The Formula 1 calendar development threadFormula 1 

F1 fan
I know that in the uk, more than half the races are on at a reasonable time, but I was in Toronto for every single race of the season up to and including Spa. I didn't miss a single practice session, qualifying or even so much as a racing lap. Point being that if they can attract enough fans, maybe they'll also attract a lot of hardcore fans too who will stay up all night to watch a practice session.

Plus you can just record it... That technology has been available for longer than I've been alive.

I haven't missed a single Grand Prix since I started watching around the age of 3 or 4(either 1990 or 1991). And I haven't missed a live race broadcast since I turned 14.
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Yes, yes, all good points, but my point was that not everyone starts out as hardcore. Especially American fans whose first passion has probably been NASCAR and IndyCar the past few years. Some people aren't even racing fans *shock* and will be seeing F1 for the first time at New Jersey. I'm talking about NEW, inexperienced, would-be fans that could start following F1 once they get interested in it.

And I record races too. But Joe Blow might not even care to record the first few races because Joe Blow doesn't even know what F1 is. You see my point now?

The only way Joe Blow is going to turn into a hardcore F1 fan is if enough interesting things happen in the sport, at all the races he catches while flicking through channels. That is why we have two US Grands Prix. To increase those chances.
 
I've never been to an F1 race but I have been to an auto race before (NASCAR). I know this isn't the right section but how does F1 engine sound output compare to NASCAR's in decibels.
 
The Russians have set aside $200 million for the Sochi circuit, and they reckon it won't slow down preparations for the Winter Olympics:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/95683

cuco33
One guy, adamantly US sports fan and NOT a car/motorsports guy at all was telling me his AM sports station was talking it up and how he was impressed F1 cars can sometimes get up to 200mph. Said 'I once drove 80mph and went holy smokes I'm going fast! I can't believe something is going to be close to 200mph in those NJ streets!' and now he wants to come watch it :P
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That's the kind of reaction I like to see.
 
Blitz24
I've never been to an F1 race but I have been to an auto race before (NASCAR). I know this isn't the right section but how does F1 engine sound output compare to NASCAR's in decibels.
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NASCAR = your body being shaken apart by a never ending clap of thunder.

F1 = your head exploding from the inside out.

Both are extremely loud. F1 engines aren't quite as 'pleasant' as they used to be in the V10 and certainly less so than the V12 era. But if you're going to the race, depending on how close you're sitting, I would recommend earplugs.
 
I'm seeing a lot of people wondering which races will be dropped in favour of Russia, Austin and New Jeresy. While I think it's foolish to assume that races will be dropped on the basis that something will happen two years from now at the least (especially since a new Concorde Agreement will be enacted before then), I have found a list of all the circuits and the date their contracts are up for renewal:

2012
Japan

2013
Bahrain

2014
Valencia
Montreal
Singapore

2015
Australia
Malaysia
Brazil

2016
Barcelona
Hungary
Italy
Abu Dhabi

2017
China
South Korea

After 2017
Germany (2018)
Russia (2020)
Monaco (2020)
India (2020)
Austin (2021)
France (2021) and Belgium (2022) [alternating races]
New Jersey (2022)
Great Britain (2027)

But like I said - just because two new races are coming, that doesn't mean two others are going. There is reportedly a provision in the Concorde Agreement that would allow the calendar to expand to twenty-five races, but only if the teams agree to it. And it's difficult to predict the reactions of race organisers; Bahrain might want their race, but constant political instabilities might make it impossible; South Korea have made it public knowledge that they're not too happy with the arrangement; and Valencia is voicing displeasure at costs, and could alternate with Barcelona.
 
25 races is too many. Not for F1 but for everyone else. A lot of racing championships wait to announce their calendars until F1 has done so they can fit their races in when there are no F1 races.
 
Tired Tyres
A lot of racing championships wait to announce their calendars until F1 has done so they can fit their races in when there are no F1 races.
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Then that's their problem. They do not hold a stake in Formula 1, so they have no ability or right to trying and influence the calendar.
 
Then there's the issue of the team members seeing their families less often than they do now. (which currently is very rarely)
 
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Not an issue. Teams rotate their mechanics and pit crews on a regular basis to prevent fatigue, particularly on the flyaway legs. For example, one pit crew will have done Singapore, Japan and Korea, and another pit crew will do India, Abu Dhabi and Brazil. The drivers, team principals and race engineers are the only crew members who do every Grand Prix. Everyone else can be rotated out. And if European events were twinned (like Barcelona and Monte Carlo), if would allow more downtime among teams.
 
