Has Bernie raised everyone's hopes with this statment from the BBC F1 Website or will the fact that it's the GP of Europe mean the two countries rule doesn't count? We live in hope......
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Could this mean the end for Valencia?
- Thread starter cider_and_toast
- Start date
One could certainly dream that the end is near for either Valencia or Catalunya, but I don't think the "Two-Race rule" is set in stone. If the price is right, you bet your ass that Bernard Ecclestone will find a way to justify allowing one country to continue to hold two Grands Prix.
But to make room for some of the races coming on line in the years ahead, others will have to go, as I'm not sure the teams will agree to more than 20 races in a season. Hopefully this will lead to at least a rotation that includes one of the Spanish rounds.
But to make room for some of the races coming on line in the years ahead, others will have to go, as I'm not sure the teams will agree to more than 20 races in a season. Hopefully this will lead to at least a rotation that includes one of the Spanish rounds.
LifeW12
Podium Finisher
I would rather see Barcelona be removed. Of the 20 races that the circuit has held, only one has been won by a driver starting off the front row (1996, Schumacher, 3rd). The pole sitter has won every year since 2001 and the circuit hardly produces any overtaking (only 2 double figure races since 2000). Not exactly the unpredictibility that F1 can produce at many other circuits.
Valencia can be changed in some places and there could be some passes there.
F1 really hasn't had a really great Spanish circuit since Montjuich Park.
Valencia can be changed in some places and there could be some passes there.
F1 really hasn't had a really great Spanish circuit since Montjuich Park.
I agree completely with LifeW12. Bring back Montjuich Park. Both of the current Spanish circuits are eminently forgettable. As I have stated before, IMHO it is a travesty for Spain to host two races while France, arguably the birthplace of Grand Prix racing, is devoid of a place on the calendar.
I agree, siffert_fan, except for the word "arguably". France is the birthplace of Grand Prix racing.
TBY
That was a slip of the keyboard. In my haste to go somewhere, I didn't proofread. I meant to type "unarguably". Unfortunately, the history of the sport means nothing to BE. To him, and many others, it is all about MONEY.
That was a slip of the keyboard. In my haste to go somewhere, I didn't proofread. I meant to type "unarguably". Unfortunately, the history of the sport means nothing to BE. To him, and many others, it is all about MONEY.
It is bonkers that a 'street' circuit was built in Valencia when there was a perfectly serviceable dock in Marseilles!
In talking about the end of Valencia, of course, it is remiss of us to ignore that the Circuit de Catalunya is equally boring as LifeW12 says, especially since the final corner has been so needlessly neutered.
I noticed when playing the VSC on F1 2010 that the scenery is not actually bad around the place, but the camera angles we see on the World Feed are atrocious. All you see is blue wall, blue wall, bridge, blue wall, Red Bull vaulting Lotus, blue wall...
Not that Magny-Cours was a thriller of a circuit, but to prefer to tie down Spanish tracks to long-term contracts is bewildering. If Fernando Alonso is injured somehow or is forced to or decides to retire, the fans would leave unless Alguersuari really improves...
In talking about the end of Valencia, of course, it is remiss of us to ignore that the Circuit de Catalunya is equally boring as LifeW12 says, especially since the final corner has been so needlessly neutered.
I noticed when playing the VSC on F1 2010 that the scenery is not actually bad around the place, but the camera angles we see on the World Feed are atrocious. All you see is blue wall, blue wall, bridge, blue wall, Red Bull vaulting Lotus, blue wall...
Not that Magny-Cours was a thriller of a circuit, but to prefer to tie down Spanish tracks to long-term contracts is bewildering. If Fernando Alonso is injured somehow or is forced to or decides to retire, the fans would leave unless Alguersuari really improves...
Andrea_Moda_Rules
Podium Finisher
It very wel could be the end for Valencia, Joe saward wrote about in his blog a couple of months back.
Rumours about the gov there not being happy about the money being spent on it.
Blog
Would Not* miss Valenica at all tobe honset, cannot stand the place and cannot think of one good thing to say about it.
Don't understand what the problem is with having 2+ GPs in one country though, the MotoGp had FOUR races in spain this season, two in italy and America as well. and i don't think it detracted from the spectacle. Obivously the amount of spanish riders help there. but if the tracks good enough why not?
+1 for french GP though. got to be a must have just has long as bernie didn't use it as an excuse for another street circuit if he did.
*corrected stupid error
Rumours about the gov there not being happy about the money being spent on it.
Blog
Would Not* miss Valenica at all tobe honset, cannot stand the place and cannot think of one good thing to say about it.
Don't understand what the problem is with having 2+ GPs in one country though, the MotoGp had FOUR races in spain this season, two in italy and America as well. and i don't think it detracted from the spectacle. Obivously the amount of spanish riders help there. but if the tracks good enough why not?
+1 for french GP though. got to be a must have just has long as bernie didn't use it as an excuse for another street circuit if he did.
*corrected stupid error
LifeW12
Podium Finisher
Off Topic 
MotoGP doesn't need to go to Misano since its a pretty ordinary track and after what happened to Shoya Tomizawa and four Spanish races is just crazy
and the USA only needs Laguna
Valencia could be made into a nice track if it the kerbs are removed and apexes being walls, like a classic street circuit. The layout would also be significantly more interesting if it were reversed.
MotoGP doesn't need to go to Misano since its a pretty ordinary track and after what happened to Shoya Tomizawa and four Spanish races is just crazy
and the USA only needs LagunaValencia could be made into a nice track if it the kerbs are removed and apexes being walls, like a classic street circuit. The layout would also be significantly more interesting if it were reversed.
Andrea_Moda_Rules
Podium Finisher
LifeW12 said:Off Topic
MotoGP doesn't need to go to Misano since its a pretty ordinary track and after what happened to Shoya Tomizawa and four Spanish races is just crazy
Valencia could be made into a nice track if it the kerbs are removed and apexes being walls, like a classic street circuit. The layout would also be significantly more interesting if it were reversed.
Its a bit OTT i agree but at the same time Spain has great tracks, Us F1 fans like to dig at Catalunya but its a great circuit imo, I think F1's problem is that they tested there more times then lot of people have had Gp starts, and when thetesting ban came in they messed around with the layout and ruined a first class ifnal sector, which the MotoGp doesn't use, Jerez Valencia are a good circuits and would be good in F1 instead of f1's Valencia. Aragon only came in beacause of the Balatonring was canelled again and although i belive it was only desgined as a test track (i might be mixing that with another track) is a bit of a master piece too.
And while misano and Indy don't make me giddy at the thought of going there are not bad tracks either. Oh and while saftey should be paramount its worh remembering Tomizawa accident was a freak accident and could of happened at any tack. If i was put in charge of where the MotoGp went id drop Qatar that place is worse then Valencia, but i suppose its Dorna's attempt of doing a Bernie and squeezing the cash cow.
As for Valencia Street circuit, i dont think reversing it would help. The layouts dreary, the landscapes dreary, The way the track loos is dreary. To be honest i don't know why they did not go withthe other Valencia circuit. Would of saved the area a whole bunch of quid and would of attracted the same amount of intrest if not more.
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