The Formula 1 calendar development threadFormula 1 

prisonermonkeys
No, but it does mean that people stayed away.
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The major losses seem to be from concession sales - there weren't significantly fewer people at the race itself. That said there were presumably significantly fewer for the Friday/Saturday sessions, but the race itself was surprisingly well-attended.
 
prisonermonkeys
Their argument is that they had the financial issues because of the storm, not the other way around
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Their argument will be to blame anything at all that doesn't mean them admitting they have done anything wrong themselves. The WEC people are very unhappy with them over how they do things.
 
The Only Real Journalist In Formula One (And If You Don't Believe It, You're A Wanker) has more on the story of Formula One returning to Argentina. Apparently the idea has been kicked around for a while, and it's coming from one of the candidates in the upcoming presidential election. Should he win, it would be considerably easier to get the money and a deal in place.
 
Does Argentina have a F1 ready track? If not, who is going to pay for it, seeing that their economy has been in shambles for many years.
 
Dennisch
Does Argentina have a F1 ready track? If not, who is going to pay for it, seeing that their economy has been in shambles for many years.
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There's apparently enough private investment to make it feasible. I imagine that it might take the form of a street circuit - TC2000 has been doing it for a few years now, and it has been well-received and attended.

There were also plans for a street circuit in Mar del Plata a few years ago, the last serious attempt at reviving the race.
 
prisonermonkeys
I doubt it. Europe will eventually get saturated, even with cuts to sanctioning fees (which would be negligible, seeing as how nearly half of it goes to the teams to cover operating costs). France and Portugal are really the only countries missing a race, but the old Singapore-Malaysia argument applies: when you have a lot of races in close geographic proximity, you're servicing the same population. Even if you drive ticket prices down to make it more affordable, eventually you reach a point of diminishing returns where you can't draw any more audiences. For example, I would love to go to the Australian Grand Prix, but in order to do so, I would need to take the following Monday off work to get home. If a New Zealand Grand Prix were to be started, I'm in the same predicament. Both might be affordable and accessible, but I can only go to one.
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If you start from Spa, in a day's drive you can get to Silverstone, Hockenheim, Nurburgring, Monza, Red Bull Ring and at a stretch, Budapest, Barcelona and Monaco. I don't think Europe is going to get more saturated. Estoril-Barcelona is still further than Spa-Silverstone.
 
Barra333
If you start from Spa, in a day's drive you can get to Silverstone, Hockenheim, Nurburgring, Monza, Red Bull Ring and at a stretch, Budapest, Barcelona and Monaco. I don't think Europe is going to get more saturated. Estoril-Barcelona is still further than Spa-Silverstone.
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That's the point that I'm trying to make. Everyone gets carried away with the idea of heritage races, but there's really nowhere to go outside northern Europe.
 
There was an idea floating around at the time of Mar Del Plata for a track in Zarate, which didn't seem to gain any traction:

F1-ARGENTINA-Tecnne.jpg
 
im all for F1 returning to Argentina, but only if it's done by a completely private effort. I would be 100% opposed if any government funding was required, because as has been mentioned, life in Argentina hasnt been too peachy for many people lately. There are more important things to spend tax payers money on than a new F1 track.

Furthermore, if they return to F1, I would prefer to see them use a street circuit. Normally I would be on the side wanting to see a new track built...but not in Argentina, I can't support that. Especially a grade 1 FIA approved Tilkedrom. To me it would be like a World Cup Stadium in Brazil. Other than F1 and possibly WTCC (which alreadynhas a home in Argentina), I can't see any other major series (TCR maybe??) going to Argentina, and I don't think there is enough of a local/national level race community to support a multi billion dollar grade 1 facility. I have a feeling it would sit empty for most of the year.

F1, WTCC, TCR, Formula Truck, MotoGP, WSB, and Stock Cars...that's the max I could imagine using a grade 1 track in Argentina. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe it could be viable, I just don't really see it.
 
