Belgium and Netherlands: Alternating F1 GPs - A solution or controversy?
Jun.8 - The Dutch F1 GP may be absent from the 2024 Formula 1 calendar - despite Zandvoort already having a contract until 2025.
That is the claim of the French-language Belgian newspaper Le Soir, following up on earlier reports that Spa-Francorchamps is edging towards a new race deal with Liberty Media.
But according to Le Soir, Spa's Belgian GP will only alternate a single annual calendar spot each year with Zandvoort - starting with the 2024 season when the Dutch F1 GP will be absent.
The newspaper said Spa will host a race in 2024, before it moves to Zandvoort in 2025 and so on.
"The Belgian GP will only take place every other year from 2024," Le Soir claims. "It will alternate with the Netherlands to create a sort of Benelux GP.
"It's a project that could be emulated in Europe, where it is impossible to compete with the huge monetary offers from the rest of the world."
However, the Belgian news agency RTBF has different information.
RTBF says that while talks between F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali are in an "advanced phase", there is currently "nothing to suggest that Belgium will alternate with another grand prix".
The agency's F1 commentator Gaetan Vigneron said: "If Belgium and the Netherlands were forced to alternate in the future, they could consider it.
"But this is not the case at the moment. To be completely pragmatic, it is better to be present every other year than not at all. But personally, I think that alternating is a bad idea."
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Doubtful, as hosting bi-annually is more unideal economically (definitely unviable for temporary circuits) than annually.
I also doubt Spa-Francorchamps would get more than a single-year deal, given its location & the general trend toward city circuits.
I"ve said it before... Only a fool would consider axing Spa-Francorchamps, those people know nothing about or don't give a f*ck about F1 racing, SPA SHOULD BE THE LAST CIRCUIT ON THE CALENDAR TO BE REPLACED BY SOME HYPED BS TRACK!
The British fans will not like this suggestion one bit, unless we can alternate with Brands Hatch lol
As you know, IMO, Brands is the best in England. If anyone in the world deserves 2 races it is the British.
Bigger concern, Shrop', is that the sandcastle is sports scrubbing their rep. Just bought the PGA in the US and next might be F1. Liberty will take the $$$ in a heartbeat. Scary stuff, my friend.
Spa deserves a race just because it is Spa. VER certainly makes Zan" viable. Alternate years? That sucks.
Totally agree with you.
Spa is the Holy Grail, if ever there was one!
The European F1 season we love is being compromised by offshore greed.