France, Germany Return in Provisional F1 2018 Schedule

Grand Tourist · Jun 20, 2017

Andrew Harper said:
I managed to save up and attend the race back in 2013.

Ok, it's not the most amazing circuit in the world but as far as a venue goes it simply is unreal. The location, the facilities, concerts every night, Ferrari World and so on. A great weekend and certainly one that I will remember fondly. It is a fun circuit though (at least they can pass one another if they have a go) and the grandstand layout is quite clever as you get very close to the cars.

I was also intrigued by the amount of very attractive women at the venue ..unfortunately most of them were with their millionaire boyfriends....

Most of them....so not all of them

I am glad for you to have such privilege to attend a venue like that...however...from a simple soul kind of view, I can not help to think a lot of it is, well, unreachable, just another world where mere mortals dont fit. I would like to ask, how does the atmosphere feel over there, is it still reality, is it pure with the love for the sport as focus point or are there a lot of people "showing off" maybe gloating about their wealth and so on? Is the passion for motorsport as real as for fanatic race enthusiast who camp by the track with a small tent and mini bbq 24h at lets say Zolder, Spa or Nordschleife? Being part of the latter kind, I sometimes find it hard not to build a preset preoccupied image of the "wealthy" motorsport jetset.

Grand Tourist · Jun 20, 2017

@Andrew Harper .just edited my post in case you missed it

JPL083 · Jun 20, 2017

Grand Tourist said:
I had no idea, still thought it was like that. What a shame

Good old Hockenheim had last race in 2001. After that it got "Tilkeded" to it's current ruin's...

Knoxstar · Jun 20, 2017

I'm okay with the schedule but liked running the Malaysia track in F1 2016. At least for F1 2018 I'll be very familiar with the tracks.

On the scheduling note and the thought of 25 races I think it may be too much for the teams what with all the travel. How about taking these potential 4 new venues and alternate them with 4 of the current tracks? The agreement would allow the new venues in while not increasing the # of races overall. Some of the current cash strapped venues might like a breather of a year off. Also, it would not necessarily have to be the same tracks swapping back and forth....it wouldn't even need to be the same country although it would make sense that 2 tracks alternate as has been done in the past. For example, Portugal wants to host a GP so they are added at the expense of Spain one year, France, the next year and Germany, the year after. In the fourth year they sit out again. Just thinking outside the box here.

Nick Gregory · Jun 20, 2017

I will never understand the circlejerk for the old Hockenheim. All it basically was is very long straights with chicanes to break it up. I don't find that to be very excitng.

BattleOvce · Jun 20, 2017

O M G paul richard, another parking lot ....

TomcatMF · Jun 20, 2017

Dave R said:
I'd rather not have an American GP than have it at the snoozefest that is COTA.

I've attended three races at COTA, 2012, 2013, and 2015, and they all were very exciting to me. I think it is a terrific track. I was surprised to see how often the drivers fought for position in the esses after turn 1. The track layout rewards hard driving, and makes for some really good racing.

Last years race was a snoozer, but that was more down to the Mercedes dominance than anything.

larre90 · Jun 20, 2017

Paul Ricard could be very nice, depending on the chosen layout. But they shouldn't drive @ Hockenheim. Public interest in F1 recently dropped in Germany because the track is boring, after the circle with the Nürburgring stopped. But I heard that F1 talked also to other german tracks like Sachsenring and Lausitzring. Also they want to add more races in the USA. One in New York, one in Detroit, one on the COTA. Maybe Road America or a return to Glenkins Wat?

Also I agrre, they should make more changes year after year. At least 5-6 new venues each year, with some of the current ones take a pause. But they should take tracks in the same countrys. Like Monza takes a pause and race at Imola. Hockenheim/Nürburgring/(Lausitzring Tri-Oval? XD). Paul Ricard/Magny Cours/Circuit Bugatti. Albert Park/Adelaide. Suzuka/Fuji/Motegi/Okayama. Sochi/Moscow Raceway. Get rid of Aserbaidjan and reintroduce Istanbul Park. There are more then enough tracks to do so.

