2004: Spa in, A1 Ring out

[Mike Rotch]

Bernie has released the provisional 2004 calendar. Apart from it being 18 races long - which may finanicially challenge teams like minardi - it involves more long distance travelling to China and Bahrain.

Canada has been included subject to teams agreeing on what to do without the tobacco sponsors.

At least Spa is back 👍

The new FIA provisional calendar for 2004




7 March Australia (Melbourne)
21 March Malaysia (Sepang)
4 April Bahrain (Bahrain)**
25 April San Marino (Imola)
9 May Spain (Barcelona)
23 May Monaco (Monaco)
30 May Europe (N?rburgring)
13 June Canada (Montreal)***
20 June USA (Indianapolis)
4 July Great Britain (Silverstone)
11 July France (Magny-Cours) *
25 July Germany (Hockenheim)
15 August Hungary (Budapest)
29 August Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps)
12 September Italy (Monza)
26 September China (Shanghai) **
10 October Japan (Suzuka)
24 October Brazil (Sao Paolo)

* = dependant on tobacco sponsorship
** = new venues

 

[millencolin]

it's good to see that canada is sought of in somewhere. but its sad to lose the a1-ring. i liked the track and it usually turned out a few good races and incidents (like sato and heidfelds in 2002 that was half decent)

im also looking foward to bahrain, it would be interesting, a race out in the desert with a seemingly endless sandtrap, they wont need tyre barriers

 

[GilesGuthrie]

The French race isn't subject to tobacco laws (that's Canada and Belgium), it's subject to the fact that allegedly, the organisers owe Formula One Administration some $16m.

I'm not sure that Austria will be a great loss. I think tracks that F1 cars can get around in 70 seconds don't really add much value. I'd like to see some longer laps, things for the drivers to really get their teeth into.

I'm not sure I approve of the final race of the season being in Brazil, although I do like the track. It's certainly one that we're pretty unlikely to go to. And I think that Minardi, who scored 0 points this year and will therefore have to pay their transport costs, will struggle with the three long-haul races at the end of the season.

 

[millencolin]

$16m damn that is a lot of money

 

[SandStorm]

Originally posted by GilesGuthrie
I'm not sure that Austria will be a great loss. I think tracks that F1 cars can get around in 70 seconds don't really add much value. I'd like to see some longer laps, things for the drivers to really get their teeth into.

What I'd really like to see is an F1 race at Bathurst. I think that'd put some PHEAR into the heart of even the top drivers.

Not to mention the fact that the F1s would get HUGE air of the end of Macphillamy into Skyline...

 

[GilesGuthrie]

I think that the gradient changes are too severe at Bathurst. Same as Laguna.

Big air is not something you particularly want in an open-wheeler, as Kenny Brack will hopefully one day be able to tell you.

 

[SandStorm]

Originally posted by GilesGuthrie
I think that the gradient changes are too severe at Bathurst. Same as Laguna.

Heh, it'd be interesting to see, to say the least.

Big air is not something you particularly want in an open-wheeler, as Kenny Brack will hopefully one day be able to tell you.

Well - that's a different situation again. Kenny Brack was forced into the wall by another car, whereas Bathurst is just a big-arse hill with severe gradients.

 

[millencolin]

Originally posted by GilesGuthrie
I think that the gradient changes are too severe at Bathurst. Same as Laguna.

well the CART guys get through there allright, i dont see why the f1 guys cant

 

[Mike Rotch]

Thats because CART cars are archaic as compared to modern F1 cars . I once read somewhere that a CART car won the Colorado rally.....

 

[SandStorm]

Noooo, that's because the CART guys are freakin' insane.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Originally posted by millencolin
well the CART guys get through there allright, i dont see why the f1 guys cant

They operate on a completely different aerodynamic platform. Mainly because CART cars use underbody Venturi tunnels. Also, CART carts are less sensitive to ride height variations.

 

[SandStorm]

Originally posted by GilesGuthrie
They operate on a completely different aerodynamic platform. Mainly because CART cars use underbody Venturi tunnels. Also, CART carts are less sensitive to ride height variations.

Whereas F1s sit two millimetres from the ground, and any change in elevation would spit the gearbox out the airbox...

 

[millencolin]

Originally posted by SandStorm
Whereas F1s sit two millimetres from the ground, and any change in elevation would spit the gearbox out the airbox...

yeah tru. it would still be fun to watch

 

[SandStorm]

Originally posted by millencolin
yeah tru. it would still be fun to watch

Fun? If by "fun" you mean 100% atrition rate, then yeah, it's fun.

I suppose the drivers could walk across the finish; they'd still finish the race.

 

[granman]

It's good that the tabbaco law in Belgium is not that strickt anymore.

 

[Pupik]

Well, though the A-1 Ring is gone, having Spa back is always a plus. Hoever, I'd like to see the F1 cars go back to Paul Ricard instead of Magny-Cours, if possible.

The A-1 seems to be too much of a point-and-shoot type of circuit, I'm not thrilled with that idea. And I'd like to see Canada stay put on the map; especially since it makes more sence to trravel to North America one a year rather than twice.

Interesting to see Brazil at the end of the schedule. Traditionally, it's been near at the head of the championship schedule since 1973.

 

[millencolin]

Originally posted by pupik
Hoever, I'd like to see the F1 cars go back to Paul Ricard instead of Magny-Cours, if possible.

i would too. Bernie Ecclestone owns and has done up Paul Ricard, so there is a good possibility that the french gp could go there. In F1racing magazine, a spokeswoman from paul ricard circuit said "if mr ecclestone wants a gp here, we are ready and prepared for it"

 

[The359]

A1-Ring is out only because the entire track is undergoing reconstruction. It'll likely be back for 2005.