2009 F1 schedule revised...Montreal cancelled!

[rktsci]

News is just making its way out of Europe that the FIA has revised the 2009 F1 calender and Montreal is no longer on the schedule (in fact Turkey was given its traditional June date)! I'm absolutely pissed that this has happened! This is one of my go to events every summer. Bernie Ecclestone just finds a way to screw people out of more money at every chance he gets. With the US hoping to get back onto the schedule for 2010, I just don't see how they will fit in two races into an already packed schedule. What bugs me most is that most teams had agreed to run upto 20 events while sacrificing the summer break...so what gives?



What do you guys think?

[STeeLy]

The FIA is doing this so the teams could get a summer break... but if they've agreed to sacrifice summer break, I don't understand this move.

Also, the track needs major resurfacing done to it since all the drivers were complaining about it... if that gets done, I hope FIA puts Montreal back on the circuit... hoping to actually watch a race there one of these years.

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

The circuit in Montreal has needed resurfacing for many years now and I believe Montreal has promised that this would be done also for many years, without actually fulfilling those promises. It also needs a lot of other upgrade work to bring it to modern standards.

The F1 race in Montreal this year was an embarrassment, both to F1 and the host city organizers. The condition of the track and the patch job they needed to do just so they could have a semblance of a race, was nothing less than disgraceful.

I don't blame Ecclestone and the FIA at all for taking Montreal off of the schedule. The city of Montreal has only been all too happy to take the FIA's money and all the extra revenue associated with such a presitgious event and have not invested anything back into improvements on the circuit itself. They deserve what happened to them.

Am I dissapointed? Yes. As a huge F1 fanatic, I am absolutely dissapointed. However, I blame the incompetent, corrupt and greedy politicians and organizers in Montreal.

I'm sure the race will come back once Montreal invests back into the circuit and brings it back to a semblance of a world class venue.

If anyone thinks Montreal is a world class race venue, then you are simply delusional and just need to take a quick look at some of the other circuits that have hosted F1 races this year. The last and most recent race in Singapore would be a solid example of what F1 will be expecting moving forward and really, as a fan and spectator, I don't blame them for that...

Here is the actual press release:

FIA issue revised 2009 Formula One calendarOn Tuesday Formula One racing’s governing body, the FIA, released an amended calendar for the 2009 world championship. A provisional schedule was issued in June.

The revised calendar sees the Turkish Grand Prix changing from its original August slot to a June date, while the Canadian race has been dropped. In another revision, the Italian and Belgian races have swapped positions, with the Spa event now taking place on August 30, a fortnight before the Italian Grand Prix on September 13.

The 18-race championship will reach its finale in mid November with the inaugural Abu Dhabi race.

2009 FIA Formula One World Championship:
29 March Australia
5 April Malaysia
19 April Bahrain
10 May Spain
24 May Monaco
7 June Turkey
21 June Great Britain
28 June France
12 July Germany
26 July Hungary
23 August Europe (Valencia)
30 August Belgium
13 September Italy
27 September Singapore
11 October Japan
18 October China
1 November Brazil
15 November Abu Dhabi

[bluntman]

If it is dropped permanently, then we have a problem. Otherwise, it is the FIA's "polite" way of saying "get your act together" to the Montreal organizers.

[Go_Habs_Go]

it sucks that the race is being pulled off the schedule for 09!!

I've been going to this race every year for the last 4 or 5 years so it will definitely be a void in my summer next year. :-(

hopefully they will get it back...

And while yes, the track in Montreal needs to be upgraded, there are other tracks in the F1 circuit that are quite old too. Certainly some of the European ones (not to mention the Monaco street race) don't have great surfaces or pit zones either.

Let's be clear about one thing. Ecclestone is moving to the new venues NOT because they are world class venues but because they are paying millions and millions of dollars to Ecclestone and the FIA!! The money in China, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, etc is just flowing and they are certainly able to pay a much higher fee to F1 and Ecclestone than Montreal can. This is not just about track conditions.

Anyway...sad news and let's hope we get the race back. The only hope now is that the constructor's will be upset about not getting exposure in North America and may push to have the race re-instated like they did back in 2003.

[Cardinal Fang]

Shit.

Montreal had it coming after the last two years. Last year the hair-pin turn practically delaminated in front of millions of people. This year the same thing nearly repeated itself. Can't say that helped the cause in deciding to keep the race.

Montreal is a race of the past. It's hard to compete with the new tracks like China and the night race in Singapore.

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

it sucks that the race is being pulled off the schedule for 09!!

I've been going to this race every year for the last 4 or 5 years so it will definitely be a void in my summer next year. :-(

hopefully they will get it back...

And while yes, the track in Montreal needs to be upgraded, there are other tracks in the F1 circuit that are quite old too. Certainly some of the European ones (not to mention the Monaco street race) don't have great surfaces or pit zones either.

