The cancellation of the Grand Prix of America in 2013 has opened the way for another race on the F1 calendar, and the Formula One group is now looking at the best option available. There has been much talk of a possible race in Turkey and there is some logic in the idea, but there are also a number of drawbacks, particularly in terms of logistics.
The F1 equipment was to have travelled from Montreal to New York after the Canadian GP on June 9. It will now be sent back to Europe and, as things stand, the cars will not be used again until June 30 at the British GP – a gap of three weeks. That used to be a standard feature of the calendar, but the F1 circus has become more efficient in recent years and there is no real reason why there could not be a race on June 23. This would be a problem if the race was to be in Istanbul as the race is treated as a European event, in terms of the equipment, which goes to Turkey by truck, rather than by plane. This means that it could not be back in Britain in time for the British GP on June 30. One might think that the British GP could be shoved back a week to allow for this, but this would put it on the weekend of July 7, which is not a good idea as this would be the weekend of the Wimbledon Finals and that would have a detrimental effect on the TV viewing figures, so is best avoided.
However a French GP on June 23 would be possible as a back-to-back with Britain. Thus it is worth noting that the director of the Paul Ricard circuit Stéphane Clair is being quoted in the French media as saying that there is a 90 percent chance of a French GP in 2013.
A detrimental effect on the viewing figures ? I don’t think they are bothered about that!! The Canadan GP lost nearly 3million UK viewers this year and no one seems to have noticed !! All UK viewing figures are lower this year compared to 2011, and no one has objected or seems to care.
Slight correction. We, the would be viewers in the uk , are more than somewhat miffed at not being able to see all the races, having paid our licence fee. But you are right that no one cares, viewing figures are not involved in the income of FOM.
BBC down 33.92% on 2011
Combined BBC+Sky (non-unique) down 17.89% on 2011
Joe, I think you may be correct, the only other option would be Estoril, Portugal.
Estoril?
BURMA!
There is the small matter of the Le Mans 24 Hours that is taking place that weekend but who in F1 cares about Endurance racing?
The Canadian grand prix has been on the same weekend as Le Mans fairly regularly over the last twenty years (or perhaps more), but it’s nice if they avoid a clash.
Also, I was annoyed that the British grand prix and Wimbledon final fell on the same date this year. Not very good planning at all.
Thing with the Canadian GP is that by the time the GP started, Le Mans had already been done and dusted for three hours.
It was still a bit short-sighted to run them on the same day, but that’s not awfully unusual in motorsport calendars.
Having a French GP as LM24 draws to a close…. ughhh…
Shame about New Jersey. Personally, I rather it were left at 19, but it’s not as if any influence has ever been (or ever will be) placed in my hands.
Adrian Newey cares when Mercedes ring him up in the small hours in Canada to ask if he’s any idea why there car flipped over (rumour has it…)
Webber must think Newey has a vendetta against him.
To which his rumoured (never asked him) reply was something like:
“How do I know? I’ve not done the aero work on the car that the team that designed it and and raced it have.”
I agree – no chance of a French GP on the Le Mans weekend! Particularly now the FIA has interests in the WEC.
As for Canada, that race didn’t really clash with Le Mans due to the timezones, only qualifying did.
Who is the owner of the Ricard circuit ? Who was the last promoter of the Turkish GP ? BCE in both cases ?
I don’t believe that BE owns Ricard any longer. However it is all lost in Mauritius…
Popular place that. “Would you like a blind trust with that Daquiri, Sir?” “Oh, no thank you, I shall be going to the tax treaty bar for a Double Nominee”
“On the rocks, Sir?”. “No, yet” Bernie replies.
Try “not” before “yet” above – that’ll teach me to try and be witty!
It’s okay, this week the better joke was Bunga Bunga getting 4 years .. I mean 1 year . . or was it Sky trying to make out Vijay was all cool in India?!!
I hope the internet bottom feeders and mouth breathers do come up with some choice CCTV of Bunga’s visitors, though. Days of fun to be had, writing spoof closed captions . .
I’ll say one thing for Bunga, though. By some reports he actually imagine he could enter politics (before first elected in ’94) as a agent of change. The joke several of my friends repeat is that he took to Bunga Bunga partying as a self parody, having realised he was beyond his depth. It would make a interesting alternate play of the history. I have for sure seen many people go into advertising with honourable intent, only to be ejected to rehab in short order. Anyone reading me who’s not read my mumbling before might think I am a apologist, but I have found there’s always another take on any person who is demonized by the public. Maybe it was a school experience of being thought a total pary animal when I wasn’t. I one term play acted drunk, because somehow people thought i’d forget, and trusted me more, I became temporarily a agony uncle. That got me a reputation and into heaps of trouble I didn’t start. But been when I realized it was a bad idea, the way it got interesting carried me on. Definitely I was enthused by how many more people (girls, especially, we had girls in my school, but not at the age I started, until we got to sixth form, and i had come from a co-ed, so it was double tough) I got to talk to. So I always wonder, no matter how awful guys like Berlusconi turn out, how they got started, and then captured by social perceptions, ego, and attachment to imaginary self images.
John, you are good at following the money.
Have you tried following the money trail that got Signor Bunga his wealth?
Or following the money trail on the early life of Signor Briatore?
Moving swiftly on…
A race at Paul Ricard would be a cool one-off. I don’t think it would necessarily be a bad thing for the slot to be left absent though. Absence makes the heart fonder.
A Grand Prix in France on the same weekend as Le Mans, which has already moved dates at the request of the FIA to accommodate New Jersey? I’m sure that would go down well with the ACO!
Joe, the British GP was moved a week early this year for some reason, it traditionally clashes with wimbledon finals. I certainly can’t remember it being run in June in recent years!
Any idea why?
If they could move it back to it’s more traditional weekend, then it will mean I can make it to my 25th consecutive British GP. As it is this calendar change means my carefully planned honeymoon will clash………
as long as it is not held in the wilderness again , what’s it called magny-cours?
Ehhh… Le Mans Joe?
Ricard
Aye, but after already agreed with the ACO to move Le Mans to accommodate F1, is this really necessary?
A French GP at Ricard on Le Mans weekend sounds like sticking two fingers up to the ACO just for the sake of it.
Your secret’s out, Leigh, you’ve been in the movies:
http://i.imgur.com/8ax3A.jpg
Dammit John,
I knew someone would get me in the end.
We have a nice track here in CA, Laguna Seca…:). Yes, yes, yes… the facilities are nowhere near to the flashy F1 standard, but the track is great. Would be nice to have ane non-Tilke track.
What’s the name if that song? California dreaming?
“and I’ll just keep on dreaming, dreaming is free”. Blondie – Dreaming
Nice place, but a modern F1 car might struggle on the Corkscrew. On second thoughts, it’s a great idea.
French grands prix! bring it on……………………………..
Who at Paul Ricard would step up and pay Bernie’s vig to promote the race? Or would The Bernard reduce costs for a one off to keep the schedule at 20 races?? And I also still believe in the tooth fairy!
Please be Imola, please be Imola.
Failing that bring back Brands Hatch
Could you have a spectator-less GP at Paul Ricard?
Would they?
It would certainly ease the nightmare of getting in and getting out of Brands on a busy race weekend.
The Goodwood Festival of Speed is scheduled for the 5th – 7th July. It would be a shame if no current F1 drivers were able to attend the 20th Anniversary edition. But worse things have happened…