The Formula 1 Calendar ThreadFormula 1 

  • Thread starter Jimlaad43
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MagpieRacer
still don't understand why Miami and Canada don't get grouped.
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That's Canada's decision until their current contract expires. Then I imagine it'll be a condition from F1's end that they have to.
 
The weather in May is too unpredictable in eastern Canada that's why we don't have Indy and F1 races in May:

 
WiisardNic
Swap Spain with Miami then. Didn't Spain used to be held in May?
Not sure if that will make it 'too hot' in Miami in June though.
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Miami in June won't work very well. The goal is to make sure you keep the race outside of hurricane season.
 
I heard y'all like street circuits...
www.racefans.net

Madrid to join F1 calendar in 2026, putting Catalunya's future in doubt

Formula 1 will race at a new street circuit in Madrid from 2026. The deal puts Catalunya's future as a grand prix venue in doubt.
www.racefans.net www.racefans.net

Out goes Barcelona (not too sad to see it go Tbh) but in comes another street/road hybrid track instead. At least it seems to be taking over the title of Spanish Grand Prix, and not another city named race.
 
Jimlaad43
I heard y'all like street circuits...
www.racefans.net

Madrid to join F1 calendar in 2026, putting Catalunya's future in doubt

Formula 1 will race at a new street circuit in Madrid from 2026. The deal puts Catalunya's future as a grand prix venue in doubt.
www.racefans.net www.racefans.net

Out goes Barcelona (not too sad to see it go Tbh) but in comes another street/road hybrid track instead. At least it seems to be taking over the title of Spanish Grand Prix, and not another city named race.
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At least this one has curves and stuff on it instead of being a series of mostly straight lines. Presuming it's not so narrow that passing is an impossibility around most of the track, I'm actually quite interested in this one.
 
I mean, they could have just updated Jarama to a Grade 1 track instead. But yeh, we all love a temporary street circuit! :rolleyes:
 
TheCracker
I mean, they could have just updated Jarama to a Grade 1 track instead. But yeh, we all love a temporary street circuit! :rolleyes:
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I mean, give it a chance! Maybe one of the corners on the Madrid circuit is banked!
 
Blitz24
I mean, give it a chance! Maybe one of the corners on the Madrid circuit is banked!
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TheCracker
I mean, they could have just updated Jarama to a Grade 1 track instead. But yeh, we all love a temporary street circuit! :rolleyes:
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The Zandvoort rebuild has shown that it is possible to take an FIA Grade 2 circuit and update it without completely sanitising it and removing all character. Apart from the banking, you wouldn't really notice much of a difference to the circuit as it was in the 2010s. That said, Jarama was too small for F1 in the 80's, let alone today. Spain has plenty of other Grade 1 circuits (the fact that I despise all of them is not really relevant but I don't like Jerez, Barcelona, Valencia and Barcelona) that could host a race if needed.

This is going to be another one of those circuits which calls itself a street circuit so they can get away with not enough runoff ares where needed, such as we have seen at Jeddah, Miami and Sochi plenty of times.

The 2023 calendar had 8 non-permanent circuits. 2 Proper street circuits (Monaco, Baku), 2 Proper street circuits with a permanent paddock section (Las Vegas, Singapore), 2 Parkland circuits with proper runoff (Melbourne, Montreal) and 2 of the aforementioned abominations (Jeddah, Miami). This Madrid circuit looks to be in the abomination category. Did Spain not learn anything from the failure of Valencia? That circuit was the warning to the world that wiggly straights was a terrible idea in theory and practice, but all new tracks seem to have them (Hanoi, Sochi, Jeddah, Miami).

Formula E was designed for Street Circuits, and they are continuing to run away from them after some successful races on permanent tracks during COVID. Puebla, Mexico City and Valencia may have been "Formula E'd" a bit, but they have raced on Portland properly, and this year are also going to Shanghai and Misano. The novelty wears off when the camera shots all look the same.

But we have Madrid to look forward to. I hope they learn from Vegas and go back to the old rules where an FIA Grade event has to be held on it before an F1 Race can happen to avoid the manhole moment again. Bring some support series' too. I marshalled the Las Vegas Grand Prix last year and it could have really benefitted as an (expensive as f) event to be at with at least one other series on track between the F1 sessions.
 
If it were another place, I would give the benefit of the doubt, but it is Spain and in this country we never learn.

FIA, Liberty Media and politicians are only interested in money and nothing else.
The only reason to hold the Spanish GP in Madrid is political corruption. It is repeating the same thing that happened with the Valencia GP.

Politicians assure that all investment is private, but in the end the money will magically disappear and they will have to cover the expenses with public money.

