The Formula 1 calendar development threadFormula 1
- Thread starter prisonermonkeys
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- It/It
- GTP_TheCracker
That would be a security nightmare, the government would never let this pass in a million years. The track goes directly passed, or a street away from: Buckingham Palace, St James Palace, Clarence House etc - all royal residences. The Ministry of Defence, various military barracks, The Houses of Parliament, Downing Street, Westminster Abbey, The Treasury, HM Revenue and Customs and a couple of major police stations.
Bernie has to be trolling with this idea?
Bernie has to be trolling with this idea?
- 27,221
- United Kingdom
It seems that way, but it'd be an awesome spectacle.
My issue with a London GP is that it needs to be held in front of at least some well-known landmarks for it to be relevant. There were rumblings that it'd be held in some god-forsaken area around the Olympic park but if they're going to do that they may as well hold it in Bradford.
The Monaco GP is as much about them driving past the Casino, going under the tunnel, going past the harbour as it is about the race. If a London GP doesn't go past anything recognisably London then it's irrelevant.
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Have to say, love all the NIMBY rantings on the Guardian article.
Particularly from those who claim it'd cause pollution. Sure, because 24 F1 cars and a couple of support series driving around occasionally over the space of maybe a week at the most is going to cause more pollution than the millions of cars and taxis that'd use those roads over the same period.
You have to be retarded to drive around central London on a daily basis anyway. It's awful.
Particularly from those who claim it'd cause pollution. Sure, because 24 F1 cars and a couple of support series driving around occasionally over the space of maybe a week at the most is going to cause more pollution than the millions of cars and taxis that'd use those roads over the same period.
You have to be retarded to drive around central London on a daily basis anyway. It's awful.
- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
- 638
- Wollongong
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- Hammerhead Garage
Spa feels that alternating with an event in France is "no longer on the agenda".
Yep. I'd say the Belgian Grand Prix is now doomed.
Yep. I'd say the Belgian Grand Prix is now doomed.
- 823
- Hartlepool, UK
- SuperDiscoDaz
- Pooliedaz
The main problem with any London GP will be admiralty arch because it isn't very wide at all It looks tighter than Monaco even going through the central gate plus which of the 3 gates on the arch will be used because it could set a precedent for any other city tracks.
ExigeEvan
Premium
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Can't see anywhere you could put pits...
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The problem with any street circuit is changing all of the "street furniture" such as bollards, lamp posts, barriers, traffic islands and all the rest of it so that it's suitable for both traffic on 362 days of the year and racing on the other three.
Monaco has been doing it for so long that they've never installed stuff like traffic islands in the first place, so preparing for the GP is a matter of scuffing the white lines off the road and throwing up a few armcos. Pretty much anywhere in London would require them ripping up traffic islands, widening bits of road and more.
- 3,446
- GTP_Coxis
- Coxis
It's been reported that Telmex has been trying to buy the Hermanos Rodriguez Circuit for some time now. As far as I know they haven't been successful.
Naturally, if a race was ever to be held at our circuit, major renovations would have to occur. For now it seems that it may become a reality and that I will attend my first ever F1 race. The first report of a Mexican GP in 2013 was reported by a spanish magazine if I'm not mistaken...
Good times.
Naturally, if a race was ever to be held at our circuit, major renovations would have to occur. For now it seems that it may become a reality and that I will attend my first ever F1 race. The first report of a Mexican GP in 2013 was reported by a spanish magazine if I'm not mistaken...
Good times.
- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
Admiralty Arch is going to be a problem. Even if the organisers could get it approved by the FIA, the narrow gap is only going to force cars into single file, stretching them out. And any accident there is going to block the circuit, forcing a red flag. So here are some proposals on how they could get around the problem:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5535601
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5535605
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5535607
The answer is simple - don't go through the arch.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5535601
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5535605
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5535607
The answer is simple - don't go through the arch.
- 3,915
- California
- gdwest1
to London for a Grand Prix.
Whats wrong with Silverstone? Or Brands Hatch? Or Donnington?
From what I hear, a London GP would be a logistical mess. And I cant possibly see them being ok with so many people being massed by such monuments and official buildings.
