Canadian GP dropped for 2009 - WTF??????

I did ALMS this year and it was fun. But it is a far cry from F1. I mean Mika Salo is THE star in the ALMS paddock. And rightfully so. But when he drove for Toyota barely anybody payed attention to him in F1.

When you watch ALMS you can't shake the feeling that a solid mid fielder in F1 would simply clean up the entire ALMS grid. Same goes for the cars.

Show me a car that goes faster around a road course and you can have the title of pinnacle of motorsports. Until then, F1 remains king.

 

Appears they've scheduled Turkey on the date that Canada was originally on the calendar for. Not sure where they'd squeeze it in at this point.

Bastards. I was going to take my son to his first F1 race this year.

 

Way to go Bernie...
adding a terrible GP in an industrial park in Valencia which nobody went to, probably because Spain already has one
and a patheticly impossible-to-pass and bumpy Singapore GP which isn't worth watching...
I'm switching to MotoGP, far more interesting and not poorly managed.

 

The chance for F1 to dump the FIA existed not to very long ago. Bernie and Co get the lions share of TV revenues not the teams.
Ferrari was Bernie's sole supporter for awhile. Look at current race decisions. You may be able to find a link. Williams eventually folded as well. I think they got their 20 pieces. Everyone capitulated at that point.
Bernie has grown the sport and there has been an increase in money earned. It is up to the teams to revolt, gain more % of income and control their own destiny. But they have to act as one.

 

You can't compare the two, they are two different types of motorsport. Mika Salo has a competitive car in ALMS, but he had an inferior one in F1, that's a huge factor right there.

From Wikipedia:

Lap records

On August 20, 2006, Toyota F1 test driver Ricardo Zonta set a new lap record of 1'06.039.[6] The previous record time was 1'07.722, set by Helio Castroneves in a Penske Champ Car during the 2000 CART Honda Grand Prix of Monterey. The record was re-taken by a Champ Car on March 10, 2007 by Sébastien Bourdais, who lapped in 1'05.880 during Champ Car Spring Training.

Since Zonta's time and Bourdais' times were set during an exhibition and testing (respectively) and official records can only be set in race conditions, either in qualifying or during a race, they are unofficial times. The official record remains 1:07.722 set by Helio Castroneves in qualifying for the 2000 race.

Haha, this is mostly in jest, but you did ask for it!

 

I went to the Moto GP at Indy. We were closer to the Track than any auto race I have been to in years. Great racing (they pass each other), terrific support races and a nicer and better crowd. Rossi, Hayden etc are loaded with personality. Most of the riders waved at the crowd leaving the pits and waved, wheelied on slow down laps. GREAT SHOW. They would be great in Montreal too

 

Since you're so quick at bringing Champ into the equation, you might also want to look up what their times for the Canadian GP were.

F1 at Monterey would pulverize anything ever driven there if they would only run there in earnest. Sadly Ferrari mismanaged the only chance they once had at doing so.

 

Here is a radio broadcast link today about what the Canadian F1 press think the root cause is, and its not anything that has been posted yet.

These guys think its strictly a power play on behalf of Mosley to force the engine manufacturers into accepting the FIA's future plan to dramtically cut costs, which the manufacturers don't want. The threat is we'll take away your biggest market by pulling the only North American race unless you accept the FIA's future rules. Take a listen.


http://fan590.com/ondemand/media.jsp?content=20081007_105434_13432

 

The Champ cars were about 10 to 12 seconds a lap slower at Montreal if memory serves me. There is no comparison.

 

Maybe Bernie's next step is to hold all 18 races at Paul Ricard since he owns the track and spectator attendance is unnecessary. To call this the “World Championship of Motor Racing” with no North America event, may be a bit presumptuous imho. Sponsors and manufacturers cannot be very pleased to lose the exposure to North American market, if for no other reason than to diversify their risk in sales in other markets that are suffering like North America such as Asia and Russia. The FIA attempts to come up with new ways to allow for passing by changing the chassis and tire rules and thereby increasing the costs to the teams to develop new cars to meet these new regulations all the while they continue to get more street circuits and Tilke tracks that encourage one lane parades. I do hope and hold some belief that this is yet another attempt by Bernie to extort $$$ from a race organizer, at least this pattern is consistent. For the first time in 36 years I think I may be getting more sleep on the weekends during race season and having more time for other things in my life, maybe it is time to move on…

 

Agreed, I almost watch none of the F1 races anymore, but am glued to the screen when a ALMS race is on.

I see (A)LMS going over F1, cause in F1 there is no overtaking, it is boring.

Rumor is Mika is going Nascar next year! Huge fan of his coolest guy I have ever met. Really hope he stays a Risi.

 

In 2007 I went to my first Indy GP and they get dropped from the calender.

In 2008 I went to my first Canadian GP and they get dropped from the calender.

Maybe I should start showing up at some of the character-less circuits so they'll get dropped-or else I'll just catch some MotoGPs to watch real racing.....In Italy Ducati is a short ride from Ferrari and unlike a Ferrari, I actually own a Ducati.