Rob · Jun 21, 2017

TomcatMF said:
I've attended three races at COTA, 2012, 2013, and 2015, and they all were very exciting to me. I think it is a terrific track. I was surprised to see how often the drivers fought for position in the esses after turn 1. The track layout rewards hard driving, and makes for some really good racing.

Last years race was a snoozer, but that was more down to the Mercedes dominance than anything.

Did you attend any other tracks? I can't imagine COTA can compare to Road Atlanta, Willow Springs, and Watkins Glen. No Tike track can, IMO. Looks like Uncle Sam thew up from the T.V. perspective. While it's unique for a Tilke track (largely because there were two others involved), it's still a Tilke track...built for the FIA, and not racing. But I defer to you, since you have been. And being at any race is better than watching on TV, for sure.

I have only been to one F1 race (Spa 2009), but about 1000 races in the U.S. (Road Atlanta, VIR, Road America, Laguna Seca,etc.). The smaller, scrappier, and more humble series' were almost always better. Why? Cost. Fan passion. Ancillary expenses. Accessibility. And lack of central control. The fans at your typical ALMS race or TransAm race were there because they were either part of the racing community or bigger fans than all of us put together. So, you learned from them, and often made connections that got you a ride. It was that dedicated. Spa was like being at a funeral, but the cars were going so fast and were so loud, that I forgot.

But if you are thrown a bunch of turds (majority of the tracks in F1), then you have to pick the best turds. And Hockenheim plus France is as good as it gets now (keeps the Euro promise and expands the schedule). And Paul Richard, even if neutered, is historic, like Hockenheim.

kondor999 · Jun 21, 2017

Thank God they got rid of Ecclestone, or right now this headline would read:

New F1 venues announced for 2018: Grands Prix of Brunei and Saudi Arabia to replace Spa and Silverstone!

mikhail000 · Jun 21, 2017

At least it's not Magney Cours nothing but a hard braking corner fest like India and Korea,
I wouldn't mind them bringing back Turkey.
I don't get the hate for Baku it's better than monaco and it's no worse than Canada,
it has the fastest straight of the whole season and the twisty hill section offers a unique challenge.
Actually I wouldn't mind them rotating Silverstone with
Donington.

TomcatMF · Jun 21, 2017

Rob said:
Did you attend any other tracks? I can't imagine COTA can compare to Road Atlanta, Willow Springs, and Watkins Glen. No Tike track can, IMO. Looks like Uncle Sam thew up from the T.V. perspective. While it's unique for a Tilke track (largely because there were two others involved), it's still a Tilke track...built for the FIA, and not racing. But I defer to you, since you have been. And being at any race is better than watching on TV, for sure.

I have only been to one F1 race (Spa 2009), but about 1000 races in the U.S. (Road Atlanta, VIR, Road America, Laguna Seca,etc.). The smaller, scrappier, and more humble series' were almost always better. Why? Cost. Fan passion. Ancillary expenses. Accessibility. And lack of central control. The fans at your typical ALMS race or TransAm race were there because they were either part of the racing community or bigger fans than all of us put together. So, you learned from them, and often made connections that got you a ride. It was that dedicated. Spa was like being at a funeral, but the cars were going so fast and were so loud, that I forgot.

But if you are thrown a bunch of turds (majority of the tracks in F1), then you have to pick the best turds. And Hockenheim plus France is as good as it gets now (keeps the Euro promise and expands the schedule). And Paul Richard, even if neutered, is historic, like Hockenheim.

I would love to see a race at Spa.