Let's be clear about one thing. Ecclestone is moving to the new venues NOT because they are world class venues but because they are paying millions and millions of dollars to Ecclestone and the FIA!! The money in China, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, etc is just flowing and they are certainly able to pay a much higher fee to F1 and Ecclestone than Montreal can. This is not just about track conditions.

Anyway...sad news and let's hope we get the race back. The only hope now is that the constructor's will be upset about not getting exposure in North America and may push to have the race re-instated like they did back in 2003.

Agree to a point. Yes, some of the older European venues need upgrading too without a question. However, there is a much greater heritage and following for F1 in these locales, so they will be much more reluctant to cancel a race in Europe. However, over recent years, F1 has indeed moved away from many of these circuits. For instance, last I heard, they will not be racing at Silverstone next year in the British GP and are moving it to a different venue and believe me, there was/is huge outcry over that in the U.K.

Monaco is not comparable because Monaco is one of the most presigious race events in the F1 calendar and has such a steep history in F1 racing. It will always be on the calendar as it brings in huge amounts of money to F1.

Is Ecclestone moving to new markets because they are paying him millions of dollars to host the event? Absolutely and racing is also huge in most of these markets too. He would be an idiot not too and Bernie is not anyone's fool. However, all of these circuits are also world class in terms of circuit, team accomodations etc. all.

You ask any F1 driver which is the worst circuit on the calendar and i bet you that almost every one of them says Montreal. The track in Montreal this year was literally falling to pieces and apart from the ridiculous spectacle this makes in front of millions of fans in the T.V. audience, it was also making it extremely dangerous for the drivers and it was seriously affecting the outcome of both qualifying and the race itself more than any track should...

Say what you will about any of the other tracks in F1, but none of them have the same serious list of issues and deficiencies that are so prevalent in the Montreal circuit.

I wouldn't expect Montreal back on the calendar for at least 3+ years. I think F1 will come back, if for nothing more than some NA exposure, but they will expect the Montreal organizers to get their collective shit together before they do. Working against us is the fact that F1 has always struggled in the NA market which is so uber-Nascar focused. They have their die-hard fans, but lets face it, the F1 following is not on the same level here as it is in Europe and the rest of the world. North Americans seem to enjoy the WWE (Nascar) of motorsports much more. Hey, is that some debris I see on the track with 5 laps to go??? Hmmmm, better pull everyone back to formation again just to make it better for T.V.... :chuckle

[x_o_k_x]

:flaming:bang:complain:loco

[iconicrocket]

You know this would make an incredible opportunity for Toronto. What's wrong with building a F1 track here? and get the Canadian GP for Toronto?

Just wondering out loud.

[b.rabbit]

You know this would make an incredible opportunity for Toronto. What's wrong with building a F1 track here? and get the Canadian GP for Toronto?

Although it might be nice, but where can we fit it in? Exhibition Place? The same track as the "Molson Indy?"

[iconicrocket]

Exhibition Place is nice. They could also go with the Downsview site, great way to pump money into the economy.

[rktsci]

As much as having the race in Toronto would be great it is not worth the cost unless you have other major events taking place on it which would jeopardize the health of the other southern ontario race tracks. Most new venues being constructed recently have cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

What bothers me most about this was that it was previously announced that the Canadian GP had what was apparantly a secure contract until 2011 and that even after the decision was made to axe the race, no one bothered to call the race organizers to tell them! They found out like we all did through the media.

After reading all of the responses, I must admit that I did forget about the issues with the track at this years race. I know that they did fully repave the circuit a few years ago (2004 I think...I just happened to be there shortly after they finished the work) and yes they do repave local sections after events. The only thing that has changed at the track was that they now run the Nasacr Nationwide Series race there and that apparantly was/is very hard on the track surface because they run twice as many cars as F1 does and the tires they use. Maybe the track was worse for wear and no one knew about it? I'm not trying to justify the track conditions but just come up with some possible reasoning. If this was a contributing factor then Normand Legault and the rest of the organizers should definitely be held accountable for this as F1 is your number one event should and that shouldn't be compromised for a junior Nascrap wagon fest.

[Fobio]

We are the only fuxking city in the world where we have residents PROTESTING AN OLYMPIC BID. Good luck trying to get a race track into Downsview, which by the way I support 110%. You want to clear up street racing?! Put in a full-service tracking facility with all the new safety measures with on-site medics...hell, even do NASCAR there to draw crowds and make $$$...it costs about $50 million to build a full-service track, last I checked...

Anyway...Montreal had it coming...F1 is a race to the top, not the other way round...hopefully, they turn it around cuz F1 races goes with the economic tides...not having an F1 race in North America is a bad sign of things to come or already here...

