Can the calendar handle twenty-two races?

[prisonermonkeys]

I did not see this coming. I knew Bernie Ecclestone has been working to get a race up and running in Russia since about 1982, but nothing has ever stuck. Proposals like the Nagatino Island Project always seemed to be hyped up but fizz out before their time. But now it seems the Russians are actually building an F1-standard circuit penned by Hermann Tilke:

Moscow to start construction work this week
30 September 2008
Work to build a brand-new Formula 1 track near the city of Moscow will start on Wednesday. According to the Russian media the track 'Moscow Raceway', which is situated about 80 miles from Moscow, should be finalised in 2010.
German architect Hermann Tilke designed the track that will be build in a little town called Volokolamsk. Hans Geist, former manager of the A1-Ring in Austria and the Bahrain International Circuit, will lead the project in Russia.

The Moscow Raceway will be able to host both Formula 1 and MotoGP races.

Linky

It's getting awfully crowded on the calendar. We'll be on 19 races next year with Abu Dhabi's arrival, and with races in South Korea planned for 2010 and India bumped back this past weekened to 2011, we're on 21, so a Russian Grand Prix would raise that number to 22. Can the clendar really take that many rounds? I'm all for as much racing action as possible, but maybe something has to get the chop. Personally, I'd wait and see whether Valencia or Catalunya produces the more interesting race, and then axe the other one. And while the Hungaroring might produce procssional racing, it also has the habit of giving us the most unexpected outcome, with five different winners in the past five years, two of them who were first-time winners, so I'd keep it ...

 

[Ardius]

I wouldn't mind seeing Magny-Cours disappear forever...unfortunately Mr.E can't stop signing contracts for it.

Isn't there a rumour for the US GP to return too? 23, eh? lol.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Circuit Gilles Villeneuve be taken off, seeing as it has such terrible track quality.

Perhaps we will just see more alternating tracks, maybe Valencia will just alternate with Catalunya?

 

[GT4 genius]

I wouldn't mind seeing Magny-Cours disappear forever...unfortunately Mr.E can't stop signing contracts for it.

Isn't there a rumour for the US GP to return too? 23, eh? lol.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Circuit Gilles Villeneuve be taken off, seeing as it has such terrible track quality.

Perhaps we will just see more alternating tracks, maybe Valencia will just alternate with Catalunya?

Yeah, isnt there a rumor about a Las Vegas track? And although I do like Montreal the organizers dont deserve the race because of the quality of the track. As for the point on alternating tracks, I think that is the only way forward, for example Catalunya is a better race then Valencia, but it would be very harsh if Mr.E dropped Valencia after only a few years. Leaving the area with very few events to justify the amount spent on the build.
As for Magny Cours, IMO the worst track on the calender for racing. I doubt it will survive if/once this new Paris track is built. Or is that idea shelved aswell. (In the current economic climate I cant see many countries spending 100s of millions on tracks other then the ones that have been mentioned, I'd even say the US will forget about the LV track until after this turmoil, if it ever ends that is! )

 

[Ardius]

Yeah, isnt there a rumor about a Las Vegas track? And although I do like Montreal the organizers dont deserve the race because of the quality of the track. As for the point on alternating tracks, I think that is the only way forward, for example Catalunya is a better race then Valencia, but it would be very harsh if Mr.E dropped Valencia after only a few years. Leaving the area with very few events to justify the amount spent on the build.
As for Magny Cours, IMO the worst track on the calender for racing. I doubt it will survive if/once this new Paris track is built. Or is that idea shelved aswell. (In the current economic climate I cant see many countries spending 100s of millions on tracks other then the ones that have been mentioned, I'd even say the US will forget about the LV track until after this turmoil, if it ever ends that is! )

Yuck, as long as its not the same as the last Las Vegas track....you know, I think F1 in America should just be given up on, its barely appreciated and the tracks have never been particularly great, except for maybe Long Beach.

 

[Lee]

you know, I think F1 in America should just be given up on, its barely appreciated and the tracks have never been particularly great, except for maybe Long Beach.