You say that, but there are a couple of RBR mechanics I've seen every race, one is the short slightly tubby dude with short brown hair, who may be an engineer (he took the photo of Vettel and me) and Vettel's front right technician who is tanned dude with dark hair has been there most races from what I've seen.
 
Ardius
Kind of makes the whole point of the RRA and trying to keep the numbers low to save costs a bit moot though?
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I believe the RRA only limits the number of people who can go to a race. If pit crews are rotated, the team can stop pit crews from becoming fatigued, whilst keeping within the limits of the number of people allowed at a race.

Or does it limit the total number of people who can be employed by a team?
 
prisonermonkeys
Then that's their problem. They do not hold a stake in Formula 1, so they have no ability or right to trying and influence the calendar.
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I'm not looking at that from the perspective of those series. I'm looking at it from my perspective. I'm a motor racing fan not an F1 fan. F1 is not the only form of motor racing in the world and the greater dominance F1 has, the more diminished motor racing overall becomes.
 
They can do 25 races only if they start in early February (which I also think is pretty difficult). Otherwise I think it'll be packed from March to November because as it is now, I think it's pretty tight and packed.

I think rotating pit crews is a good idea but would the crews and drivers want their crews to be rotated? That's the problem.

Some time ago, I do wish to see a lot of races in a year, like 20 to even 30 but this is Formula 1 and they need time to develop their cars etc. unlike any other series. I'm thinking what it is now, is already enough and to me, maximum of 20 races a year is all and enough.
 
InvincibleM5
They can do 25 races only if they start in early February (which I also think is pretty difficult).
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Nope. Start earlier in March (the 2012 season begins on March 18 in Australia; starting sooner would like see better conditions), and pair some races together - Australia and Malaysia (Malaysia and Singapore consider themselves to be in compeition to one another), Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, Spain and Monaco, Germany and Hungary, Korea and China or Korea and Japan, Canada and New Jersey, Austin and Brazil, Britain and France/Belgium - and you could squeeze more races in.

InvincibleM5
I think rotating pit crews is a good idea but would the crews and drivers want their crews to be rotated? That's the problem.
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They already do it. In two months, the final flyaway leg has teams going from Singapore to Japan, South Korea, India, Abu Dhabi and Brazil; back and forth, back and forth. That will really take a toll on their bodies, and they need to be alert in pit lane since cars are going by at 100km/h. So the teams rotate pit crew members out to keep them fresh and awake.
 
prisonermonkeys
Nope. Start earlier in March (the 2012 season begins on March 18 in Australia; starting sooner would like see better conditions), and pair some races together - Australia and Malaysia (Malaysia and Singapore consider themselves to be in compeition to one another), Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, Spain and Monaco, Germany and Hungary, Korea and China or Korea and Japan, Canada and New Jersey, Austin and Brazil, Britain and France/Belgium - and you could squeeze more races in.
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So that would mean... Rotating races? That's not going to have likings from the race organisers don't you think?

prisonermonkeys
They already do it. In two months, the final flyaway leg has teams going from Singapore to Japan, South Korea, India, Abu Dhabi and Brazil; back and forth, back and forth. That will really take a toll on their bodies, and they need to be alert in pit lane since cars are going by at 100km/h. So the teams rotate pit crew members out to keep them fresh and awake.
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I see, so that sums it up then - I was just sticking to my opinion but didn't know they've already done it.
 
InvincibleM5
So that would mean... Rotating races? That's not going to have likings from the race organisers don't you think?
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I said pairing, not sharing - sharing is what France and Belgium are looking to do. Pairing events is when you put them one week apart. Like this year's Spanish (May 22) and Monaco (May 29) Grands Prix, and the German (July 24) and Hungarian (July 31) races. If you strategically pair events up on the basis of their geography, you can create enough gaps in the calendar that twenty-five races becomes a feasible proposition. But that's about as far as you could reasonably take it; there's only fifty-two weeks in the year, and there needs to be some time off.
 
prisonermonkeys
I said pairing, not sharing - sharing is what France and Belgium are looking to do. Pairing events is when you put them one week apart. Like this year's Spanish (May 22) and Monaco (May 29) Grands Prix, and the German (July 24) and Hungarian (July 31) races. If you strategically pair events up on the basis of their geography, you can create enough gaps in the calendar that twenty-five races becomes a feasible proposition. But that's about as far as you could reasonably take it; there's only fifty-two weeks in the year, and there needs to be some time off.
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Yeah mate, sorry for that because I just figured it out :ouch:

Great idea mate, I looked into the calendar and I think it would fit in nicely. I'm thinking of making a proper pairing calendar so I'll just update this thread a little later. 👍
 
Pardon for the double post!

So I'm trying to make a race calendar based on the calendar of 2011 (not the F1 races calendar). All based on the suggestions given by prisonermonkeys.

