The 2010 Calendar

[Brogan]

Can I just ask, will there be any tweaks to the engine rules for 2010 considering there are 19 races (kinda)? 8 engines and 5 gearboxes for 19 races in much heavier cars than present seems like a recipe for disaster, especially with so many fast and hot races at the end of the season. Will there be maybe an extra engine added or something, making every engine last 2 races with just one having to last 3 seems like a more manageable scenario.

I made the same comments on another thread somewhere...
Oh yeah, found it: Is the 8 engine rule good for F1?

As we've seen, some drivers are already struggling to make 8 engines last 17 races so if the calendar does increase to 19 races then we could see a lot of 10 place engine penalties at the end of the season.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Running the Turkish GP back to back with Monaco is proving to be a logistical nightmare with some teams saying that they will have to use air freight instead of road transport in order to make the jump from one race to the next. The knock on effect of this is that it places an increased strain on already tight F1 budgets for next season and goes against the current FIA drive to cut costs.

The present concorde agreement calls for 17 races with any additions having to be agreed with the teams. Turkey while be accepted as one of the better modern F1 circuits has suffered from a huge shortfall in attendance which appears to be the case in most of the new markets that F1 has been taken to by the Bernie bandwagon.

At the moment there are doubts over the following GPs: (I may have missed some?)

1) Canada - Still not finalised an agreement with Bernie
2) Turkey - Schedule issues
3) Donington/Silverstone - Funding issues
4) German GP - Funding issues (no host track?)
5) Japanese GP - Funding issues (no host track)
6) Chinese GP - Funding issues
7) Belgium - Noise and funding issues

Will anything be ready for the new season?

 

[Brogan]

Didn't I already say that

Re: The 2010 Calendar

Only joking, you listed a few more problems than I did
Don't forget Korea either. The circuit is only half built so it's by no means certain that it will be ready.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Sorry Site God. You did.

I spotted the Turkey rumour on a link through Batracer today and thought it was a new story because it was discussed by the teams during their "all invited" meeting in Singapore and Mclaren are being quite vocal about it.

Good Job i didn't start in a new thread

 

[Brogan]

Good news - the German GP is apparently secure.

Hockenheim's place on the Formula One calendar has been secured until 2018, it was confirmed by organisers on Wednesday.

The fate of the German venue has been uncertain for months, after the promoters said they were no longer willing to absorb multi-million euro race losses.

It was announced on Wednesday that a new contract has now been signed, whereby the German Grand Prix will be held at Hockenheim in 2010, and thereafter every other year in a renewal of the current alternating scheme with the Nurburgring circuit.

And check this bit out...

It had been believed that only the regional government was contributing to the solution, but the race organisers confirmed in a statement that FOA has agreed with Hockenheim to share the "business risks and opportunities" of hosting the race.

Of course we don't know the details but perhaps there's a new business model that other circuits can use to ensure they continue hosting races.

Hockenheim GP secured through 2018

 

[cider_and_toast]

At least that's one off the endangered species list.

All they need to do with Hockenheim now is give the track it's nuts back by getting rid of that silly Herman Tilke bit and return to the full 3 long blasts through the woods with 3 chicanes at the end.

 

[Brogan]

And so it goes on....
If it wasn't so sad it would be comical.

Montreal race organisers have reportedly been given ten days to decide whether to host a Canadian Grand Prix or not next year.
[...]
"When I come back from Japan next week, I'm going to need final answers to all of our questions," the 78-year-old Briton said from Suzuka.
"If I don't have them, there won't be a grand prix in Montreal."
[...]
"I'm no longer very confident."

Ecclestone losing patience over Canadian GP return

 

[Brogan]

Donington has until this weekend to sort out their finances or they're off the calendar apparently.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8300268.stm

 

[cider_and_toast]

Donington has until this weekend to sort out their finances or they're off the calendar apparently.

Sorry Bro, I think you've made a mistake with that post. Surely you mean "Donnington has until this weekend to sort our their finances or they will be given another few weeks to sort themselves out and this time we really mean it honest indian, there will be no second chances, it's going to Silverstone we promise, so you better get it sorted this time"

 

[Brogan]

I was going to post something like that.
It's farcical the number of "last chances" they've been given

 

[Brogan]

Some good news for a change?

The Monaco date has been moved forward a week to May 16th due to scheduling issues and concerns raised by the teams that were wasn't enough time to get from Monaco to Turkey in 1 week.

This would suggest that the Turkey date can't be moved as Canada is now definite?

 

[Brogan]

The 2010 calendar has changed again

Has there ever been a pre-season like this with the calendar changing so many times?
Anyway, Abu Dhabi is now the last race, again, and there have been a few date changes.

So this is the final calendar....until the next change.

14 March - Bahrain
28 March - Australia
4 April - Malaysia
18 April - China
9 May - Spain
16 May - Monaco
30 May - Turkey
13 June - Canada
27 June - Europe (Valencia)
11 July - Great Britain
25 July - Germany
1 August - Hungary
29 August - Belgium
12 September - Italy
26 September - Singapore
10 October - Japan
24 October - Korea*
7 November - Brazil
14 November - Abu Dhabi

*Subject to the homologation of the circuit.

Note: The races in Australia and Abu Dhabi will start at 1700 local time, in Malaysia at 1600 local time, in Canada at 1200 local time, in Singapore at 2000 local time, and in Japan at 1500 local time.