[Stanley]

PlanetF1's thoughts on the Bahrain GP venue. I think they are spot on.

F1 As A Spectator Sport...?
The Crown Prince of Bahrain admitted on camera that his country's race isn't a sporting event. No, it's a branding exercise. The state of Bahrain uses the Grand Prix to promote the country in the world as a brand.

There is no groundswell of popular support for F1 in Bahrain. On Saturday for Qualifying the grandstands had less people than an English Football League Two bottom of the table clash. In Japan or Spain or the UK the grandstand on the start-finish straight would have been almost full for Qualifying.

During the race the main grandstand was half full. It was embarrassing. What's more the landscape the race passes through is a sandy quarry. State of the art? No, state of my ****. And it's the same story in China and in Malaysia where free tickets help boost the numbers.

What Bernie Ecclestone has to understand is the overwhelming majority of F1 fans don't care that the media centre is able to hold 500 accredited journalists, or that the grandstand looks like two wings of a Stormy Petrel (especially when it's equipped to seat 10,000 and 17 turn up). What they want is a circuit where they can instantly distinguish where the cars are, that facilitates overtaking and produces a good race.

As long as Silverstone or Donington or Montreal or even an improved Imola can do that, they should be on the calendar.

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3265_5244624,00.html