Belgian governments helping to keep embattled GP on F1 calendar
Jul.15 - Belgian governments are throwing their weight behind efforts to save the embattled Belgian GP.
It is now largely accepted in the paddock that the fabled Spa-Francorchamps may be a victim of Formula 1's expansion to new markets like Las Vegas and South Africa.
"The sport is growing so much that there's a lot of new places that I guess are paying quite a lot of money to be part of Formula 1," said Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz.
"I understand that France or Spa maybe cannot afford to be in the calendar every year but I hope that at least we can go there every two years or every three years," he added.
The local Walloon government, and also Belgium's federal government, have now written a joint letter of support for Spa-Francorchamps to Formula 1.
Not just that, economy minister Willy Borsus says a meeting between government, circuit and Formula 1 officials took place earlier this week.
He said he is "personally involved" in the effort, as are Wallonia minister-president Elio di Rupo and Belgian prime minister Alexander de Croo.
A decision about the fate of the Belgian GP is said to be imminent, with Borsus insisting that Spa-Francorchamps "still has a future in Formula 1".
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Good luck, but unfortunately, something has to give way, so if Spa gets pushed off, so be that.
What do you mean so be it, have you no idea, this circuit is the finest Grand Prix Circuit in the World and have just spent 80 million euros on upgrading facilities, and has been on the calendar since 1950, with Silverstone, Monaco and Monza and must be kept, some things are worth more than money.
Jere has no idea about the important history of formula 1; with such unthinkable comments he can hardly be regarded as a fan of the sport. I fully agree with Pete - those circuits must be kept and should be afforded a discount by F1 in order to keep this most important component of the sport alive and well.
Does anybody know what happened in the 80's?
We then also had three US GP's (LA, Detroit and Las Vegas) and also we then also had the South African GP on the calendar, but they suddenly disappeared from the calendar.
Maybe they should ask Ecclestone what happened? So history won't repeat itself.
We don't need Bernie to answer. Simple: LA (I assume you mean Long Beach) wanted IndyCars instead, Detroit and Vegas were crap tracks, South Africa mostly about apartheid and $$$. That's my recollection.
S.A. definately, ain't gonna play Sun city....
Spa is without question the greatest circuit on the planet, and loved by all the drivers and their teams.
Slip of the tongue by Carlos there when he states "The sport is growing so much .......". What he really means is the business is growing so much! Particularly since the overpowering of F1 as a sport by Liberty Media, it is no longer a sport, but a business designed to make big bucks for Liberty at the expense of any tradition with merit. Such a pity that Liberty has F1 by the balls and squeezing harder each season!
While there is little doubt that Liberty have upped the money game, I believe it started with Ecclestone and his private equity partners CVC. The behavior we see today from Liberty is likely less tradition-influenced than it was, but they are only perfecting an approach the much-lauded Ecclestone pioneered.
I still miss Bernie (the guy who hadn't yet gone all senile) but you are mostly correct. The big difference is that Bernie was a racer first. And let's remember that Bernie offered every single team a piece of that deal. They all said no.
Knowledge is wasted on the young Ror, how many are actually aware that Bernie was a World champion more than once
When they say, the french fry inventing Belgium Government is trying to "Help", a rough translation would be , how many Million dyo want?
Nice they want to help , in Britain the Gov doesnt give a f**k about heritage
Actually, Shroppy, history documents that the British Government's attitude towards heritage was pioneered by that terrorist Oliver Cromwell. Their attitudes haven't changed since then!
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