Formula 1 Circuits

[Penfold]

The Miami GP promoters have given up on Bayside as a venue (hurrah!) and will now focus efforts on an area around the Dolphins' home ground: https://www.racefans.net/2019/04/24/miami-promoters-scrap-plan-for-downtown-f1-race/

[Chrill]

Well, I can immediately think of one other track built around stadiums - Sochi. As it happens, it's definitely one of the greatest ever circuits. Ever.

[Chrill]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/zandvoort-replace-barcelona-2020-schedule/4378916/?fbclid=IwAR26e8356rto8Ia2huuL9DpeAdFPqDoUoMv4yKb20vhthen5dIL8s6tU3Ug

Barcelona may go bye-bye after this year. Zandvoort may step in.

[Penfold]

Rather like Magny-Cours, Barcelona always seems a great track to drive but tends not to be exactly jam-packed with overtakes, and that seems to be F1's overriding concern these days - perversely I now favour those tracks which were historically difficult/almost impossible to pass on, simply because DRS has removed the tension from so many races.  Anyway, umm, what was I saying?  Nothing really, just rambling away....  Right, Zandvoort, looks like it'd be pretty tricky for F1 cars to pass each other, so that's a positive.

Also in circuit news, Monza has agreed a deal with Liberty which stretches to the year 2025.  By which time the sky will be filled with flying cars, people will be living on the Moon, we'll all have Back To The Future-style hoverboards, and the U.K. Govt. will have introduced a nation-wide approach to recycling which doesn't rely on shipping our rubbish half way round the World for processing.  That last one might be too fanciful.

[Penfold]

Details on the new Monza deal: https://www.racefans.net/2019/04/30/new-17-million-deal-to-keep-italian-gp-at-monza/

Race fee cut from $24 million to just $17 million.  Hopefully Silverstone gets offered a similar percentage reduction.

[Chrill]

and the U.K. Govt. will have introduced a nation-wide approach to recycling which doesn't rely on shipping our rubbish half way round the World for processing.  That last one might be too fanciful.

I think we process a lot of your garbage in Sweden, because our recycling plants are too efficient and we have excess capacity to process the garbage of others.

[Penfold]

At least we know it will get recycled/burnt for energy in Sweden, God knows how much (or little) of the plastic we've sent to China/Malaysia/Vietnam over the years has actually been cleanly processed.

[Chrill]

See, that's the problem isnt it. A nation state could go "we don't do X or Y" but they completely fail to take into account that their shopping behaviours cause other countries to do X or Y instead.

[Penfold]

Brazil's President says a new track in Rio will host F1 from next year: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/48212783

I'm hoping it all falls through, because F1 without Interlagos is just that little bit less joyful.

[Chrill]

Well, there are a few issues here.

1) The Rio track has not even begun construction, yet it is expected to host an F1 race 18 months from now?
2) Bolsonaro is not actually part of the team having the track constructed, that is handled by the local municipality
3) We (read: Christopher) don't want to leave a lovely Interlagos track

[Chrill]

Carey says that two 2019 races will be missing from the 2020 calendar:
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/2020-calendar-two-new-venues/4384557/

It will be one of these:

1: Spain
2: Mexico
3: Germany

And possibly Interlagos -> Rio in regards to what we mentioned yesterday.

I can see us losing Spain for Netherlands and then also losing Mexico.

[Penfold]

Agree that ditching Spain & Mexico to make room for Vietnam & the Netherlands seems the most likely outcome.  Can't say I'll be that bothered about losing those two from the calendar, although I'm also not wildly excited to gain another street circuit - and I'm slightly worried that F1 will screw with Zandvoort in some heinous fashion.

[Chrill]

If F1 does not screw with Zandvoort, it will not be a very good track for F1. So there's that. It just isn't a great fit, is it?

[Penfold]

Aye, it's a quandary all right.  I'm hoping they limit themselves to lengthening the main straight to give the F1 boys a better shot of overtaking, but I'm expecting them to make at least three significant changes and fundamentally alter its character.

[Chrill]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/zandvoort-secures-return-dutch-gp/4388156/

It has been confirmed. Zandvoort for 2020. No word yet on what they may do to make the track suitable for modern GP racing.