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[EwanM]

Ecclestone admits interest in Montreal and NewYork
Ongoing pressure for a return to North America
12/04/09 17:01
http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/n ... 0102.shtml

F1 could return to Canada, and NewYork is the only viable alternative to Indianapolis for a US Grand Prix, the sport's chief executive Bernie Ecclestone has admitted.

Following falling outs with both North American venues, the F1 chief executive is now under intense pressure to take his sport back to what is arguably the world's most important market.

Reports that Montreal could be reinstated to replace struggling new venue Abu Dhabi were wide of the mark, but 78-year-old Ecclestone admits he has not forgotten about the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

"We are trying to get that back on again," he told Motor Sport magazine. "The government is interested."

The British billionaire is less keen on making up with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, saying instead he is interested in pursuing options in NewYork.



"It is the one place where someone could make a business out of it," he said.

"Apart from Indianapolis (...) there is nowhere in America we could go to and hold our head up and say 'this is comparable to other circuits we are building around the world'," he added.

Ecclestone cautioned that reinstating North American races also depends on teams agreeing to more than 17 Grand Prix per season.

© CAPSIS International
Source: GMM

[EwanM]

Sepang reconsiders F1 night racing
Race to be held either earlier or later than twilight
12/04/09 17:50
http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/n ... 5039.shtml

The possibility of a second Formula One night race on the 2010 calendar has stepped up a notch.

Despite Malaysia previously hesitating at the concept of installing expensive floodlighting, the chairman of the Sepang track now admits night racing is not so unappealing.

Officials of the venue near Kuala Lumpur have already expressed concern about the events of last weekend's race, which was curtailed by 24 laps amid torrential rain and fading light.

"After every race, we have discussions with Bernie Ecclestone to see where we can improve," Sepang chairman Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir told the local New Straits Times.

"The question of having the race earlier or at night will be finalised soon," he added.

The 'twilight' concept was agreed as a compromise for 2009, amid pressure from the F1 chief executive for a night race to better serve the bulk European TV audience.

But Mokhzani now sounds open to the idea of full night racing.



"We can recover the cost (of installing floodlights) by renting out the track for other events," he said, although he admitted that night racing would not be a perfect solution for Malaysia.

"There were objections to holding the race at night because they wanted the skyline to be visible during racing," said Mokhzani.

Malaysia's current Grand Prix contract runs until 2015, but Mokhzani suggested the country wants to feature permanently on the F1 calendar.

Crowd numbers in 2009 were significantly down but "this was because of the economic slowdown," he insisted.

© CAPSIS International
Source: GMM

[EwanM]

A return to American and Canada would be an excellent move. Not sure I'd like another street circuit though.

As for another night race....

[Frosty]

I hope they bring Canada back even if the track fell apart every race it was still a great circuit with a lot of real F1 fans unlike some certain other venues. In my opinion every continent except for Antarctica should get a race

[Denthúl]

A return to American and Canada would be an excellent move. Not sure I'd like another street circuit though.

As for another night race....

If it's a good street circuit, I don't care. Some of the American street circuits are pretty cool. But if it's another Monaco, I'd prefer not to have it. Canada, as always, would be great.

Sepang needs to be a daytime race. A night race is alright on a street track, like Singapore, but on a purpose-built circuit it is a bit naff. Also, it would take away from Singapore's unique position.

[EwanM]

A return to American and Canada would be an excellent move. Not sure I'd like another street circuit though.

As for another night race....

If it's a good street circuit, I don't care. Some of the American street circuits are pretty cool. But if it's another Monaco, I'd prefer not to have it. Canada, as always, would be great.

Sepang needs to be a daytime race. A night race is alright on a street track, like Singapore, but on a purpose-built circuit it is a bit naff. Also, it would take away from Singapore's unique position.

I'd agree with what you over the night race.
As for American street circuits, the only one I think that would pull off F1 these days is Long Beach.

[FranticFury]

From the Past History of the United States Grand Prix, its not a intirely good one for Street Courses, I.E Phoneix, Detroit. Indy would of been prolly still be on the F1 Schedule if the 2004 Situation did not happen, but I do not see another USGP for a long time yet. But im still in shock that Montreal was pulled off the schedule this year. Last Years race was one of the more exciting races, with Kubica winning, after a horrible crash in 2007 there.

[Rivelution]

Crap. Why cant they have it on the west coast so that I dont have to travel all the way to NY.

[Hanwombat]

Bring Canada back!

Not another night race! I only good thing about last years was Ferraris screw up

[billindenver]

I am on the fence about an American race to be honest, and as can clearly be seen in my avatar..I live here. That Indy race where fans threw beer bottles on the track was as embarrassing a time to be an American as any I can remember. In embarrassment points, it ranked right up there with every time George W Bush opened his mouth. It is appalling to discover that your countrymen can be so incredibly ignorant and I'm not looking forward to another opportunity to feel that way, to be quite honest. Canada...absolutely...but I'm not sure about America. I would be behind a race in Canada and another in Mexico long before a race in the states. Maybe after USF1 gets off the ground, and if they do well enough to gather a fan base...maybe then enough Americans will watch F1 to realize just how ignorant and backwoods their Nascar mentality really is. Until then...I would rather not have the ignorance of my country exposed yet again.

[darwin dali]

I am on the fence about an American race to be honest, and as can clearly be seen in my avatar..I live here. That Indy race where fans threw beer bottles on the track was as embarrassing a time to be an American as any I can remember. In embarrassment points, it ranked right up there with every time George W Bush opened his mouth. It is appalling to discover that your countrymen can be so incredibly ignorant and I'm not looking forward to another opportunity to feel that way, to be quite honest. Canada...absolutely...but I'm not sure about America. I would be behind a race in Canada and another in Mexico long before a race in the states. Maybe after USF1 gets off the ground, and if they do well enough to gather a fan base...maybe then enough Americans will watch F1 to realize just how ignorant and backwoods their Nascar mentality really is. Until then...I would rather not have the ignorance of my country exposed yet again.

Au contraire! I'd rather have a race in the US to showcase F1 and sorta educate the American public and that way nibble away on the Bushite retro mentality - we've started already with the election of Obama. Let''s keep pushing!

[Denthúl]

The USA needs two Formula One races in order to have a decent enough impact. One on each side of the country would be a good idea, if there are two suitable circuits in those locations.

[darwin dali]

The USA needs two Formula One races in order to have a decent enough impact. One on each side of the country would be a good idea, if there are two suitable circuits in those locations.

I agree, also with the two locations - the so-called 'heartland' seems to be lost to redneck nasticar for the foreseeable future...

[Denthúl]

The USA needs two Formula One races in order to have a decent enough impact. One on each side of the country would be a good idea, if there are two suitable circuits in those locations.

I agree, also with the two locations - the so-called 'heartland' seems to be lost to redneck nasticar for the foreseeable future...

Maybe right-turns are too complex for them?

I always liked Watkins Glen and Laguna Seca, though I'm not sure how those would be as Formula One tracks.

[darwin dali]

The USA needs two Formula One races in order to have a decent enough impact. One on each side of the country would be a good idea, if there are two suitable circuits in those locations.

I agree, also with the two locations - the so-called 'heartland' seems to be lost to redneck nasticar for the foreseeable future...

Maybe right-turns are too complex for them?

I always liked Watkins Glen and Laguna Seca, though I'm not sure how those would be as Formula One tracks.

Back in the days, the Glen used to be on the F1 calendar...