FORZA DUCATI!!!! )

 

Well, go to Silverstone. Oh wait, that is getting dropped.

It is artificially enduced through different classes. If F1 would run alongside A1GP there would also be more overtaking.

For once we completely agree. I have a glass of Chianti to that tonight. Salute Franco!

 

At least they'll still have a GP-maybe I'll go to Singapore on Luca's dime.....

 

I wouldn't count on that. The general consensus is, that Donington was a shell game by Bernie to a) yank it from Silverstone and b) yank it from the UK because Donington won't get it done in time. If they don't, Bernie gets even more $$$.

I do hope Donington gets done in time, but I'm not holding my breath. Right about now they should be getting the government's permit to go ahead. Anybody from the UK who follows the story?

 

Bernie wants to take F1 from the English speaking nations? If true at least the Aussies are safe

 

I can't believe this crap! Montreal is such a great town! Easy access to the track. The place was packed last year and party central. I've told all my friends what a great time I had there.

I was thinking about going to Europe next year but now I don't know if I want to give them my money?????

 

Well, I just came home from Petit to this news, and I have reservations for Montreal. I would have to disagree with your impression of ALMS, but then I am an Audi fan too. The last hour at PL watching McNish drive was fantastic. And who's that Christian Klein guy? He had the faster car, but whenever they hit traffic, the gap would grow. Maybe the passing is artificial, but the skill required to drive through that traffic is very real. And just a little exciting too. Audi has faced a faster car all year, and made it work through careful planning, teamwork, and skilled driving.

Combine that with watching the debacle that has become the Ferrari team, I don't know whether I want to switch to a Euro F1 race or go to Sebring. If I had paid money as a tifosi to go to Singapoo, I would have wanted to open a vein. No doubt the atmosphere at F1 is a big step up, and the night race looked like a helluva party. And the cars are certainly the pinnacle (no wait... the V10s were all that, but now we may have no aero, and spec series engines?). But the thought of having to endure smarmy Hammy on the podium... I think it may be more than I can bear.

I don't know, I can blow money almost anywhere.

Next year GT2 will have Ferrari, Porsche, Aston, and Corvette. Acura is thinking of going to P1. Could be a great year.

Dumping the Canadian GP may actually kill F1 for me. The wife wants to go, so that could save it, but I am in a foul mood now.

 

I watch World Superbike......probably the best sports entertainment on TV. The riders are more aggressive, and are more "hardcore" than the pansy GP riders.

 

Nothing will ever replace F1 for me. Unless it is faster around a road course.

I went to the Canadian GP this year and liked it (3rd time), but also figured it was time to move on. There are so many GPs in the world to choose from. Make it a European vacation, I bet your wife would like Paris, Barcelona, Milano or London. Mine does.

 

I mean in just classes. Look at the amount of over taking in GT2, they are overtaking al the time.

With Acura going P1 (Yes it is for sure, friends with someone on the team.) And with all the new cars in GT2 there is nothing better than a ALMS race.



Also look at the technology in ALMS, there are cars with hybrids, and bio-fuels, different engine sizes all in one class. (A)LMS is the pinnacle of motorsport in my mind.

 

After watching the local news this evening, I can tell that a lot of folks (some with some serious clout) are not happy. You can't just yank the Canadian GP and think people are going to lie down.

In the end, if Montreal wants a GP, they've got to resurface the track, improve and update the facilities...and not be too lite with their contribution to Herr Ecclestone's Nationalist Socialist Party.

 

Lmao, no **** man. You take your love for F1 waaaay too seriously, I was just poking some fun at ya. Nothing else really gets me on the edge of my seat like an exciting F1 race, no other form of mototsport or event, not like F1. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate other forms when F1 isn't on. The Petit Lemans was pretty awesome, at least towards the end it was.

 

The FIA is quite seperate to Bernie, Bernie wants money, money, money. And thats all so he needs to go where the money s. The New money Grand Prix's are sponsored by the government and no private enterprise can match that. So until the British Government steps in and offers to give Bernie $100 mil USD per year, the risk will be dangled and I reckon he will axe the British GP from 2010. And why the f**k should the government pay for a sporting event such as this. Are they saying the Grand Prix teams are going to pay mega bucks to shift to some other location because silverstone doesnt have the GP, give me a break.................

As to what impact the economic crises will have, maybe the North American market wont be as important, but consider the Russian stock market dropped 20 odd % last night, what are the chances of the Russian GP going ahead in 2010................

Timmmmmmmmy

 

I suspected Canada was going to be eliminated after the USGP became extinct yet again and I'm not surprised the shriveled human ferret decided that Abu Dhabi offered something North America couldn't, other than a multitude of incredibly loyal and dedicated fans. I will most likely watch the rest of the season but without the fervour I've felt towards F1 since I was a child. I don't know how I'll feel about it next year. I'm sure another racing series or combination of racing series' will fill the hole of F1 in Montreal eventually, but they aren't anywhere near ready to step up next year.

I sincerely hope the throngs of new fans in Abu Dhabi enjoy F1 as much as I have until now.