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Post by schumi on Feb 11, 2008 21:20:28 GMT
So, news is that Bernie wants to get Russia on the calendar for 2010. With the constant rumblings about Silverstone, and their contract due to expire in 2009, and the Aussies saying they're not going to give in to Bernie's demands of a night race, they're the obvious choices to be dropped to make way for this new venture, if it happens.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2008 21:50:26 GMT
What are the latest plans for Silverstone? They keep saying they're going to improve the place but it never looks any different. No British GP is unthinkable but that might be the shock needed to make the BRDC or whoever take some action.
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Post by schumi on Feb 11, 2008 21:56:02 GMT
The PlanThe pit wall should have been finished last month. Whether it was or not I'm not sure.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2008 22:14:25 GMT
"The British Grand Prix’s future is in jeopardy unless the circuit owners, the BRDC, can find around £25 million to finance a master-plan to revamp the track. "
Have the BRDC got that sort of money because they will not get a pot to p*ss in off this government.
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Post by Genghis on Feb 11, 2008 23:09:00 GMT
So, news is that Bernie wants to get Russia on the calendar for 2010. With the constant rumblings about Silverstone, and their contract due to expire in 2009, and the Aussies saying they're not going to give in to Bernie's demands of a night race, they're the obvious choices to be dropped to make way for this new venture, if it happens. Ecclestone is well past his sell-by date. While a Russian race may make a quick buck or two, how would dropping such prestigious races as those in Britain and Australia help F1. It's time about the Ferrari-biased dwarf was put out to pasture. |
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Post by schumi on Mar 4, 2008 20:04:19 GMT
From www.planetf1.comThe British Racing Drivers' Club has revealed its plans to redevelop the pit and paddock complex at Silverstone. With F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone threatening to axe the British Grand Prix unless facilities are improved, the plans are seen as vital to the circuit's future. Under the proposals the complex would be moved from its current location between Woodcote and Copse to a new location between Club and Abbey. Included in the complex are new garages, a race control building, media centre, hospitality and VIP spectator zones and a primary paddock. The proposals also involve creating a new pit straight, with reorganised entry and exit points, a reconfiguration of Club Corner and a new Abbey section. The development will act as a catalyst for further investment across the site. A 10-year plan is due to see a new manufacturer test centre, business park, extreme sport and leisure complex, two hotels, a new university campus, a 'Welcome Centre' and some new homes near the circuit. Damon Hill, president of the BRDC said: "Silverstone is a great track with a great history. These images are the vision of the future for Silverstone, and one we fervently hope will be realised, in order to provide a venue where all forms of motor sport can be celebrated in style, for the benefit of the competitor and spectator alike. "This new facility, and the redevelopment at large, will help attract more business to Northamptonshire and create more jobs for local communities. "The British Grand Prix alone contributes over £30 million a year to the local area and it is vital that we do everything we can to maintain this income as well as the UK's world-class expertise in high-tech engineering and R&D. "Also, it should go without saying by now, that in order to retain the British Grand Prix we need a venue of this kind of stature, and the Grand Prix is a key element in the whole project." The plans due to be discussed at a South Northamptonshire Council meeting later this month with a full planning application due to be submitted soon. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2008 21:11:20 GMT
No British GP is unthinkable but that might be the shock needed to make the BRDC or whoever take some action. The BRDC should call his bluff and tell him to get stuffed. Whilst Silverstone isn't the best circuit from the spectator point of view, how on earth Interlagos or the Hungaroring can be considered better is anyone's guess. And as for when Indianapolis was on the calendar, well...  I've also been to Melbourne and Montreal, and I can't see how their set-ups are that great either, but I guess they're willing to cough-up the readies to keep Ecclestone and his chums in clover. It's obviously more of a clash of personalities with the BRDC than the actual facilities at Silverstone. |
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Post by schumi on Mar 4, 2008 21:29:54 GMT
You're right - Bernie's been looking for an excuse to get rid of Silverstone for a long time, but the BRDC won't give up, and seem to have appeased him for now. But with the contract almost up, and Bernie's flamboyant ideas for new tracks, they had to be seen to be doing something if they wanted to keep the British GP on the calendar.