(American forum, start running bud, nice knowing ya.)

 

[peterjford]

As for Magny Cours, IMO the worst track on the calender for racing. I doubt it will survive if/once this new Paris track is built. Or is that idea shelved aswell. (In the current economic climate I cant see many countries spending 100s of millions on tracks other then the ones that have been mentioned, I'd even say the US will forget about the LV track until after this turmoil, if it ever ends that is! )

Vegas still probably has the money, just don't know if this would be the best "investment" for it. There will be a US Grand Prix because the manufacturers want one. They all sell here (Renault through Nissan) and want to showcase their cars. This will even be more important in the future if hybrid vehicles continue to sell well here and KERS works for F1. Race on Sunday, Sell on Monday.

@Bee: I always thought of this as a worldwide forum with equal parts English speaking Europeans, Americans, and English speaking others (sorry to the 'others', couldn't think of a better was to express that).

 

[Ardius]

(American forum, start running bud, nice knowing ya.)

These Colours Don't Run

Indianapolis was pretty dull. The road circuits were alright but had poor facilities. Las Vegas was a bit odd, and didn't exactly work. Watkins Glen was good, but I think its too short for F1 today. Long Beach was great too, but I don't know how likely that is ever again. Sebring might be an option?

The tracks are there alright, some better than others. But the popularity is not, and we don't have any US-presence in the sport to start off with anyway at the moment (unless I'm forgetting someone). At least, we don't have any US drivers or teams.

If the US GP does indeed return, it will no doubt be Indianapolis again just because they seem to be the only ones with the money and the desire. A shame really, as bad as some of the US street circuits were, it would be nice to return to some or go to a new one. Just as long as its not Las Vegas.

 

[nissan tuner]

I wonder if Mid Ohio would work...

 

[Bleached]

Sebring might be an option?

No way F1 would come to Sebring. Track and facilities quality is one of the worst of the major American road courses.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Isn't there a road course being built (or already built?) in Alabama with the intention of getting the USGP among other series?

EDIT: Alabama Motorsports Park. I'm fairly sure I read somewhere that they'd make it to FIA spec, hoping to get the USGP.

 

[zoxxy]

I just hope Tilke won't make another Bahrain track. Flat and boring.

 

[Sureboss]

I quite like Bahrain...

 

[Tired Tyres]

Tilke is the single worst thing ever to happen to F1.

Road America would be a great track for Formula 1 but it will never happen sadly.

 

[Mt. Lynx]

I think we can expect alternation between tracks, like Valencia/Catalunya, Hockenheim/Nürburgring, Monza/Imola and Fuji/Suzuka.
I also heard that teams are in talks with Mr. E about a summervacation, IE a four-week leave in June/July or so.
So 22 venues? Nope, ain´t gonna happen! There isn´t wnough time in a year for that, if the teams are gonna have a vacation aswell!

 

[Ardius]

I think we can expect alternation between tracks, like Valencia/Catalunya, Hockenheim/Nürburgring, Monza/Imola and Fuji/Suzuka.
I also heard that teams are in talks with Mr. E about a summervacation, IE a four-week leave in June/July or so.
So 22 venues? Nope, ain´t gonna happen! There isn´t wnough time in a year for that, if the teams are gonna have a vacation aswell!

Unless they start moving some of the Grand Prix' closer together, a week apart, like Belgium and Italy was this year.

 

[Alex.]

Tilke is the single worst thing ever to happen to F1.

Road America would be a great track for Formula 1 but it will never happen sadly.

I'd say #2 after Ecclestone not retiring 5 years ago

 

[Sureboss]

I think we can expect alternation between tracks, like Valencia/Catalunya, Hockenheim/Nürburgring, Monza/Imola and Fuji/Suzuka.
I also heard that teams are in talks with Mr. E about a summervacation, IE a four-week leave in June/July or so.
So 22 venues? Nope, ain´t gonna happen! There isn´t wnough time in a year for that, if the teams are gonna have a vacation aswell!

That's why they sometimes have 3-week breaks between races and the 4 month break between end of season and start of next.

