russian gp

[botsquad]

dropping the euro gp for a russian gp seems like a strange gambit.

sounds like a bernie bluff to me.

[Bononi]

Sound likes money to Bernie !!!!

[williams fan]

It ain't gonna happen!!!!!!!

[Minardi fan]

The European GP is the obvious choice to drop. Unfortunately it's not the right choice - to get rid of the Nurburgring whilst Barcelona, Sepang and Indianapolis are still there is just... AAAAAAAAARGH!

[Total-F1]

Why not somewhere boring, like Hungary, Austria or Spain? I'd like to see Spain go off the calendar, but be designated a special test track, where the teams can do unlimited testing...perhaps teams should be banned from testing on any current circuits?!

[Minardi fan]

Why does no-one else like the A1-Ring? In my (humble) opinion it's the best F1 circuit after Spa. It's fast, with different types of corner and lots of gradient. It's a great race for spectators AND drivers. I love it.

[LucaBadoer]

Tracks to go:

Hungaroring
Circuit de Catalunya

If a track like the Nurburgring goes and the above ones stay, I will be deeply saddened.


Also, does anyone know when the Hockenheim alterations are due to be finished? - I heard they were getting rid of some of the long straights. I think it'll be done by 2002/03 but I'm not sure Please help me!

[ljakse]

Is it possible that almost all of you would rather get rid of A1, then THE MOST BORRING TRACK IN THE LATER HISTORY - monte carlo?

[RussianFriend]

Minardi fan,

I love Austria too. Hungaroring to go off...

[botsquad]

Originally posted by RussianFriend
Hungaroring to go off...

right....it's way better suited to 2-wheel racing.

but....

if bernie really wants a new non-euro gp..he should
add another site in the usa.

russia...something is bound to go way wrong with that.

[EERO]

M-fan, I like the A-1 Ring also, a lot. Though it does pale in the shadow of its predeccessor.

Hungaroring I rather like, though I am perhaps the only person on the planet to say so.

Spain needs a GP, just not at Barcelona. Keep the Nurburgring and dump Hockenheim, which is so much like Monza for the TV viewer as to seem redundant.
Besides, the rebuilt Hockenheim will be nasty, brutish and short.

[zealot]

Don't get rid of the A-1!

It's actually good to see a debate over which course should go. That means there's not one really bad one out there.

The thought of axing Monaco is an interesting one. The course has soooooo much history and color, but the races tend to be a bit boring.

As for adding a second US GP, Bernie should be forced to watch the Las Vegas and Dallas races in the early 1980 to find out how bad that can go awry. (Although a return to the Glen would be too cool!)

[Alan Jones]

Botsquad, is Road America what you were thinking? Or Laguna seca?

F1 on either of these tracks would be fantastic

I'd Like To See That!

[Bononi]

Anyone remember the layout of the russian track ? The one provided by Russian (Marina) Friend ???

[Minardi fan]

I too like the Hungaroring a lot - it doesn't provide the most exciting races but the circuit itself is a bit different.

The stand-out worst tracks on the calendar are Barcelona and Sepang - replace Barcelona with Jerez (although it's not much of a replacement) and put Moscow in place of Sepang. Indianapolis can stay until another GP turns up...

[botsquad]

Originally posted by Minardi fan
Indianapolis can stay until another GP turns up...

usgp at ims is awesome and here to stay..and
jpm will runaway with his first f1 win in 2001

but..in the interest of fairness...
the usgp west should be added to the f1 schec.

my preference...the new road circuit at fontana.

[fastracer]

Anyone remember Interlagos? I think F1 should get as far away from there as possible. If you don't believe me ask Rahal, the Minardi mechanics, or the Williams' engineers

[Minardi fan]

Originally posted by botsquad

usgp at ims is awesome

The track is dismal. Simple.

[Bononi]

Originally posted by fastracer
Anyone remember Interlagos? I think F1 should get as far away from there as possible. If you don't believe me ask Rahal, the Minardi mechanics, or the Williams' engineers

Did you ask them about what happened there ?

[f1manoz]

In my humble opinion, the whole F1 circus should be damn well redesigned so it involves more drivers circuits, a la the old Spa-Francochamps, the old Nurburgring, Mosport (although not necessarily these tracks.)

Tracks such as Hungary and Monaco are fine if you want to see follow-the-leader races while the A1-Ring, while a fine circuit, has nothing compared to the old Osterreichring. You need KAHUNAS to go round there. Todays track is a pale imitation, and more of a go-kart circuit.

Although Brazil isn't the friendliest country, at least the track is a challenge. Bumpy and quick, it's one of the last of the drivers circuits, although even that was choppped and changed.

