Pre-Season 2013 Season

[Mephistopheles]

Maybe they can borrow some and not bother paying it back..

 

[Brogan]

Maybe they can borrow some more and not bother paying it back..

Fixed.

 

[Brogan]

The provisional calendar has been published by the FIA.
Valencia is out, America is in.

Australia - March 17
Malaysia - March 24
China - April 14
Bahrain - April 21
Spain - May 12
Monaco - May 26
Canada - June 9
America - June 16
Britain - June 30
Germany - July 21
Hungary - July 28
Belgium - Sept 1
Italy - Sept 8
Singapore - Sept 22
Japan - Oct 6
Korea - Oct 13
India - Oct 27
Abu Dhabi - Nov 3
USA - Nov 17
Brazil - Nov 24

 

[RasputinLives]

That 'European' season is getting shorter and shorter isn't it? And I'm betting Bernie is hoping the championship ends up being decided in the US on 17th Nov ain't he? Would do well for the hype.

Overall not a massively bad calander. I'd ditch Bahrain and chuck in a race in France at the Paul Ricard slotting it in a week before GB if it was me - and prob switch the Spanish race to Jerez but other than that it all looks ok.

Presumably for 2014 Korea will be gone and the Russian race will slot in mid-July? Probably just before or after Hungary?

 

[Kamui-FastestChefInTheWorld]

Another 5 week summer break!

And they complain that the season goes on for too long...

 

[Brogan]

That 'European' season is getting shorter and shorter isn't it?

If the calendar remains as is, there will only be 7 races in Europe next season, which is the lowest number since 1969.
As a percentage of the total number of races it's just 35%.

 

[Westy]

I have no issue with the sport becoming a world wide event and move out of its more traditional European home. My issue comes with the introduction of boring and lifeless circuits.

Suzuka is outside Europe but is a fantastic track, much like Melbourne, China and Interlargos. Bahrain and Korea, however, are boring and dull in my opinion.

It shouldn't matter where they drive (don't get me wrong, I want more races in Europe) but what they drive on. I think if F1 is to continue to spread its wings and enter new countries we need to diversify the track designers so that they have a different feel. We also need to limit some of the regulations on building a new track so they are a mile wide.

 

[Bill Boddy]

If F1 is getting so international how come they fiddle around with start times to suit the European audience? Don't tell me that they had a vote in Singapore and all the locals plumped for a time when they are normally going to bed.

 

[mjo]

It seems a bit strange that there's a 3-week gap between Silverstone & Germany. Maybe a late GP announcement - France??

 

[Brogan]

Not without dropping one of the others as the limit is currently 20.

 

[Bill Boddy]

It's to give time for the tents to dry out between the races.

Edit: Blasted Brogan jumping in front of me. This was a response to mjo

 

[The Artist.....]

Brogan... Given that 3 of the races are provisional (New Jersey, Korea, Singapore), there is a very high probability that one of these will drop off the list... Then either they could be replaced with a French GP at Paul Ricard, or alternatively, and Argentinian GP (As was previously rumoured)....

 

[The Artist.....]

PS... I remember when July and August was the height of the season, and we would have the French, British, German, Hungarian and Belgian GPs in that period.... Now we have 2.....

 

[Brogan]

I agree.
As I say every year, the calendar is provisional until the first race and even then it can still change mid season.

 

[mjo]

Apparently many sponsors don't want to go to Bahrain - so that could feasibly drop off??

 

[Josh]

I hope so, I never liked that circuit.

 

[Olivier]

3 races in North America. Maybe 4 in 2014 Mexico is given a race, not bad at all.

 

[Wombcat]

The advantage of races in the america's is that they are on primetime on TV in Europe. I prefer that myself. They also get a bigger TV-audience.

 

[The Artist.....]

Wombcat .... Unless they are on sky f1- in which case the highly rated NBC broadcast can be buried at 10.00 or something!

 

[mjo]

Singapore's extended it's race deal to 2017 - so I would presume that it now doesn't have an asterisk next to it.