Formula 1 Circuits

[Matt]

Being on every continent again would be a great addition.

[Chrill]

Definitely agree. South Africa or Morocco does not matter much, but a world championship would benefit from being present in Africa seeing as that is a part of the world.

[Penfold]

Terms agreed for five more years of F1 at Silverstone:  https://www.racefans.net/2019/07/10/new-deal-announced-to-keep-british-gp-at-silverstone/

[Penfold]

Couple of bits of circuit news: Melbourne's contract is extended by another couple of years taking the Aussie race to 2025.

Also, and this is just fantastic to hear, F1 has said that Zandvoort's gravel traps are part of its heritage and should stay just as they are: https://www.racefans.net/2019/07/19/no-asphalt-run-off-at-zandvoort-f1-wants-heritage-gravel-traps-to-stay/

[Chrill]

Well, Zandvoort with a potential banked final corner will be tight and twisty but at least it will look Zandvoorty. And be a challenging train race.

[Penfold]

Next year's race may be iffy in terms of overtaking, but come 2021 cars should be able to follow nice and close with only a small (5 - 10%) impact on downforce.  Twenty months to go....

[Chrill]

2020 will definitely feel like a gap year. I love the raw speed of the current cars, every lap record excites me, but the racing suffers badly on most circuits. We have had better races in 2019 than 2018 though, the small change to the front wing feels like it helped a little.

[Penfold]

Some of the drivers seem a bit unsure on that, but I'm convinced the tweaks have helped them run closer together.

[Chrill]

Hey, maybe it isn't the front wings, but we do have better racing this year even though I'm rather bored with the Mercedes dominance. Which looks set to continue into Germany, by the way. Hungaroring could be a track that favours Red Bull and certainly a track that will hurt Ferrari. Spa and Monza, that is where Ferrari will be difficult to stop.

[Penfold]

I'm sure the team's strategists or Seb will find a way.

Edit: I am looking forward to the Hungaroring.  Fingers crossed for a sweltering Sunday afternoon.

[Penfold]

Appears that we are stuck with the Mexican GP for at least another year: https://www.racefans.net/2019/08/07/mexican-gp-to-stay-on-f1-calendar-says-promoter/

Looks like 22 races in 2020.  Fingers crossed we can get that up to 30 races within a decade and be banging them out one every week by 2043.

[Penfold]

Here's one candidate for hitting that 30-race mark: Saudi Arabia!  Plans are afoot to construct a brand new city and on its outskirts will sit a rather long F1 circuit: https://www.racefans.net/2019/08/08/saudi-arabia-planning-spa-beating-longest-f1-track-for-its-first-race/

[Penfold]

Yes, me again.  Mexico GP gets a three-year extension: https://www.racefans.net/2019/08/08/f1-confirms-new-three-year-deal-for-mexican-grand-prix/

Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum comments on the new deal:

"The presence of Formula 1 in the city for further three more years, was achieved for the first time through a new financing model in which public resources are not used.  The Mexico City government will be an intermediary, creating a trust that will raise the private investment required to deliver this international event.  The price of the tickets will remain the same as in previous years."

So all they need is to find private investors willing to pay Liberty tens of millions of Dollars every year.  Sounds simple enough.

[Chrill]

So all they need is to find private investors willing to pay Liberty tens of millions of Dollars every year.  Sounds simple enough.

The real Slim Shady could stand up and pay for that. He's already sponsoring Perez.

[Penfold]

I'll amend my previous post: So all they need is to find private investors willing to pay Liberty tens of millions of Dollars every year.  Sounds tricky but feasible right up until Perez leaves F1.