Actually, let's have a rundown of what tracks have or will be changed from yesteryear:

- Silverstone
- Monza
- Interlagos
- Monaco (yes, even Monaco has changed to slow it down!)
- Osterrechring/A1-Ring
- Hockenheim will be changed
- Spa-Francorchamps
- Nurburgring
- Imola

That's 9 of 17. Meanwhile, France is now held at the very boring Magny-Cours (at least return the race to Paul Ricard), Sepang is new but also bland, Indianapolis is a joke and Albert Park has nothing on the Adelaide street circuit. Catalunya shouldn't be used as all the teams do their testing there so the race is always boring.

So that leaves Suzuka and Gilles Villeneuve. I don't think anything bad can be said about Suzuka, it's probably one of the few challenges left.

[fastracer]

Well Bononi, if you didn't hear, Rahal had a TV dropped on him, the Minardi's wheels were stolen, a Minardi mechanic was robbed, and some people stole some of the Williams' computers. Therefor I don't think they want to go back.

[Bononi]

[list=1][*]The wheels of Minardi were forgotten back in Malaysa (embarassing).[*]The Jaguar's computers were not stolen, they were in a container that fell between another one and the wall in the garage.[/list=1]

About Rahal and the Minardi I cannot tell you because I never heard anything about it.

[Suzy]

Hi folks

I don't know what Bernie is playing at by putting tracks like Russia, China, Bahrain and Beiruit on the calendar. Let's look at Russia: it's not the best place to hold a GP is it? It is rumoured that the majority of foreign investors are scared away by what the Central Intelligence Agency refers to as "reliance on barter transactions, widespread corruption among officials, and endemic organized crime". (Any similarity with the FIA is purely coincidental).

As for Beiruit: I don't know much about it except what I've seen on television and it doesn't seem very safe either. Apart from drivers having to dodge military shells during Qualifying, what will be the penalty for speeding in the pitlane?

If Bernie is serious about getting rid of tracks, why not remove Brazil for starters? All my friends who work in F1 (and there are loads) hate the place. Bononi has referred already to some of the problems encountered this year, but there are others such as jackets stolen from the press office, frequent food poisioning (ask Mika in 1998) and people being held at gunpoint. What about Countries that have more than one GP? What about Magny-Cours - apparently it's not a particularly exciting place either.

If Bernie does decide to remove some tracks, I hope that he replaces them with somewhere suitable!!

Best wishes

Suzy

[Red]

No, EERO, actually I'm the other one . Yo, guys, leave Hungaroring alone, will ya? It’s very nice track, small hills, nice valleys, even trees, several very interesting blind corners; although I would agree, a little reshaping (yet another one) will certainly do no harm. Not to mention that it’s my nearest circuit (less that 1000 km, but not by much).

Suzy, Bernie is “serious” about getting rid of European tracks. He (or it was Max? Yep, it was Max) actually threatened that we might see Europe (seen as a country) with a single GP plus another European GP (not necessarily in a UE country). That’s why Beirut, Dubai, China, Russia, etc.

Short term planning; both Italy and Germany (and not so long ago Spain) have 2 GP’s each. Imola and Luxemburg have to make room for new tracks, Imola/Monza and Ring/Hockenheim can alternatively host their country’s GP’s.

PS: Those negative thoughts about Monaco.... I have only two words: Blas phemy.

[Gt_R]

Interlagos is actually a very nice circuit to race on...a mixture of a long straight and another straight which allows 2 overtaking spots...plus a mixture of challenging corners that test a car's chassis and driver's precision. What lets Interlagos down as a great circuit is basically its venue(in an unsafe, run down and developing area), and the quality of the complex itself (old pit facilities, poor surface). If they can solve these problems...no easy task...they would surely deserve their place.

I agree with calls to get rid of Barcelona as a racing venue and keep it solely as a testing venue. It is technically good, but boring. Spain GP can go to better places...

Austria should stay. Yes, it lacks distinct characteristics..but it is fast and allows for plenty of overtaking and racing...plus it is sited in a beautiful layout that matches F1 glamour.

My idea for the Calander:
1) Monte Carlos (as a display of the new season's glamour)
2) France Magny Cour (updated paul ricard or dijon would be great)
3) Austria A1 (beautiful scenery and a display of new car speed)
4) Montreal Canada (island beauty, and testing of car chassis)
5) Spain Estoril
6) Spa Belgium (great racing venue again, display of power, skills)
7) Zandvoort Holland
8) Hockenheim Germany (speed and power)
9) Nurburgring Europe (chassis handling)
10)Silverstone UK (chassis handling, rich tradition)
11)Monza Italy (speed and power, rich tradition)
12)Interlagos Brazil (car challenging track)
13)Indianapolis USA (compromise of speed and grip)
14)Adelaide Australia (compromise of speed and grip, good racing)
15)Sepang Malaysia (technical track)
16)Russia (no idea)
17)Suzuka Japan (what better track to wrap up WDC than a driver's circuit?)

The track varies between the demand on car and driver...there is a variation and rotation of high speed tracks, to driver's tracks, to technical tracks to a mix of all tracks...to vary between races to keep it interesting. Of course...all the tracks (bbar Monaco( have scope for overtaking, deleting character-less AND boring tracks from spoiling the fun.