Spanish region may drop F1, MotoGP

[Dr. Venkman]

From The Age website:

Spanish region may drop F1, MotoGP
Madrid January 11, 2012


The government of Spain's northern region of Catalunya is reconsidering hosting motor racing events because of the perilous state of its finances.


"We may reconsider holding Formula One and motorcycling Grands Prix here. It is not clear whether we can do so in the current climate," Catalan economy minister Andreu Mas-Colell said during an interview with RAC1 radio.


"It is not the first thing we will reconsider, but in times like these we have to look line by line at what we are spending money on."



Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya has a deal to host both the Formula One and MotoGP until 2016.


The circuit has been a part of the F1 calender since 1991 and part of the MotoGP fixtures since 1992.


Mas-Colell said the situation must be looked at carefully in order to make sure breaking a contract does not cost more than hosting the race.


"There are contracts that are more expensive to maintain than to break," he added.


Like other Spanish regions, Catalunya is under pressure from the central government to help bring Spain's deficit down and make sure the country does not get dragged into the debt crisis mire that has already forced Greece, Ireland and Portugal to seek financial bailouts.


Late last year the regional government of Catalunya raised taxes, slashed public workers' salaries, and reduce said patients would now have to pay part of their health prescriptions.


AFP

Considering how close some economies in Europe are to falling apart, the potential is there to see the possibility that other nations who host GP's to at least consider ceasing to host or (and this is next part is not mentioned in the article) maybe only biennial hosting of GP's, of course whether the FIM or FIA will allow that sort of schedule to happen is yet another question.

Intersting times ahead methinks.

[BenG]

Of the countries in serious trouble, aside from spain, only Italy hold F1 and MotoGP, and Portugal hold MotoGP only.

I can't see Italy dropping motorsport, it's in their blood. So the Portuguese MotoGP is the only other potential casualty I can see at this point...

[Dr. Venkman]

I agree that the Italians wont want to drop their motor racing events, I was thinking more along the lines of the Czech's, Hungary and Turkey (F1) et al

As I understand it, it will only take one or two economies (not necessarily ones that host motorsport) in Europe to collapse for pretty much the whole thing to become a shambles.

[Ken Oath]

MotoGp is moving into new countries, and tracks, (likely three U.S. Rounds next year or 2014) an back to South America.

The calendar could afford to lose a round or two, without checking there are five rounds in the Iberian Peninsular..(4 in Spain).....I know motorsport is popular there, but that's bit OTT.

[Dr. Venkman]

Yeah the amount of GP's in Europe is a little nuts, especially Spain, not having as many there would relieve the financial pressures on the sport, having to travel that part of Europe 5 times a season would also have to drive the teams nuts, as an aside could this sort of thing, combined with the reasons that Suzuki have officially given contributed to their decision?

I reckon they should have a MotoGP race in Canada and Brazil before they have a second & third race in the states

[Grin]

As long as they don't suddenly cancel Jerez and Estoril this year - got our tickets already!

[TurboR1]

Considering that there are 4 Spanish tracks on the MotoGP calender and 2 Spanish tracks on the F1 Calender it's no biggy. Catalunya typically holds the most boring F1 race each year so that's no great loss.

Venues holding events on a world scale are always in a state of flux... Contracts only run for so long. And money is as it always has been the driving factor.

[TurboR1]

Yeah the amount of GP's in Europe is a little nuts, especially Spain, not having as many there would relieve the financial pressures on the sport, having to travel that part of Europe 5 times a season would also have to drive the teams nuts, as an aside could this sort of thing, combined with the reasons that Suzuki have officially given contributed to their decision?

I reckon they should have a MotoGP race in Canada and Brazil before they have a second & third race in the states

Cheaper to go to Spain 4 times a year than it is to go Stateside twice a year... And considering how much of a party towns the Spanish venues are you'll find that there are little to no complaints...

Spanish Grid Girl;
girl08_0_slideshow.jpg

[Dr. Venkman]

Cheaper to go to Spain 4 times a year than it is to go Stateside twice a year... And considering how much of a party towns the Spanish venues are you'll find that there are little to no complaints...

Spanish Grid Girl;
Attachment 66615

Yes the Spanish grid girls are hot, but they are not exactly mingers anywhere else now are they?

Fair nuff, my main reasoning behind it was that I feel that no country should have more than one GP per season, F1's "European GP" is a freaking joke, if it was rotated through the European countries that have previously hosted GP's but no longer do or more importantly countries that would like to host GP's or I have no problem with. I think the FIM are taking the piss a little with four races in Spain, true that they love their bike racing but two at the most, a race in Belgium at Spa would be good and one in say Denmark.

[Dirty32]

[QUOTE=TurboR1;2484740]Catalunya typically holds the most boring F1 race each year so that's no great loss.
QUOTE]

Im not too sure I'd agree with that... Barcelona / Catalunya is always a pretty good spectacle!
Id be in agreeance if you'd have said that the Valencia / European GP was boring, but not Catalunya...

There have been talks about removing or moving the European GP for a looong time, just hasnt happened yet.

[Para045]

Cheaper to go to Spain 4 times a year than it is to go Stateside twice a year

This^^^ If the teams wanted to save money it would be cheaper to drop places like Oz For the costs involved in getting everything down here compared to the number of spectators it would be way cheaper to just stay in Europe

[fredie]

2 motogp races in germany maybe . they have heaps of cash
more races in the middle east . abu darbi. lol

[TurboR1]

[QUOTE=Dirty32;2484985]

Catalunya typically holds the most boring F1 race each year so that's no great loss.
QUOTE]

Im not too sure I'd agree with that... Barcelona / Catalunya is always a pretty good spectacle!
Id be in agreeance if you'd have said that the Valencia / European GP was boring, but not Catalunya...

There have been talks about removing or moving the European GP for a looong time, just hasnt happened yet.

Sorry I should clarify... In F1 racing Catalunya is the most boring race on the calender, considering all the teams test there and all have their cars fully sorted at that track it just turns into a precession where the quicker guys simply walk away.

Again in F1 circles the Euro GP does move around, It always has and it will continue to do so, all come down to who will pay Bernie Ecclestone the big bucks. Jerez, Nurburgring, Valencia, Imola, Donnington, Silverstone, Monza (and for the history buffs Zandvoort, Spa Francorchamps and Monaco) have all hosted the "European" F1 GP.

Lets also not forget that the "European F1 GP was introduced as a contingency on two separate occaisions because the scheduled GP fell through and another venue had to be sourced..

/History