A 20 race european season would be fantastic. I'm all for getting new countries interested, but they don't really seem to be. China, Turkey and Korea all really seem to have failed.
So... Britain Spain Italy Germany... Are all safe in a way, so France must be on the agenda for the 5th and final.
Glad I was able to see a F1 race in Belgium at least once in my life, I would really REALLY, reccomend going there while you still have the chance as the crowd is brilliant and by far the most open and everyone is happy.
Hmm, I think it's likely we'll see more alternation. Belgium and France are already supposed to be alternating from 2013, then Monaco, Italy, Germany to get a race each year, and Britain will probably end up alternating with Spain. Hungary will probably be gone altogether, which is a shame as unlike most people I like the circuit.
That's disgraceful. I love Spa and Hungary shouldn't alternate or go. Scrap Turkey, Valencia. And then decide between China and Malaysia which one should go. France should be on the calender as well. Bernie should go!
I do remember Bernie bringing up that Monaco doesn't generate him enough money so would consider either squeezing more money, or just all out dumping it and giving the chance for a bigger grid for the future.
Spa won't stay, trust me on that as the town next door to the circuit hate F1 being there and refuse to support it. I also found there were more English, Finnish and German people at Spa then Belgiums by about 3 to 1.
Aren't we getting a bit ahead of ourselves here? I mean, should we really believe anything Bernie says? I wrote earlier that I think there's an element of provocation in that line about Europe being finished. Bernie probably would like to dump most of the European races but can he? Silverstone, for example, has a very long contract. Spa, sadly, is looking very vulnerable though. Monaco may not make him as much money as he likes but it's such a fabulous junket for the rich and famous that I can't see him dropping it. I think Bernie will try to squeeze out European races but I seriously doubt he'll get it down to five in his lifetime.
This. They might not pay him a huge amount, but I bet he makes all kinds of contacts and clinches loads of deals there.
Its all well and good taking the sport to new markets, but if you neglect your actual market then you'll soon loose money, and as we all know money is the most important thing in F1... or is it the fans? Money or fans, one of those two.
Why do business in countries with robust legal systems, when countries who give out the equivalent of diplomatic immunity willy nilly are paying several times as much to host races?
Thank god for football. If i had to cope with Bernie's stupid, money grabbing schemes non-stop, i'd go crazy. F1 is a largely european sport, he can't just scrap euro races for the benefit of his bank account. With the noble exception of Japan and Brazil, foreign audiences don't normally get too enthused in the sport. Thats what us european types are for.