as we speak. Has the tide swung the other way? Have the investors of Asia had a rethink on their plans in F1? And if they are scared, how come Europe has suddenly found the money to afford these new complexes?

[wedge]

Because people in Europe actually go to F1 races

[ArrowsFA1]

While the new races in the Far & Middle East may bring prestige and publicity initially to nations wanting such things (it's why they're willing to pay CVC's fees) it seems that wanes after a while, and with no "fanbase" to speak of there's not much left.

Chinese GP organisers said: "Formula One has only been here for five years. To build a spectator base is not easy, it's a long term operation." It's also a very costly one.

I don't know where any money would come from to finance any new European venues, but there is certainly a "fanbase".

[Cooper_S]

F1 was always predomitly a European based Championship... it is great to see F1 race around the world, but in recent times the push out of Europe (mainly due to sponsorship rules) meant it began to hold less appeal to me personally... so any move to ensure more European races is welcomed... and

I would also love to see a return to North America... Canada and two USAGP's would be great.

we can but hope...

[K-Pu]

That´s what happens (as I said before, and I quote myself in another thread):

Agree. The problem is that F1 is an enormously big business, a money machine, and this is the way business work. What I´m trying to say is that Bernie is doing what any other businessman would do in his place: try to squeeze the maximum amount of money from everywhere and also paying the minimum.

And now we get to the real problem: when a sport is such a great business (the same happens with football), it starts to behave like a business: treacherous, whimsy and money-addicted, no matter what happens with the sport itself unless it collapses.

[samuratt]

I love your sign K-pu!!!

[ioan]

So, Bernie's to escape Europe and rule the 3rd world countries didn't work! That's a good thing.

[Tazio]

F1 was always predomitly a European based Championship... it is great to see F1 race around the world, but in recent times the push out of Europe (mainly due to sponsorship rules) meant it began to hold less appeal to me personally... so any move to ensure more European races is welcomed... and

I would also love to see a return to North America... Canada and two USAGP's would be great.

we can but hope...

Spot on my man!
IMVVHO I think that in terms of the USGP
Someone ought to pitch it to Steve Wynn in Vegas.

[Shifter]

Where's the backlash from our middle eastern forum members?


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[Tazio]

Where's the backlash from our middle eastern forum members?


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You won't read about it untill after the explosion