I know the problems they encountered with the rain were bad, but the track itself is fine. Compare that to Monaco, which has the shortest, narrowest (and most dangerous) pit lane of all, and Bahrain the dust bowl, and we're not so bad after all. But they attract all the money whilst we seem comparable to a bad day at Glastonbury - it all boils down to what Bernie makes from the GPs, and we just don't pay enough.
To be honest, I'm not that fussed by the British GP. I've never really had the inclination to go there, whereas other races are much more attractive.
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Post by marron on Mar 4, 2008 22:53:32 GMT
Whilst i like watching it on TV i don't see the point in going to a race, you see cars whizzing past you at 100+ mph and thats it. You can't tell who is where in the race just from watching the track.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2008 6:45:06 GMT
Whilst i like watching it on TV i don't see the point in going to a race, you see cars whizzing past you at 100+ mph and thats it. You can't tell who is where in the race just from watching the track. And the noise is totally deafening . Yup for the price they charge , seeing coloured blurs zooming noisily bye at warp 2 isn't really value . |
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Post by Genghis on Mar 5, 2008 12:32:30 GMT
Whilst i like watching it on TV i don't see the point in going to a race, you see cars whizzing past you at 100+ mph and thats it. You can't tell who is where in the race just from watching the track. And the noise is totally deafening . Yup for the price they charge , seeing coloured blurs zooming noisily bye at warp 2 isn't really value . It just shows that is possible with a bit of marketing. F1 is crap to watch live, yet it's very well attended throughout the globe. When I was younger, I used to work at the British GP, helping out with the hospitality. We were normally finished by the time the race was on and got to watch it. The best place for viewing was on the inside at Stowe, but even there it was pretty crap. You can see so much more watching on the TV. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2008 16:25:31 GMT
The best place for viewing was on the inside at Stowe, but even there it was pretty crap. I remember standing on Hangar Straight in the turbo days, and the cars were going so quickly you couldn't even read the numbers on the side.  |
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Post by Genghis on Mar 5, 2008 18:09:44 GMT
The best place for viewing was on the inside at Stowe, but even there it was pretty crap. I remember standing on Hangar Straight in the turbo days, and the cars were going so quickly you couldn't even read the numbers on the side. Because we were working (or rather had been) we were allowed to get the water tanker (don't worry, I wasn't driving) further down than the spectators. But even then it wasn't a great view. |
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Post by schumi on Mar 5, 2008 20:12:45 GMT
"The British Grand Prix’s future is in jeopardy unless the circuit owners, the BRDC, can find around £25 million to finance a master-plan to revamp the track. " Have the BRDC got that sort of money because they will not get a pot to p*ss in off this government. Apparently the British GP contributes over £30 million a year to the local area, so the more pertinent question is can they afford not to? |
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Post by schumi on Mar 11, 2008 15:14:33 GMT
Lost the plot, or a stroke of genius? news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7282861.stmA radical idea to improve the spectacle of Formula One and make overtaking easier has been proposed by Williams team co-owner Patrick Head.
The veteran says races can be boring and wants the fastest cars to start at the back and the slowest at the front.
"I would like to see the grids in reverse order of championship position," Head told BBC Sport.
"It's the same for everybody, and over a whole season the right guy would still win the championship." Can't see it happen for the very fact that Bernie would lose a fortune in revenue if qualifying was dropped. Other madcap ideas include no refuelling for the whole race, and the following one, which has been introduced for 2009: These include introducing a "boost" button to provide a brief burst of extra power and changes to the aerodynamics to make it easier for one car to follow another closely. Okay, so it might work in A1, but they all have the same cars, and not a few that already have enough avantage over the others. Now someone please tell me it's not the 1st April already? |
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