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

We are the only fuxking city in the world where we have residents PROTESTING AN OLYMPIC BID. Good luck trying to get a race track into Downsview, which by the way I support 110%. You want to clear up street racing?! Put in a full-service tracking facility with all the new safety measures with on-site medics...hell, even do NASCAR there to draw crowds and make $$$...it costs about $50 million to build a full-service track, last I checked...

Anyway...Montreal had it coming...F1 is a race to the top, not the other way round...hopefully, they turn it around cuz F1 races goes with the economic tides...not having an F1 race in North America is a bad sign of things to come or already here...

+1...

Downsview would be an awesome site. However, don't count on a track coming anywhere near Toronto as long as the current tax happy and anti-automobile regime of David Miller and Dalton McGuinty are running the show in Toronto and Ontario, respectively... A total pair of f'ing :AH's.

[Cardinal Fang]

As much as I'd like to see Toronto with another race it lacks an important ingredient that most F1 races today has. The Spectacle.

It isn't enough for a competitive track to be the center point of an F1 weekend. The FIA is now looking at what the city can offer in terms of the spectacle. After the success of this years night race through the streets of Singapore pundits have started pushing the City of Las Vegas to put on a night race through their streets.

Seriously....how can you compete with that?

[iconicrocket]

So we can rule out Cardi and Broli pole dancing as a spectacle?

[x_o_k_x]

I think Im gonna go to Italy to watch F1..

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

So we can rule out Cardi and Broli pole dancing as a spectacle?

:whoa


:ttiwwp

[Cardinal Fang]

*Fires gun at iconicrocket*

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

As much as I'd like to see Toronto with another race it lacks an important ingredient that most F1 races today has. The Spectacle.

It isn't enough for a competitive track to be the center point of an F1 weekend. The FIA is now looking at what the city can offer in terms of the spectacle. After the success of this years night race through the streets of Singapore pundits have started pushing the City of Las Vegas to put on a night race through their streets.

Seriously....how can you compete with that?

Bingo...

They just released some details and computer images of what the inaugural race in Abu Dhabi will look like next year.

The F1 website has the computer images and here is the press release...

http://www.formula1.com/

Yas Marina Circuit unveiled by Abu DhabiAbu Dhabi Motorsports Management (ADMM) have unveiled the Yas Marina Circuit, host to next year’s inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, in a unique art exhibition at the Emirates Palace. The exhibition features a selection of images of the new track’s facilities that have been transformed into pieces of art.

Highlights include the stunning Yas Marina Hotel with the track running right through it, the Sun Tower 60 metres above the track allowing VIP guests the perfect view of the action and the Marina with a yacht club.

Commenting on the launch, Philippe Gurdjian, ADMM CEO, said: “Yas Marina Circuit took over my life more than a year ago, and now I’m very proud that Abu Dhabi can present one of the most sophisticated Formula One race tracks in the world. A hotel which spans the track, a marina with a beautiful yacht club, and with grandstands which are 100 percent completely covered - this has never been seen before.”

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, was among the VIP guests and regional and international media who attended the opening.

They were able to review the centrepiece of the display, an interactive scale model of the track. In addition to showing the Formula One track and its landmark elements, the model also showcases Yas Marina Circuit’s many other facilities such as a karting track, dragstrip, business park, team buildings and all the circuit’s innovative grandstands.

“Yas Marina Circuit represents a significant investment in leading edge sporting infrastructure,” said His Excellency Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of ADMM. “It is a state-of-the-art piece of engineering, design and construction. The circuit and its surrounding footprint join an expanding collection of home-grown initiatives that will positively change the shape of Abu Dhabi in the months and years ahead. It has therefore been conceived, designed, and is currently being built according to the particular needs and features of the city in which it will belong.”

The exhibition continues until the end of November. The first Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will serve as next year’s season finale on November 15, 2009.

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

Looks like they cancelled the other French race too...must be a conspiracy...:chuckle

LONDON -- A slimmed-down Formula One championship using standardized engines is being proposed to ensure that the sport survives the global economic crisis.

Drastic cost reductions will be discussed at a meeting next week in Geneva hosted by FIA president Max Mosley with the 10 team chiefs.

"Even before current global financial problems, teams were spending far more than their incomes, in so far as these consist of sponsorship plus FOM (Formula One Management) money," Mosley said in documents sent to the teams.

"As a result, the independent teams are now dependent on the goodwill of rich individuals, while the manufacturers' teams depend on massive handouts from their parent companies."

PARIS GRAND PRIX CANNED

PARIS -- The 2009 French Formula One Grand Prix has been cancelled for financial reasons.

"For economic reasons, the FFSA (French Motorsport Federation) has decided to cancel the (2009) French Grand Prix," a statement posted on the race's website said (www.gpfrancef1.com).

"The FFSA would like to thank all those clients who attended the French Grand Prix and have supported the event in the last few years."