The only other road race I have personally attended was the Speed Weeks heat races in Coronado, and those are particularly exciting. I will agree that the lower tier races are more exciting, but I think that the slower speeds of those cars are what produce the exciting races. But I have also attended NASCAR and IndyCar races in Fontana, as well as NHRA races in Pomona.
In fact at the F1 races I went to at COTA they also ran F1 historic, Porsche Cup and Ferrari Challenge races that were loads of fun. Lot's of wheel to wheel racing at the front, and every time the guy running at the back came around we would all giving him a standing ovation. The way that COTA is built it really makes it nice for the fans to see the race, as there are many places where you can see a great deal of the course, as opposed to one or two corners that you would see in some place like Road America or Road Atlanta (but these are still awesome tracks, and I would love to see F1 at Road America).
I found the fans at the F1 races I went to were very passionate about the sport, and there were some newcomers there too that became more interested as the veteran fans explained the intricacies of F1. I met people from all over the world and had terrific conversations with them.
I do agree that it would be nice if they made it more accessible for the fans to get closer to the pits and the paddock, but that has more to do with FOM than COTA. But the new owners of FOM appear to be making great efforts to change things in the area. I'm thinking about going again this year, and if I do I will be sure to write about my experience here.

formidable · Jun 21, 2017

G2_70 said:
why yas marina ?? its a nice track

Is too bland.

Only beautiful, but very bland.

Rob · Jun 22, 2017

TomcatMF said:
I would love to see a race at Spa.

The only other road race I have personally attended was the Speed Weeks heat races in Coronado, and those are particularly exciting. I will agree that the lower tier races are more exciting, but I think that the slower speeds of those cars are what produce the exciting races. But I have also attended NASCAR and IndyCar races in Fontana, as well as NHRA races in Pomona.
In fact at the F1 races I went to at COTA they also ran F1 historic, Porsche Cup and Ferrari Challenge races that were loads of fun. Lot's of wheel to wheel racing at the front, and every time the guy running at the back came around we would all giving him a standing ovation. The way that COTA is built it really makes it nice for the fans to see the race, as there are many places where you can see a great deal of the course, as opposed to one or two corners that you would see in some place like Road America or Road Atlanta (but these are still awesome tracks, and I would love to see F1 at Road America).
I found the fans at the F1 races I went to were very passionate about the sport, and there were some newcomers there too that became more interested as the veteran fans explained the intricacies of F1. I met people from all over the world and had terrific conversations with them.
I do agree that it would be nice if they made it more accessible for the fans to get closer to the pits and the paddock, but that has more to do with FOM than COTA. But the new owners of FOM appear to be making great efforts to change things in the area. I'm thinking about going again this year, and if I do I will be sure to write about my experience here.

Good points. I love your description of the race. It sounds like a great time,and I have often plotted my ticket to Austin, only to have it quashed by FOM prices and lack of access. But your point about Liberty is a good one. I hope things continue to evelve in the right direction.

My point about tracks really is beyond the immediate experience of many, so I understand the misgivings. But, to me, Watkins Glen and is about a million miles apart from Austin. Both in the driving and in the watching. My #1 rule for tracks is...let mother nature do the work, Mr. Tilke. There are endless possibilities, but folks are used to these massive auto-domes. That will eventually backfire because it lacks authenticity. Or, genuineness, rather.

One thing that is hard to argue with is the access and sight-lines of modern tracks. Of course, they are built for that, at the expense of unique natural phenomenon. As an example, I submit to you the old Road Atlanta. "The dip" was not just a legend, but a reality to me. I can't tell you how many cars I watched bounce off the bridge at 100 mph. Of course, that's tame compared to the mental hit drivers would take psyching themselves up for it...because very few things scare professional drivers, but this did (video does not translate, but it was a massive compression, much like Spa, followed by a crest...only this one was blind and needle thin, for the final turn):

Now, IndyCar would not run Road Atlanta because of the dip (but really more because of the parking). But these days, IndyCar pretty open about finding great tracks...and they are mainly outside of Europe, unfortunately. In fact, there is talk of China and Mexico, or Brazil, in a year or two. So, IMO, doing the opposite of F1 will make you rich in a few years.