Completely off topic: Spa back in F1 for 2004

[Paul Franssen]

It's official: The Belgian Grand Prix EXISTS! I'm sorry our government had to backtrack through their anti-tobacco advertising law (they brownnosed themselves over like a willow, not only in respect of tobacco laws, either, but that's another story!) but the F1 circus is coming back to Spa in 2004 (let's not look beyond that, Bernie's got all too many tricks up his snotty sleeves...).
For F1 to revert to Spa-Fancorchamps (the 2003 GP had been cancelled because on the no-tobacco adverts law) is a matter of life for this "old" circuit: almost 8 km long, one of the fastest, with uphill parts, all manner of twisties and curves. It's truly a wonderful circuit...
Last May I did a donen laps around Spa-Francorchamps with my Carrera: great, I was extremely careful because it was raining and I haven't the slightest DE or other racetrack experience. (Yes, more than one P-car was destroyed there that weekend). Last week, they had a FIA 24 hours race, two GT3's in the first 3 finishers (2nd was a Fiat Maranello ). The only reason the Porsches won was because it rained a lot, and the Porsches have skinnier tires than the Vipers, which were slithering all over the place... In two weeks time there's going to be the renewed "1000 km of Spa": Le Mans cars... Spa has seen 50 years of GP racing of all manners...there's a 917 in the local museum, it won there...
To us, Gentlemen, that is THE news of the day!

[Glasgow 911SC]

Good news indeed. It was silly not having the best circuit in this years championship.

[Paul Franssen]

Yes Glasgow, and count me in for a good word in favor of your southern neighbours of Silverstone. Bernie, my arsch.

[Glasgow 911SC]

Yeah. That was the 1st Grand Prix for a while that I've really enjoyed.

[jpachard]

YESSSSSSS!!!! This is FANTASTIC news...Now if only they hadn't emasculated the Hockenheimring we would be all set!! I hope too that someone drops B. Ecclestone on his head a few times so they stop bickering about Silverstone!! I have heard rumors too of a second US GP.....Please let it be Watkins Glen or Laguna Seca and not some lame street course( nothing against street courses but here in the states they just don't have the allure Monaco has)....

Cheers, James

[Paul Franssen]

Hey James, ole' Glasgow. OT? Well, not 100% entirely, I guess maybe ((I'm my usual diplomatic Limey -note the capital "L"- and Frog (likewise) self here)) ...even got the brackets straight ..given the slitely ..inebriated.. situation (I'm well seated on solid soil, and -as far as I know- there's no U.S. regulations -yet- about being pissed on the internet).
The grand F1 discussion. I'm not an expert. I'm growing into F1. After a supremely boring 2002 F1 season, there's a bit of ...improvement. Fernando. Others, too. I'm sorry to sound negative about Bernie. Maybe he's got reasons to be sorry, too. (but we're no match, I guess, sorry about that). To be entirely truthfull, I like the Silverstone GP: the circuit seems to be fast, it's technical, and it's not entirely artificial. I wouldn't so much mind a 'fair' mix of artificial 'video' circuits and the truly great classic monumental ones. OK, nowadays there is no more justification for the origianal Nürburgring: too dangerous (Jacky Ickx survived the seventies: bravo Jacky - both of them: it was irresponsible to have these boys..men..persons killed in that manner) - 10%, including the 917. History? Immensely interesting - afterwards. There's passion and then there's commerce. I noticed the yellow Jordan cars (I like this Irishman!) now advertise the Shanghai GP. The only reason my jogging shoes are cheap is because the Chinese national shipping container line ships them cheap (some $250 for a 20' container Shanghai to Antwerp. Free trade. Free? So, if I'm to understand it, there would be F1 racing in China, in Bahrain (OK - I don't mind, it's OK) to the expense of European races. Who builds these cars? The Chinese? The Malaysians? Even the Renaults are built in England! Some sense of proportion would be more than welcome.
A technical manner in which to make this "on topic": Williams-BMW, McLaren-Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault, TOYOTA (kudos!), Honda: whathedeygot in common? Brand names! Forget Jordan, Minardi (NOT said without respect, but they're "subsidized" bondo-poor Verstappen). Who's missing? VW-Audi. PLEASE will they do something! The entry of VW (Bentley, Porsche) into F1 would provide more dynamics into the racing scene than ole' Bernie could ever dream of.
To all those who have fallen asleep tyring to read this: good night. To the others...shoot, after all, this is a gallery

[TimT]

Watkins Glen would have to do some safety improvements before F1 would consider returning. They would also have to pick a date other than late fall for the race (winter can start in september in the finger lakes region LOL)

[Jim Garfield]

That IS good news about Spa being reinstated. It is the last of the great tracks (and only slightly emasculated in the safety/ chicane frenzy).