Maybe F1 standards for a track are just too high and should be reconsidered. Maybe that can give existing tracks the chance to host an F1 race without going bankrupt on changing the track and the surroundings.
 
Mar del Plata was a weird one, if only because of the pier, which was really narrow and seemed like it would be impossible to include such a tight hairpin.
 
prisonermonkeys
Mar del Plata was a weird one, if only because of the pier, which was really narrow and seemed like it would be impossible to include such a tight hairpin.
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That was what I thought too, but Maps shows that it isn't narrow at all.

Screenshot_2015-11-05-12-22-04.png
 
prisonermonkeys
Mar del Plata was a weird one, if only because of the pier, which was really narrow and seemed like it would be impossible to include such a tight hairpin.
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I thought that too until @Dennisch's correction. If they can get around Monaco they'll get around that... the difference is the speed they'd potentially be travelling at in a straight line while facing the sea, I'm sure they'd have to be slowed down somewhat.
 
I still cannot understand why they don't do one in Macau, it has the pedigree and totally can be brought up to standard. Especially as now F1 cars are slower than they were during the 90's and 00's.
 
Robin.
I still cannot understand why they don't do one in Macau, it has the pedigree and totally can be brought up to standard. Especially as now F1 cars are slower than they were during the 90's and 00's.
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Around 10% slower on a racing lap... that's slower but far from slow...

Some quick back-of-a-fag-packet reckoning says that (using like-for-like F3 vs F1 times on shared circuits) that an F1 time over the 3.8 miles of Macau would be around 1:50.xxx, that's about 125 mph. That would be epic to watch for sure :D
 
DK
I think the big problem with Macau is this:
15312.jpg
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Yes that has often been sighted as an issue. Monaco is just as tight but with a larger radius which leads me to my point below.

ukfan758
They could move the armco back to the 20 sign and then move the marshal post further back.
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In addition to doing that they could also easily widen the entire radius of the bend. Just out of shot below is a junction to another road which could reconfigured to give extra room. Making changes to the bend would be as easy as any normal roadwork's and totally do able if its an issue.

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Blitz24
How different are the safety procedures between Macau and Monaco?
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I feel Macau is much safer than Monaco because most of the track in on wide multi lane roads around the Reservoir. The only worrying bit is the windy bit on the hill but again it's no more dangerous than Monaco. If they replace or add Tecpro to the Armco's it will be quite safe. Plus there any plenty of places to position cranes.

Bottom line really is that if F3 can get around OK so can F1. It just needs people willing to back it.
 
Robin.
Yes that has often been sighted as an issue. Monaco is just as tight but with a larger radius which leads me to my point below.



In addition to doing that they could also easily widen the entire radius of the bend. Just out of shot below is a junction to another road which could reconfigured to give extra room. Making changes to the bend would be as easy as any normal roadwork's and totally do able if its an issue.

View attachment 475408



I feel Macau is much safer than Monaco because most of the track in on wide multi lane roads around the Reservoir. The only worrying bit is the windy bit on the hill but again it's no more dangerous than Monaco. If they replace or add Tecpro to the Armco's it will be quite safe. Plus there any plenty of places to position cranes.

Bottom line really is that if F3 can get around OK so can F1. It just needs people willing to back it.
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Aren't there a couple very high speed kinks on the lower portion of the track? They would be scary fast in an F1 car....with no runoff, that very un-FIA.

I guess technically Sochi has a high speed kink on the front straight, but is it as gnarly as Macau?
 
twitcher
Aren't there a couple very high speed kinks on the lower portion of the track? They would be scary fast in an F1 car....with no runoff, that very un-FIA.

I guess technically Sochi has a high speed kink on the front straight, but is it as gnarly as Macau?
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Yes the first corner is the only dicey one. The rest of the corners are either at much lower speeds or have a very wide road surface.

Here is a 2003 Jordan going round the track qualifying speed...and those cars were monsters!



Oh and check out the pits! :sly:
 
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