  • Australia (19 March) and Malaysia (26 March)
  • Bahrain (9 April) and Abu Dhabi (16 April)
  • Spain (30 April) and Monaco (7 May)
  • European (21 May) and Hungary (28 May)
  • British (11 June) and Spa/France (18 June)
  • German (2 July) and Italy (9 July)
  • Japan (23 July) and Korea (30 July)
  • 3 weeks break
  • China (27 August) and Singapore (3 September)
  • India (17 September) and TBA (24 September)
  • Canada (8 October) and Austin (15 October)
  • Austin (29 October) and Brazil (5 November)
  • TBA (19 November) and TBA (28 November)
  • TBA (3 December)

So including the three weeks summer break, all 25 races and it could go a bit over early December. I think if it gets started a little early on March then I think it would fit in nicely. So 25 races is the maximum...

Any suggestions and changes are very much welcome :)
 
I don't think there's going to be 25 races. For lack of a better explanation: That's too many, and more isn't always better.

I don't see more than 20 events, give or take 1-2...The teams are already stretched thin.
 
InvincibleM5
Pardon for the double post!

So I'm trying to make a race calendar based on the calendar of 2011 (not the F1 races calendar). All based on the suggestions given by prisonermonkeys.

  • Australia (19 March) and Malaysia (26 March)
  • Bahrain (9 April) and Abu Dhabi (16 April)
  • Spain (30 April) and Monaco (7 May)
  • European (21 May) and Hungary (28 May)
  • British (11 June) and Spa/France (18 June)
  • German (2 July) and Italy (9 July)
  • Japan (23 July) and Korea (30 July)
  • 3 weeks break
  • China (27 August) and Singapore (3 September)
  • India (17 September) and TBA (24 September)
  • Canada (8 October) and Austin (15 October)
  • Austin (29 October) and Brazil (5 November)
  • TBA (19 November) and TBA (28 November)
  • TBA (3 December)

So including the three weeks summer break, all 25 races and it could go a bit over early December. I think if it gets started a little early on March then I think it would fit in nicely. So 25 races is the maximum...

Any suggestions and changes are very much welcome :)
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No. There is no way that schedule will work. First of all, why is Austin on the schedule twice? 2nd of all, Canada? In the fall? Snow could be a factor there so keep Canada in June. Austin has to be in October so pair it with Brazil.

Pupik
I don't think there's going to be 25 races. For lack of a better explanation: That's too many, and more isn't always better.

I don't see more than 20 events, give or take 1-2...The teams are already stretched thin.
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My feeling is that there are 5 tracks potentially in danger of losing their date:
Korea, Bahrain, Canada, Hockenheim and Catalunya are all at risk if the schedule holds. The last 2 are just speculation but the other 3 have been discussed.
 
Blitz24
No. There is no way that schedule will work. First of all, why is Austin on the schedule twice? 2nd of all, Canada? In the fall? Snow could be a factor there so keep Canada in June. Austin has to be in October so pair it with Brazil.
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Aaah, a mistake there. Should be Canada and New Jersey. Well as I said though, any changes are welcome so you can change what time to what time because I don't know when is the winter, fall etc. right there...

I'm just scaling the time to whether it could fit in 25 races and it can, well it can mathematically. As said by prisonermonkeys, he wanted to see a pair races so I tried my best to pair them up to see if the timing suits and that's the result. You can stick in Canada and New Jersey somewhere in June...

We had concerns that if we could have 25 races a year, we could go well beyond December or they will have to sacrifice their summer break. Surely nobody wants to see that especially the drivers and teams so the modified calendar is there, any changes can be done to suit the best.

EDIT:

Logically, we will not have 25 races next year neither 2013 nor 2014 but if worse come to worst, that's what it looks like.
 
prisonermonkeys
I believe the RRA only limits the number of people who can go to a race. If pit crews are rotated, the team can stop pit crews from becoming fatigued, whilst keeping within the limits of the number of people allowed at a race.

Or does it limit the total number of people who can be employed by a team?
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It limits the total number of people. This is why Brawn/Mercedes were chuffed with themselves pre-2010 saying that when the RRA properly limits all of the top teams, they will be fully experienced in limiting their staff.

Having to rotate the entire race team is basically like bringing back test teams. Its only going to bring up the costs and unlike test teams, all of the teams would have to do it. HRT wouldn't be able to get away with running one team the entire season though they would have managed without testing.
 
Having more than 20 races is going to be killer on the drivers. Even they need large periods of break time with no F1 involved things in their lives.
 
Insane! Looks like something someone could have designed in the 1920s. I approve, but I have a feeling we'll see some pretty nasty accidents here.
 

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