 

[Muzaffar]

Okay, so this is like the how manieth time did Hermann Tilke design a track for F1? We really need someone else to design a track other than him...... Hopefully it would not be that bad. Might as well be Istanbul Park kind of boring instead of Fuji Speedway kind of boring.....

I wouldn't mind seeing Magny-Cours disappear forever...unfortunately Mr.E can't stop signing contracts for it.

Isn't there a rumour for the US GP to return too? 23, eh? lol.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Circuit Gilles Villeneuve be taken off, seeing as it has such terrible track quality.

Perhaps we will just see more alternating tracks, maybe Valencia will just alternate with Catalunya?

Well maybe they could split the schedule even more than that. Maybe do an alternating rounds in North America between Canada and the USA, or like a European round, which alternates between countries which has hosted only 1 race (like France, Belgium, Hungary, etc.) and might as well do an South East Asia round which alternates between Malaysia and Singapore.

Also, about the USGP, they could host at Detroit (which is very unlikely) or even at Daytona, which doesn't seem so bad for hosting F1 races..... 👍

 

[Robin]

I personally would like more of the new ones in interesting countries as aposed to the old ones... like more street circuits (although valencia was really boring).

I do really think the calendar can handle it. If you think about it the 09 F1 cars are going to be less advanced so maybe less dev time will be needed during the winter break, so they shorten that time period which allows for more races late into the year.

Robin

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

They should do a night-race at Indianapolis.

 

[Sureboss]

That'd make it an early morning race for the Europeans, wouldn't it?

Not going to happen.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I personally would like more of the new ones in interesting countries as aposed to the old ones... like more street circuits (although valencia was really boring).

While that race was boring, I don't think you can judge it on just one event. If future races at Valencia are of similar calibre, then yes, it's a case of throwing ood money after bad.

 

[PeterJB]

I just hope Tilke won't make another Bahrain track. Flat and boring.

Since it's being designed by the man who designed Bahrain and A1-Ring then it'll probably be some kind of boring 'U' shape.

 

[Sureboss]

It'll probably be one of those tracks where it just goes in a weird shape, round and round and round....

 

[prisonermonkeys]

If you believe Wikipedia, there will be 30 races in 2011. I have no idea where these people are getting their info; I haven't heard anything about Grand Prix in the Czech Republic, Portugal, Qatar, South Africa, Romania or a return to Austria or San Marino ...

 

[Tobias123]

There isn't even a slight chance of there being 30 races in 2011. Drivers themselves have been saying that 20 should be about the peak, 30 would just be insane.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

There isn't even a slight chance of there being 30 races in 2011. Drivers themselves have been saying that 20 should be about the peak, 30 would just be insane.

I know. There hasn't even been anything to indicate that the circus will visit a few of those places, but the idiots over at Wiki insist on adding them.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Pardon the double-post, but if you follow this link, you can see what the Moscow Raceway will look like. The website might be in Cyrillic, but you can see a graphic under the heading that shows a fairly basic image of it. Be careful, though, as following the link sems to cause my browser to freeze for whatever reason ...

EDIT: Website seems to have been taken down, which is probably a good thing ... so I've found a better place to go, which has an actual plan: this one. Also found a video someone made showing an animation of the circuit, but with footage from other races spliced in on the Russian version of YouTube, RuTube.

 

[Muzaffar]

The track looks quite good running anti clockwise. But that long straight just before the last corner looks pretty damn long I got to say, could be easily be 1.5km for all I know.....

 

[prisonermonkeys]

The track looks quite good running anti clockwise. But that long straight just before the last corner looks pretty damn long I got to say, could be easily be 1.5km for all I know.....

I think that's the idea, but I think the corners that immediately precede it are going to determine how fast the drivers take it. And with the 2009 regulations designed to promote overtaking and legally-adjustable front wings that can given the drivers more or less downforce, it could certainly make for some interesting racing ... assuming the changes stay and the circuit makes the 2010 calendar. After all, Russia is notorious for having projects like Nagatino Island ready to go and then stalling and being put down before the week it out.