V-Flyer

The USA GP is missing from next year's calendar. I guess it never fully recovered from the 2005 fiasco at Indianapolis which did untold harm to what has never been a popular motor sport in the USA.

Two other surprises are that despite much publicity given to this year's race at Magny-Cour being the last to be held there, it is back on the calendar for June 22nd next year and the other interesting thing is that the Singapore race on 28th September will be the first ever night race in F1 history.

For those of you planning to go to the British GP, it is on July 6th.

The full list can be found here.

Also worth noting is that Valencia is home to the European Grand Prix, and it will be the city's first Formula One race.

Indeed the US GP is gone. Apparently the reason is that both parties could not agree upon suitable terms, although the door is open for the race to return at some point.

Now I can tell you the reason for Valencia.

There is an unwritten rule in F1 that the European GP will be in the home country of a long serving "current" f1 champion. So of course it was in Germany for years due to the Schumacher effect and now its off to Spain due to Alonso.

I guess it does make sense- we have seen in the UK how many more people became interested in f1 due to Lewis Hamilton so F1 might as well make the most of the popularity of the sport in the champions backyard.

Of course it will be in Valencia for a number of years now.


BTW the mass sponsorship by Spanish bank, Santander, will have something to do with the decision as well- Santander are based in Valencia.

Originally posted by willd
Of course it will be in Valencia for a number of years now.

I sincerely hope you are incorrect in this protestation Will! [V]

Does anyone else think that Max Mosely is a t**t. His comments about Lewis Hamilton's success are crap to say the least.

Iain

Originally posted by Bazz

Originally posted by willd
Of course it will be in Valencia for a number of years now.

I sincerely hope you are incorrect in this protestation Will! [V]

Well I mean in terms of Valencia track signing a contract for x years. I wasnt saying Lewis or any other person will not be world champ. For the record though, and please do not flame me, I am to an extent glad he didnt win the world championship. After all what would Lewis have in life to set his sights on?!

Originally posted by iforres1
Does anyone else think that Max Mosely is a t**t. His comments about Lewis Hamilton's success are crap to say the least.

Iain

It is common knowledge that he doesn't get on with Ron Dennis and that he is very buddy buddy with Luca di Montezemolo the President of Ferrari and Chairman of Fiat.

Having had some experience with F1 through legal circles the one thing I can tell you is that the industry is very incestuous.

For example if you knock driver a off the track at Spa in 2005, when you are looking for a drive in 2007 and ring driver a's agent who happens to own a team, you wont get a drive! People in Motor Racing do not forget and everyone is connected to everyone else in someway.

In the case that Iain mentions above- I owuldnt be surprised if there was some kin of bad blood between the two.

Originally posted by willd
Having had some experience with F1 through legal circles the one thing I can tell you is that the industry is very incestuous.

Couldn't agree more!

I have been involved in motorsport for 15 years now all of which were as a driver trying to make his way up the ladder. The amount of people that are trying to screw you around when doing this is quite shocking. I got all the way to Champ Car Atlantic and some of the hoops a driver has to jump through is quite surprising, more so if you don't have a lot of money to start.

Originally posted by AndyR
I got all the way to Champ Car Atlantic

Ultimate respect for you young sir [^ ][oo]. I have begun to realise how much money counts in the sport since my brother has started racing.


On a very different note- been announced today that Alonso has left McClaren! Not really much of a surprise given that he p*ssed off Ron Dennis. Wonder where he will end up. Really only two options IMHO, Renault or BMW with Renault being the favourite due to Flavio Briatore being his manager.

Originally posted by willd

Originally posted by AndyR
I got all the way to Champ Car Atlantic

Ultimate respect for you young sir [^ ][oo]. I have begun to realize how much money counts in the sport since my brother has started racing.

Thanks. People just don't realize the costs involved so when someone asks you "so how much does it cost you for a year, £10k, £20Kk??" When you tell them to add another 0 onto that and then some depending where you go you can see it on there face [:0]

I did a test in a Champ Car Atlantic at Sebring back in 2003 and for 2 days testing it was $35,000!!!! Plus I then got a bill 2 weeks later for a cracked undertray as I went to far over one of the exit curbs. As its all carbon fibre I had a nice check for £8500 to post to them!!!!!! Haven't raced professional since and have to make do with terrifying people on track days

What does your brother do anyway? Wish him all the best and tell him not to give up!