They will be able to sell the idea that the circuit is going to be great and there will be spectacular races. In case anyone is interested, Dromo has designed the circuit.

The reality is that it is going to be seeing F1 racing on a polygon. The chosen place is Ifema (Madrid facilities for congresses, fairs...).
Someone explain to me how you can make that place a good option for racing.

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Regarding Jarama is a circuit that has a place in the hearts of all Spanish petrolheads, but it is in a similar situation to Laguna Seca, an urbanization was built near the circuit many years after the circuit was already in use, and now the neighbors they complain about the noise.

I have always thought that a good place for the Spanish GP would be Motorland Aragón, but to the elitist millionaires of F1 it will seem like it is in the middle of nowhere.
 
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egl92
Regarding Jarama is a circuit that has a place in the hearts of all Spanish petrolheads, but it is in a similar situation to Laguna Seca, an urbanization was built near the circuit many years after the circuit was already in use, and now the neighbors they complain about the noise.
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I visited there about 12 years ago and looking at it on Google Maps it looks like the housing to the north has spread even further to the west since then and it's not cheap housing either. That sort of money holds plenty of sway when it comes to shutting things down due to noise polution, unfortunately, as aside from it being a narrow circuit by modern standards its well postioned for getting to and from the airport and the centre of the city.
 
Well, at least there's a specialist Covid hospital on campus should there be an outbreak during the race:

www.seattletimes.com

Without patients or staff, Madrid opens new $119M hospital

MADRID (AP) — Authorities in Spain's capital on Tuesday held a ceremony to open part of a 1,000-bed emergency hospital for COVID-19 patients that critics say is no more than a vanity project, a building with beds not ready to...
www.seattletimes.com www.seattletimes.com
 
Touring Mars
Well, at least there's a specialist Covid hospital on campus should there be an outbreak during the race:

www.seattletimes.com

Without patients or staff, Madrid opens new $119M hospital

MADRID (AP) — Authorities in Spain's capital on Tuesday held a ceremony to open part of a 1,000-bed emergency hospital for COVID-19 patients that critics say is no more than a vanity project, a building with beds not ready to...
www.seattletimes.com www.seattletimes.com
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Also doubles as a hypochondriac intake center.
 
As with most things in Spain this move is mostly to do with the political infighting between local and central government. Aside from that, street circuits are for street cars. A proper dedicated race car demands a proper dedicated race track.
 
Good street circuits exist. They are an integral part of racing and we need a few on the F1 calendar to switch it up. A calendar with no street circuits would be just as bad as the too many we have now. A proper street circuit feels like it's on the streets. Long Beach is a prime example of a race on the streets that feels like a proper street track and it's well loved for that reason.

Baku and Singapore are also proper street circuits with the bumps and road markings to make it feel alright, and this is one of the reasons that the Las Vegas circuit has also turned out to be not quite as bad as expected.

The problem is these Hybrid street tracks that don't feel like either. Madrid just seems to fall into the same category as Jeddah, Miami and Sochi as Permanent circuits in awkward places to keep them permanent.
 
Jimlaad43
Good street circuits exist. They are an integral part of racing and we need a few on the F1 calendar to switch it up. A calendar with no street circuits would be just as bad as the too many we have now. A proper street circuit feels like it's on the streets. Long Beach is a prime example of a race on the streets that feels like a proper street track and it's well loved for that reason.

Baku and Singapore are also proper street circuits with the bumps and road markings to make it feel alright, and this is one of the reasons that the Las Vegas circuit has also turned out to be not quite as bad as expected.

The problem is these Hybrid street tracks that don't feel like either. Madrid just seems to fall into the same category as Jeddah, Miami and Sochi as Permanent circuits in awkward places to keep them permanent.
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Jeddah has at least shown it can offer an exciting race, likewise Las Vegas and despite it's rocky start to life, the Valencia street circuit came good in its last year.

If done well, they can succeed, Miami and Sochi as you mentioned, are examples of it being done badly.
 
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Chicago is seemingly now a possibility.



I would say the prospect intrigues me considering Chicago isn't that far from me, but the fact the tickets would be ridiculous instantly kills any real interest.
 
Northstar
Chicago is seemingly now a possibility.



I would say the prospect intrigues me considering Chicago isn't that far from me, but the fact the tickets would be ridiculous instantly kills any real interest.
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My guess is this would be a hedge if COTA doesn't renew.
 
They surely still hunting after a New York GP in the background (especially after their new Vegas model seems to work) and there is probably still space for one on the westcoast in Cali/LA region. Guess they would prefer these both instead of Cota.
 

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