FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[darwin dali]

ESPNF1
December 27, 2010
Recent rumours that the FIA is looking at Vietnam as a possible venue for a grand prix have been played down by circuit advisor Hans Geist.

A visit to the country by Geist to meet with officials fuelled speculation discussions were moving ahead for a possible venue in the Nha Trang bay area, around 200 miles east of Ho Chi Minh City.

But Geist brushed aside such talk. "My mission is usually to inform interested parties about Formula 1 and what it takes to build a race track to FIA F1 standards and organise a GP," he said. "I would say that of all my informative meetings maybe 10% develop into a serious concept. In Vietnam, my job was purely informational."

He did admit that as far he knew, South Africa, Bulgaria, Romania and Argentina were currently keen on hosting a GP, while there is was interest in the staging of a second race in China.



As if we need another race like this, no know-how, no fans, no racing tradition.
But a second race in China? They can't even fill the seats for the first one!

[nish2280]

I know! It would be dreadful for Formula One to become a bigger and more popular sport. Can imagine what an absolute disaster it would be!?!

I mean, the teams would have more money, there would be more manufacturers and sponsers willing to join the sport, the increase in interest will make people more willing to take up motorsport and there will be more drivers wanting to join Formula One AND to top all of that off the drivers would be forced to be more competitive!

What an absolute nightmare. I so hope Formula One sticks to it's Europeans ways and we can see the same tracks every year with fewer teams as well.

[darwin dali]

I know! It would be dreadful for Formula One to become a bigger and more popular sport. Can imagine what an absolute disaster it would be!?!

I mean, the teams would have more money, there would be more manufacturers and sponsers willing to join the sport, the increase in interest will make people more willing to take up motorsport and there will be more drivers wanting to join Formula One AND to top all of that off the drivers would be forced to be more competitive!

What an absolute nightmare. I so hope Formula One sticks to it's Europeans ways and we can see the same tracks every year with fewer teams as well.

Very amusing.
There are plenty of other (in your lingo: non-European), better suited venue options. Argentina, Mexico, South Africa, USA to name a few.

[nish2280]

I know! It would be dreadful for Formula One to become a bigger and more popular sport. Can imagine what an absolute disaster it would be!?!

I mean, the teams would have more money, there would be more manufacturers and sponsers willing to join the sport, the increase in interest will make people more willing to take up motorsport and there will be more drivers wanting to join Formula One AND to top all of that off the drivers would be forced to be more competitive!

What an absolute nightmare. I so hope Formula One sticks to it's Europeans ways and we can see the same tracks every year with fewer teams as well.

Very amusing.
There are plenty of other (in your lingo: non-European), better suited venue options. Argentina, Mexico, South Africa, USA to name a few.

Ok, Western ways.

And its not like the FIA, or Bernie take out a map and then just say "yeah, we should have one there". The country or a private firm comes up with a proposal and if its good its approved. I'm pretty sure if Argentina, Mexico or South Africa came up with a good proposal like India, Korea, Singapore and Russia have done recently it would most likely get approved.

[julesdw]

I have no problems with a Vietnam race, gives me and the missus even more of an excuse to make the trip we've wanted to do for a while. I think the FIA should make an effort to put some retro tracks back on the map at least ever so often

[Hansy]

I know! It would be dreadful for Formula One to become a bigger and more popular sport. Can imagine what an absolute disaster it would be!?!

I mean, the teams would have more money, there would be more manufacturers and sponsers willing to join the sport, the increase in interest will make people more willing to take up motorsport and there will be more drivers wanting to join Formula One AND to top all of that off the drivers would be forced to be more competitive!

What an absolute nightmare. I so hope Formula One sticks to it's Europeans ways and we can see the same tracks every year with fewer teams as well.

Did you say "more popular"? The stands on most of those tracks show how popular the sport is there...

[texasmr2]

Trying to build the track over existing poppy fields would be a difficult task met with much resistance, maybe Geist watched Tropic Thunder recently ?!?!?!

[Ayrton Senna is God]

I'd like to see F1 return to South Africa and Argentina, places with tradition, history and former great drivers.

[texasmr2]

I agree with the history and tradition it would be great .

[nish2280]

I know! It would be dreadful for Formula One to become a bigger and more popular sport. Can imagine what an absolute disaster it would be!?!

I mean, the teams would have more money, there would be more manufacturers and sponsers willing to join the sport, the increase in interest will make people more willing to take up motorsport and there will be more drivers wanting to join Formula One AND to top all of that off the drivers would be forced to be more competitive!

What an absolute nightmare. I so hope Formula One sticks to it's Europeans ways and we can see the same tracks every year with fewer teams as well.

Did you say "more popular"? The stands on most of those tracks show how popular the sport is there...

So your saying that by bringing Formula One to a new country there is NO interest created.
I can speak from personal experience, before the Singapore GP i had very few friends who watched F1, 3 years later, I'm pretty sure half my school has attended at least one GP.

That means that they have all bought tickets, probably bought merchandise and recieved the full force of formula one advertising.
So yes, it makes formula one more popular.

[Robert12010]

thank heavens f1 is not going there, its going to india this year thats just bearable!

[nish2280]

thank heavens f1 is not going there, its going to india this year thats just bearable!

Why?

[Robert12010]

thank heavens f1 is not going there, its going to india this year thats just bearable!

Why?

well look at the commenwealth games what a disaster that was, dirty hotels, bridges falling over, and they are going to try have f1?, they're going to be a laughing stock!

[What's Burning?]

I'm guessing that where a race is held has really nothing to do with how many fans attend. Bernie makes him money primarily from the contracts to host the race, otherwise races like Turkey wouldn't be happening. I mean the fans actually filling up the seats has to help the local economy/government and I'm sure Bernie gets a cut of that as well. But growing the sport doesn't mean sticking another venue, that just means more money not necessarily more fans.

I know some of these new venues are essentially loss leaders for a country what they're after is global exposure to outside corporations and investors, F1 is simply the vehicle.

[Hansy]

I know! It would be dreadful for Formula One to become a bigger and more popular sport. Can imagine what an absolute disaster it would be!?!

I mean, the teams would have more money, there would be more manufacturers and sponsers willing to join the sport, the increase in interest will make people more willing to take up motorsport and there will be more drivers wanting to join Formula One AND to top all of that off the drivers would be forced to be more competitive!

What an absolute nightmare. I so hope Formula One sticks to it's Europeans ways and we can see the same tracks every year with fewer teams as well.

Did you say "more popular"? The stands on most of those tracks show how popular the sport is there...

So your saying that by bringing Formula One to a new country there is NO interest created.
I can speak from personal experience, before the Singapore GP i had very few friends who watched F1, 3 years later, I'm pretty sure half my school has attended at least one GP.

That means that they have all bought tickets, probably bought merchandise and recieved the full force of formula one advertising.
So yes, it makes formula one more popular.

Yes, Singapore is successful in this regard. While the races there have been awful, it's getting popularity off-track. But what about Bahrain, Turkey, Abu Dhabi? Especially the desert (pun intented) grand prix's, they don't do anything for F1. The only thing they're good at is filling Bernie's pocket