Post by blacktulip on Sept 21, 2010 14:21:12 GMT
One of Formula 1’s more established races may have to make way for the revived US Grand Prix in 2012 after Bernie Ecclestone indicated he wouldn’t want to see the calendar expand beyond 20 races.
The FIA recently released Formula 1’s first 20-race season for 2011, with the new Indian GP added to the 19 rounds that have made up this year’s fixture list.
The scheduled return of the US GP, at a new venue in Austin, Texas, to the sport in two years’ time and the possibility of future races in Rome and Russia have raised the spectre of even further expansion.
However, while always keen to push F1 into new markets, Ecclestone reveals he actually feels a calendar closer to 16 races – which was the norm from the early 1980s to early 2000s – is more sensible.
Nevertheless, with the 20-race precedent now set, F1’s commercial boss reckons that should remain the upper limit – meaning one of the current 19 races will likely lose its slot on the calendar in 2012.
The FIA recently released Formula 1’s first 20-race season for 2011, with the new Indian GP added to the 19 rounds that have made up this year’s fixture list.
The scheduled return of the US GP, at a new venue in Austin, Texas, to the sport in two years’ time and the possibility of future races in Rome and Russia have raised the spectre of even further expansion.
However, while always keen to push F1 into new markets, Ecclestone reveals he actually feels a calendar closer to 16 races – which was the norm from the early 1980s to early 2000s – is more sensible.
Nevertheless, with the 20-race precedent now set, F1’s commercial boss reckons that should remain the upper limit – meaning one of the current 19 races will likely lose its slot on the calendar in 2012.