I just read today that the USGP at Indy has been moved to the third week of June for '04.... more good news.

And wouldn't the third week of June be a perfect time to have an F1 race at Watkins Glen instead of that nasty Oct. weekend that they used to get?.... I'm still trying to dry out from attending those races in the seventies.

[}{arlequin]

viva Eau Rouge!

[Paul Franssen]

Thanks for the support, Harlequin, I think I had a bit too much "Eau rouge" yesterday evening (but it wannent no "eau"!) Today's GP was another sorry spectacle, I'm afraid, really too bad for Barrichello and Ralf Schu. Kimi's slid down a bit on my evaluation roster. Montoya had a great weekend. BTW, there's rumours of dropping Montreal? The F1 circus needs some stability, awrite...mighty unpleasant keeping everyone on their toes like that, playing with millions...

[Neilk]

Paul, were you watching the same race? Ralph is the one that caused the accident. Here's a quote from the BBC website

"Ralf Schumacher will be demoted 10 places on the grid at the next Grand Prix for causing the first-lap pile up in Germany on Sunday.
Race stewards found the German Williams driver guilty of causing the accident that took himself, Ferrari driver Rubens Barrichello and McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen out of the race at the first corner.

The stewards said Schumacher had caused an avoidable collision and "admitted to paying no attention to the position of the other cars" when he moved to his left to get a better line. "



I feel sorry for poor Kimi. His race was ruined and if Michael hadn't finished 7th his title chances would have be reduced to zero. I look forward to seeing next year's race in Belgium. What a track!

[Paul Franssen]

OK, I'll grant that the "officials" (1) know the rules better and (2) have much more experience (and, yes, my son said Ralf could have moved to the right...he could have...yes) but the way I saw it (repeatedly) was Kimi trying to be the fast smart... on the left without there being enough room. I abide by the decision. Still Kimi doesn't have the class, and he lost out, which does not cause me the slightest anguish. As to Barrichello, he now knows what the earl of Sandwich invented BTW, the manner in which Michael passed Trulli (over and beyond the advertisement zone, via the safety tarmac) should, in my view, not be tolerated. Again, I don't knoiw the rules, but if such behavior is acceptable, they might as well run the race on a square piece of asphalt without drawing any lines (this is, in fact, a good argument in favour of concrete walls: stay on course, or die.) Life is tough, but as everyone knows, when the going gets tough...

[Jeroen]

Hey Paul,

That's very good news! Not so much for F1, but for the survival of the Spa-Francourchamps track.

I've driven it too and it's an absolute blast!

Do you have any more info on the 1000km of Spa? That would be a very cool event to visit.

Cheers,

Jeroen

[}{arlequin]

well at least Michael ended up with a flat following that "outside" manouver... I also think that should have been disallowed, a bit like cutting a corner when you overcook it, if it's an illegally gained position then give it back up ... it may be "runoff" area, but normally that would be grass or gravel and he would have never been able to pull it off

[Paul Franssen]

Well, "arlequino", here's a link to the 100 km of Spa, which is being "confirmed" for 29-30-31 august (24 hours race I guess 30-31st). I don't know exactly what is beinc confirmed to what extent, but I intend to drive down with my son and Porsche partner of 14 to have a look, if the weather is nice enough.

And on 12, 13 and 14 September (6 hour race is on the 14th) there's the "classic 6 hours of Spa" where (traditionally) there's a beautiful field of cars and "classic" races of all kinds (two years ago: GT40, Cobra, Lotus, Posches, Bizzarini, TVR and plenty others) competing, very nice to see the "1970"ish cars screaming around, and -two years ago- entry was free of any charge...


http://www.race-rally.be/2003/1000kmspa2003/Defaultgb.htm

Ja Jeroen, I 100% agree: no way they can keep Spa in tip-top shape without the major bucks (and OBLIGATIONS) F1 generates: the Belgian (Walloon) authorites are already whipping up the cream for all sorts of automobile clubs, tourist offices, and the local authorities to put their hands together to upgrade, make necessary changes, organize a successful 2004 event.