They just announced the date August 25,2013. Still moving forward. What a crappy date - the end of August in Rome?? Can you say hot & steamy? Plus Italy being on vacation that time of year; most things are closed. This is a GP to skip Kevin
Well, there is a lot more to the story than this: http://www.motorsport-aktuell.com/automobil/zuversicht-in-rom-erster-grand-prix-im-august-2013-3286368.html Some of the key points of this report: - the project is on target for the 2013 GP - all permissions have been obtained, only Bernie/FIA can say no at this point - the date is somewhat arbitrary, it is also the date of the Belgium GP, which is on very shaky ground at this point - the date would mean that the two Italian GPs are consecutive, which is not a good idea from a ticket selling perspective - the organizer is now making the official request to the FIA to add the race to the calendar for 2013 I agree, that a GP in the heat of August is not much fun, but for the reasons above it is likely this date will move. Besides: It is Bernie who selects the dates and not the race organizers. I can't wait for this race to appear on the calendar: Endless possibilities to combine it with a dream vacation in Italy.
I would even bet a case of beer that this is what's going to happen: swap Turkey for Rome No idea whether Spa survives but Rome taking its place in the calendar with the Monza GP next seems unrealistic.
The race promoter in an Italian newspaper. ...ok I hear the cynics sharpening their pencils. Or is that booting their iPads now?
Thx: haven't looked at his years too much.... Seems like there will be some major re-shuffling going on over the next few years. 20 gp's is going to be too many. The superfan that followed every race this year flew 154,000 miles.....
Getting local approval is vital but it seems that they may be hasty in claiming that date. BTW Wouldn't that fall in the mandated F1 vacation?
Yes to reshuffling And no to too many: if they get rid of the three and more weeks breaks it should be doable
And there's the first problem!. Bernie needs to fit more GP's into the season from the up and coming countries with money to spare, so is he really going to push for a second GP in Italy that is going to take up space in an already busy calender?. The races that have a significant history in F1 are already coming under pressure, never mind one that has no history at all. Turkey could be at risk due to the poor attendances, as Ecclestone has already hinted, but he's not interested in the money made from attendance, his money comes from the TV rights, so that doesn't sound like it's guaranteed to disappear (plus, doesn't Ecclestone own the circuit?). Valencia could be dropped but would a second race in Italy generate more income than a second race in Spain?. My monies on there being only one race per country in the future and if it comes to that, I'd much rather see the Italian GP held at Monza and not around some industrial estate! (Forget any romantic notions of a Rome GP with cars racing past the Colosseum). (BTW, I seem to recall Ferrari saying that they were against a second GP in Rome, not that that means as much as it used to).
Not so fast: I could easily see that happen as a promo stunt in the week leading up to the race. Akin to the RedBulls racing across the chain bridge in Budapest, the transcontinental bridge in Istanbul or the F1 cars at Piccadilly Circus in London. Just imagine how glorious that'd look: A F1 Ferrari thundering by the Colosseum. In fact GT5 players can imagine that quite well
Whilst I totally agree that it would look glorious, I can't see the leaders of Rome ever allowing it due to worries about possible damage from the incredible vibrations that F1 cars create when on full chat. A demonstration run is fine, but a full blown GP?, that's a whole different level of disruption and vibrations!. Part of the point I was making is that when a Rome GP is mentioned, it does seem to conjure up romantic images of actually racing around the city centre. However, the harsh reality is that the race is to be located around an industrial estate on the outskirts of the city (which is not quite the same thing I'm sure you'll agree).
The area chosen is not the outskirts of the city, just a different part of the city. It is not a terribly pretty part because that's where Mussolini built his fascist temples made of concrete. There are some museums even worth visiting. It is not an industrial neighbourhood as you make it out to be, just not the glorious parts of Rome either. However the glorious parts of Rome are only a subway ride away (a bit like Montreal) and that's where the before and after parties will happen. For us folks coming from the States a trip to Europe costs thousands of dollars (each roundflight ticket is about 1k per person, plus another 1k for hotel and food, so a long GP weekend for a couple is easily 3k). Going to see "just" a GP is IMHO a sin given all the resources that go into such a weekend, so to me it makes a lot of sense to have other attractions bundled with that like visiting a glorious place such as Rome. Plus it gives the Misses something to do while we're at the track. When you're a young bloke from England flying to Rome for a hundred bucks with your buddies, then yes, it matters little what else there is, but coming from the States you want to make your bucks go a bit further than just a GP. My two dimes.
Trust Me, If I'm going to Rome, be it on a holiday or with some buddies for a GP, I'm going to want to see all the classical sights of Rome and throw My coins in the fountain, "see Rome and die" as the old saying goes. But, as it stands in England and the UK right now, super unleaded petrol (gas) is @ $9.31 per gallon, Value added tax (VAT) has just gone up to 20% and I've not seen a pay rise for three years. Whilst traveling to Rome is not as expensive from England as it is traveling from the USA, financially, for the majority of the nation over here, things are tighter than a ducks arse on a pond in winter and so there's a big difference between spending that hard earnt cash on seeing a race round the major sights of Rome and one that is "just around the corner", on roads that could be pretty much anywhere. Besides, My opinion is : Stuff racing in Rome!, the last time there was any interesting racing there it was four horse power and Ben Hur was winning!. If I spend My hard earnt on seeing racing in Italy, the only place I truly want to go to is Monza: THE CATHEDRAL OF SPEED!
The mayor of Rome stated publicly that if it comes down to having a GP at Monza vs one at Rome, he would withdraw his request to host a race. He only wants to pursue a GP in Rome if there can be two races on Italian soil. My suggestion: Call the one in Rome the GP of the Vatican. The Pope gets to wave the checkered flag
It seems I have fallen into a common trap when it comes to that particular saying!. However, if it comes to seeing Naples or Rome,then for Me, I'll see Rome and live! . But if it comes to Rome or Monza, you'll find Me on the old banking, paying My respects to the legends and the heroes of the past, who were the gladiators of the golden age of motor racing, risking life and limb purely for the thrill and I wouldn't be surprised to find Myself shedding a tear at the emotion of being there!.
Monza was on my short list of Italian must sees. It didn't disappoint. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I had been planing for a couple of years to go there last year with a young lady friend of mine but the sadly the recession that hit the UK robbed Me of the opportunity and so I have to start planning the trip again for sometime in the future. She's not a Formula 1 fan but was prepared to make the pilgrimage (for that is what it truly is!), to Monza with Me for a day, during our trip to Italy. I did explain to her that she probably wouldn't really understand it, but I would more than likely get very emotional at being there. (I still can't explain why but for Me it would be something incredibly spiritual, like a chance to feel the ghosts of the past race again!). Our deal was for Me to See Imola, Monza and Maranello and the rest of the trip was for us to see all that she wanted to see! ( We both wanted to see the lakes and Rome so that made it easier). I'll have to sort it out one day, but I'm sure there will be tears!. (sorry for going off topic to everyone else by the way and for getting a bit soppy in the process!)
