Just read on bbc that the canadia gp got cut from next year's season.

I was there for this year's race and I LOVED it. I was so looking forward to going again.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/3133815.stm :(

Move your happy face over one space.

Brian

that sucks!!! :( :( :(

I'll take that info with a grain of salt. I don't think it's set in stone, but rather a threat. I hope :confused:

I hope that things work out so that the Canadian GP is back next year. It's odd timing considering that I recently read that they were moving the US GP up to be immediately following the Canadian GP so the teams didn't have to ship everything across the pond an extra time.

Then there are the threats about ending the British GP at Silverstone... I just hope that a lot of this is business posturing, because the last thing F1 needs is to trim the season length, eliminate national venues and such. Combine that with the exit of a team or two and things would be looking pretty grim.

unfortunately it's not just a threat.... :(
http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/030807/65/e5tc0.html

since they just added Bahrain and China to the schedule next year, i dont think they are worried about the schedule length too short next year... if anything, they were looking to cut a race anyways... it just really really sucks that it happened to be the canadian gp.... :(

That's a shame, especially because the main dispute seems to be over tobacco advertising which I personally don't see as a big deal. :(

Bummer for F1 fans, and the huge crowd of people that attend in person. Not to mention the hit to the local economy.

I'm sure this will end up like spa did this year. A 1 year "ban", that's enough to scare the city that was dependant on the revenue from the event.

All of this anti-tobacco nonsense is going to kill canadian motorsports, first Players, and now this.

-Charlie

This sucks, screw Bahrain and China. I want the Canadian GP! I like Canada. I don't like Bahrain or China, and btw, who the hell would travel there to see the race? Hardcore fans might, but it's a little more dangerous than just driving across the Canadian border.

stjobs

Originally posted by stjobs
This sucks, screw Bahrain and China. I want the Canadian GP! I like Canada. I don't like Bahrain or China, and btw, who the hell would travel there to see the race? Hardcore fans might, but it's a little more dangerous than just driving across the Canadian border.

stjobs
I agree that losing Canada sucks very much, particularly due to its accessibility to North American racing fans.

I'm hoping what Charlie said about temporary bans holds true.

I miss Spa, and I think losing Canada in the long term will hurt TV markets (viewership) in North America, as well. Besides, lotta driving talent comes from Canada.

However, I am looking forward to attending the Chinese GP next year :buttrock :buttrock

Bernie still denies that any such letter was sent to Canadian officials.

http://www.planetf1.com/Home/story_12628.shtml

ya, i just read that bernie is denying that the canadian gp will be cut next year.... so im :confused:

The CGP is just a beautiful circuit and has great seating. I hoped to go to the 2004 race with my finacee and sit at the hairpin before the exit to the final straight....cest la vie....

Hopefully they bring back SPA...a tremendous course, both beautiful and challenging!!

Bernie is a tool... canada is gone. I pray they keep the BGP... that would suck.


seriously, CHINA?????????? wtf????

Originally posted by dasMafia



seriously, CHINA?????????? wtf????

A new track, completely government funded, a large untapped fanbase, and Marlboro's largest market in the world.

That's what.

-Charlie

its in Shanghai to be exact... the new track they are building should be really nice... i really want to go to the Shanghai GP next year.... and i hope to see a Chinese F1 drivers champion soon... :D

If the track is anything like Sepang, Malaysia (same designer, Tilke) then it will be awesome for spectators.

Don't knock the Chinese GP, just yet. Shanghai is a great party town (don't make me post pictures). Every time I go there it's off da hook!! Consider it China's NYC.

sorry guys, "great for spectators" means that the racing usually sucks...

I've been bitching about "processional" racing for YEARS... and the new tracks and neutered tracks just make it worse...

now, watching a ferrari, porsche, and Cobra Daytona come out of 6 three-wide at road-america is RACING!

This is a great response from a Canadian F1 fan:

Ten Reasons (Not) To Cancel The Canadian GP
1. It's the only race guaranteed to sell out on race day
2. Unlike the Brazilian GP, not much chance of having your equipment stolen
3. It's described as one of the teams' and drivers' favourite events of the year
4. Unfortunately it's usually an exciting and unpredictable race
5. We don't have anyone in a kilt to go for a wander during the race
6. Unlike the Middle East we don't have much chance of an exciting terrorist attack
7. We have a GP that is NOT priced out of reach for every one to afford to attend
8. It will help build a stronger North American following?
9. Canada is NOT a third world country that can't even feed most of its population (but needs to spend enough to do it to build a GP track)
10. Bernie knows best?

Originally posted by dasMafia
sorry guys, "great for spectators" means that the racing usually sucks...

Not in this case (click here for a writeup of Malaysia this year) (http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=84105&perpage=25&highlight=Malaysian&pagenumber=2) Excerpt below . . .

