Late start to 2016 F1 season?

[Jen]

The teams will be up in arms over this - especially the team members who travel to each GP. It is quite hard to maintain any family life at the moment - even more difficult with the 2016 calendar. So one might assume that those prepared to go will be young, unmarried men - nothing against them per se, but sometimes experience which comes with age is more important!

Call me ageist if you like!

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

I did read recently that the 2016 provisional calendar is quite a bit better thought-put regarding travel between races. Cynics have claimed that by doing this and making it appear reasonable, that they can sneakily cram few more races in in March though.

 

[Dash Racing]

Jen's probably right, the experienced people with decades of knowledge and families to take care of would hate it. Certainly, my father would have hated that schedule if he'd had to do it. It was bad enough when he was away doing International F3 back in the day. Being away from home for that long made him miserable like nothing else. By that point, my dad was about 40, and he just didn't have the energy for a tightly packed schedule with thousands of miles of travel, and raising kids. When he was home, he did his best to do fun things with myself and my sister, but it was like burning the candle at both ends for him. Part of the reason he took the offer from an F3000 team was that the schedule was better, and he'd be spending more time with us than on the road.

 

[Jen]

...... that they can sneakily cram few more races in in March though.

I believe Mercedes are assuming that the first race will be in April. But who knows, 2016 is a long way off and anything could happen.

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

2016 calendar as ratified by the FIA today.
FIA confirms 21-race 2016 F1 schedule

April 3 Australia
April 10 China
April 24 Bahrain
May 1 Sochi
May 15 Spain
May 29 Monaco
June 12 Canada
June 26 UK
July 3 Austria
July 17 Baku
July 31 Germany
August 7 Hungary
August 28 Belgium
September 4 Italy
September 18 Singapore
September 25 Malaysia
October 9 Japan
October 23 USA (Austin)
October 30 Mexico
November 13 Brazil
November 27 Abu Dhabi

 

[teabagyokel]

I always thought Singapore and Sepang would end up as a back-to-back, that makes a lot of sense. I'm presuming the German venue will be Hockenheim.

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

Only a 3 week gap in August too. No other 3 weeks I can see.

 

[RasputinLives]

Baku and Germany won't happen.

 

[teabagyokel]

Baku will. The race that won't happen tends to be a back-to-back event - Germany, for example.

And don't ever underestimate the amount of money the Azerbaijani government will spend in order to pretend that their country is in Europe.

 

[RasputinLives]

I bet you 10 Brogans it won't happen.

 

[teabagyokel]

I doubt they'd risk just 1 Grand Prix between July 3 and August 28. If so, they're stupider than even I gave them credit for.

Think about the slot NJ was provisionally awarded this year. They think its a sure thing.

 

[RasputinLives]

The break would be from July 3rd to Aug 7th meaning the summer break has just be moved forward. The first half of the season would end in Austria and the second half would start in Hungary. Its the only room for the summer break - unless they are abolishing it.

I don't think Baku will happen for the same reasons that Qatar and New York isn't happening.

 

[Bill Boddy]

The UK move will suit me, it has been happening around our wedding anniversary (July 4th!), so I will be able to go with no problems. The Germany move is simply a disaster, the schools have broken up, we get to enjoy our grandchildren more and it will be busy, and expensive, on the ferries. I can't see me doing back to back camping with Austria either.

 

[RasputinLives]

I wouldn't worry about Germany too much Bill Boddy as I get the feeling Bernie is going to make them jump through multiple hoops to get their GP back and even then not let them have it.

Am I the only who thinks its a shame Malaysia has moved in the calendar? I think the weather that early in the years makes the race interesting.

 

[Titch]

I'm away for Australia, which means I shall miss the start of the season,

 

[teabagyokel]

RasputinLives - I am a little meterologically impaired*, but I'm pretty sure there is relatively little seasonal variation that close to the equator.

*Like Jos the Boss

 

[Dash Racing]

That close to the equator, there can still be distinct seasons: wet, and dry.

 

[soccerman17]

Dear Azerbaijan,

**** off.

 

[Bill Boddy]

I don't see what Hockenheim has done wrong RasputinLives, it was the Nurburgring who couldn't get their act together this year. I can't really see even Mr Ecclestone preventing a GP at the Mercedes home; it would be a perfect excuse for them to leave whilst at the top though.

 

[RasputinLives]

I don't think its either circuit thats done anything wrong. I think its Germany itself.