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Nothing. Who says a race in London would replace Silverstone? Just about every article reporting on a race in London says it would be run in conjunction with the British Grand Prix. America has two races - the United States Grand Prix and the Grand Prix of America - so why can't England? I can think of half a dozen names that a race in London could use:
1) London Grand Prix
2) Grand Prix of the United Kingdom
3) English Grand Prix
4) Grand Prix of the Commonwealth
5) Grand Prix of the British Isles
6) Thames Grand Prix
7) European Grand Prix
Even if a race in London became known as the "British Grand Prix", the race at Silverstone would continue.
It's far too cramped. The circuit is too narrow, and there is no way it could be widened with adequate run-off areas installed. The pits and paddock are nowhere near large enough for Formula 1, spectator facilities are non-existant by Formula 1 standards, and the circuit access would not be able to handle the volume of traffic the race would see.
That's what's wrong with Brands Hatch.
Remember the last time Formula 1 tried to go to Donington?
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The last time they tried to go to Donington they didn't end up going. The last time they actually went to Donington, in 1993, we got one of Ayrton Senna's most iconic races.
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Thank you for answering my rhetorical question.
Yes, the last time Formula 1 tried to go to Donington Park, it was an utter catastrophe and the circuit barely survived. Why can't Formula 1 go back there? Because there is no way the owners of the circuit would want anything to do with it.
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As a spectator, I'd quite like to see F1 return to Donington. It's by far my favourite circuit in the country to actually watching racing at. However, as you mention, I'd also like to see the circuit survive, so without genuine investment - the sort of which Bernie is happy to give to London but not to circuits like Donington - it's probably best it sticks to lower formulae.
Though I do think it's a great pity Donington lost MotoGP in all that mess. Far, far better circuit for bike racing than Silverstone is. Silverstone is pretty dull and featureless as a bike circuit. In cars, Donington has limited overtaking spots, but on bikes they overtake everywhere.
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- gdwest1
Still, noone has addressed the safety concern.
While an F1 race is probably a lower profile event than the Olympics, the proposed track is MUCH closer to what is more or less the heart of the British Government. Imagine the mess of trying to "Secure" such a large area, with people walking about and such so near to the capital buildings. It more or less calls for a terrorist attack...
While an F1 race is probably a lower profile event than the Olympics, the proposed track is MUCH closer to what is more or less the heart of the British Government. Imagine the mess of trying to "Secure" such a large area, with people walking about and such so near to the capital buildings. It more or less calls for a terrorist attack...
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I don't think that's really an issue at all. As you say, a race would be on a much smaller scale than the Olympics, and therefore much easier to contain. The proposed circuit runs past Buckingham Palace, and we saw thousands of people in attendance there for the Diamond Jubilee concert without a problem. Many of the issues that you make out to be serious problems would easily be addressed by the strategic placement of grandstands and access points. The whole "it's a security threat!" argument feels like something concocted by the naysayers to try and derail the idea of the race taking place.
Furthermore, this circuit is not a serious proposal. Santander approached Populous - who reconfigured Silverstone a few years ago - and asked them to develop a circuit running around some of London's landmarks. It's a fantasy course more than a serious proposal, so they could really go nuts with it. If a race were to take place, it would undoubtedly come with a lot more in the way of planning.
- 9,262
- Corsham
- lipming
- 24,045
- It/It
- GTP_TheCracker
All of the above, and much more besides, applies to a potential City of London GP circuit too.
- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
Which is why I don't think the race - if it were to take place - would be held at the circuit proposed by Santander. It's far more likely that any race in London would be held at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which was proposed a few days ago. There is at least space there to create a circuit that does not involve cutting the likes of the Ministry of Defence and Scotland Yard off from the rest of the world.
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In which case, as far as I'm concerned, it may as well be held on the moon. A London GP that doesn't take in any of London's famous landmarks (and no, the Olympic stadium doesn't count) is utterly pointless.
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And having a race around all of these famous landmarks is utterly impossible.
Santander didn't design the circuit. The whole thing is their idea, and bankrolled by them, but the actual circuit was designed by Populous - who did the Silverstone upgrade - with input from Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton/
- 24,045
- It/It
- GTP_TheCracker
The whole thing just comes across to me as a big marketing exercise for the upcoming GP at Silverstone (next weekend?). Non-sport section coverage in all the national papers to sell any remaining 2012 British GP tickets.