The Race

First turn carnage!! I didn’t get a good enough picture with my off-center view of the giant trackside monitor to tell with detail what exactly happened to whom, but the result was quite apparent as the cars rounded into view from Turn 7. Pizzonia’s Jaguar was missing a front wing and several cars limped around without rear wing, including, to my dismay, Montoya :o(( He spent the better part of a lap in the pits undergoing repairs. At that point I doubled up on my Montoya hats, placing last year’s hat facing rearward, and this year’s on top facing forward. Gotta have faith.

The Renaults, again!! Alonso walked away from the pack, clearly on a light fuel load, followed by a trailing Kimi. Adrenaline was obviously flowing as cars late-braked like crazy, two abreast, diving under one another into the final Turn 15. All the cars diced furiously for position the first 15 laps. The action was so jumbled that I totally lost track of car positions, especially when the Renaults pitted early for fuel. I, like many other fans, had to leave my seat and crowd the section facing the giant monitor. Sorting the race standings took several minutes of intently watching the action on monitor while stealing quick glimpses back at the track. These guys were DRIVING!!

Important Message to Race Fans: If you EVER attend the Malaysian Grand Prix, serious consideration must be given to seats in Topaz area, Section S2.13. It's on the upper tier overlooking the braking zone for Turn 15. From this one location you can see the track from Turn 7 thru Turn 12. The track falls out of view shortly behind the auxiliary pits before coming back in to view at Turn 14. And what's more, you can view Turns 5 & 6 and the exit of Turn 15 from the top of the seat rows. That's better than 65% of the track!!

Turn 15 . . .
I saw more racing action overlooking this turn than I did watching the entire season of F1 last year!! So much happened here!! The Jaguar spun off, Montoya battled Michael, and there were numerous other passing moves, and Kimi simply impressed with his overtaking!! Trulli blew a comfortable lead over Michael for 5th place with only eight laps remaining, recovering from a spin just in front of Michael. Even I sweated just watching Trulli hold him off for the next four laps. Talk about pressure!!! Well done!!

http://www.f1.com/imgupload/circuit/large/kuala_lumpur.gif

The performance characteristics of today's Formula 1 cars, with heavy reliance on aerodynamic downforce, mean the best overtaking opportunities occur in a slow turn which is preceeded by a long straight and another slow turn.

Given a long straight joining two slow turns the cars can follow closely thru the slow speed turn where aero downforce is not critical, onto the straight, draft along the straight, then emerge from the slipstream and pass under braking into the upcoming slow turn, again where mechanical grip and not aero downforce is prominent.

Sepang F1 Circuit in Malaysia has two such turns (Turn 1 and Turn 15).

The Shanghai circuit will have at least one such turn. See attached diagram.

Malaysia is a great spectator track because of the vantage points offered to attendees and the overtaking opportunities created by the aforementioned track layout and track width. IMHO, the Shanghai circuit should offer the same.

...we'll see....

Hell, I'm still pissed off at not seeing the Belgian GP this year. How can you have a GP season w/o Eau Rouge?:mad: :complain

This anti tobacco crap is going a little too far. Tobacco is probably the single biggest supporter of racing. No tobacco ads on the cars = No more racing.:bawl

it is funny they allow alcohol ads but not tobacco ads in racing.

It's official. Bernie is a hack and a flat-out pussy. :complain

Last Thursday Legault, the Canadian Grand Prix race promoter, called a press conference to announce the that Montreal event had been dropped from the F1 calendar in light of the country's tobacco advertising legislation. According to Legault, he had received a letter from Formula One Management (FOM) informing him of Ecclestone's decision.

Ecclestone though, denied sending the letter. He went as far as to say that the "calendar for 2004 has not been put out yet or even considered" and that he was too busy at the moment to think about it. The Canadian race organisers later backed up his denial regarding the race's axing.

However, Legault has now produced the letter sent to him by FOM, which he disclosed to Montreal's daily newspaper La Presse. The letter clearly says that the Canadian Grand Prix had been dropped because of Clause 26, which states that FOM can end a race's contract if the host nation passes laws that limit tobacco advertising.

"Dear Mr Legault
Mr Ecclestone has asked me to write to you following your meeting with him at the Hockenheim Grand Prix last weekend.
As agreed at that meeting, we write to advise you that the Canadian Grand Prix will not be included on the 2004 FIA Formula One World Championship, calendar pending the outcome of various issues. In the event that the Canadian Grand Prix is not included in the calendar for next year, the provisions of Clause 26.2 of the Promoters Agreement will apply.
Kind regards.
Your sincerely,
Michelle Drake
Legal Department
Formula One Management Limited."

per Planet F1

bernie has confirmed it now... :(
http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/030811/323/e60e2.html

Why does the Yahoo article have a picture of FIA president Max Mosley?:dunno :dunno

:(

F1 tsar Bernie Ecclestone has admitted that the Canadian Grand Prix has been axed from next year's calendar, confirmation came after comic DJs Marc-Antoine Audette and Sebastien Trudel, from the Montreal radio station CKOI, rang Mr. E and pretended to be the Canadian Prime Minister, Jean Chretien.

http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/030814/230/e66zw.html
in the article is a link to listen to the prank call... pretty funny...