Reaction to the Provisional Formula One 2007 Schedule

by user Alex Holowczak

Date		Grand Prix	Location	Winner	Team	Report
March 18, 2007		Australia	Melbourne			Report
April 8, 2007		Malaysia	Sepang			Report
April 15, 2007		Bahrain	Sakhir			Report
May 13, 2007		Spain	Catalunya			Report
May 27, 2007		Monaco	Monte Carlo			Report
June 10, 2007		Canada	Montreal			Report
June 17, 2007		United States	Indianapolis			Report
July 1, 2007		France	Magny-Cours			Report
June 8, 2007		Britain	Silverstone			Report
July 22, 2007		Germany				Report
August 5, 2007		Hungary	Hungaroring			Report
August 26, 2007		Turkey	Istanbul			Report
September 9, 2007		Italy	Monza			Report
September 16, 2007		Belgium	Spa Francorchamps			Report
September 30, 2007		China	Shanghai			Report
October 7, 2007		Japan	Fuji			Report
October 21, 2007		Brazil	Interlagos			Report

Notes:

• The San Marino Grand Prix and European Grand Prix have been dropped from the calendar for 2007.
• The German Grand Prix will no longer be solely hosted at Hockenheim. It will be shared with the Nurburgring, hence the reason for the European race being dropped from the schedule. Both tracks were losing money, so this was the logical arrangement to solve the problem. The two tracks will choose where the 2007 race goes amongst themselves.
• The Belgian Grand Prix makes a welcome return after a year's absence due to track modifications. It will be held incredibly late in the year though, which is usually an indication that it could be about to be bumped off permanently.
• The Japanese Grand Prix moves to Fuji. This is sad as Suzuka is a great track, and a favourite with the drivers and fans alike. There is still hope (negotiations are in progress) to hold a Pacific Grand Prix at Suzuka in 2007, but this would require schedule re-arrangements.
• The San Marino Grand Prix still has a spot theoretically open on April 29, so the race at Imola may still go ahead. This is still a possibility that this race can go ahead, as the Grands Prix in France and Britain have been left off preliminary calendars in recent years.
• The European Grand Prix may still go ahead, but not at the Nurburgring, it may be at another track such as Brands Hatch, Donington Park, Misano, Mugello, Jerez or even Valencia.
• It is a knockback for Grands Prix in Mexico and the western USA, which had hoped to be included on the calendar for 2007.
• Australia is back to season opener, having moved from the opening spot in 2006 due to hosting the Commonwealth Games.
• The European races are back in their traditional order (Belgium excepting), having only been moved to avoid clashes with the World Cup.

The initial 17 races are without doubt the best 17 available. I think it is right that the German Grand Prix is shared, as both tracks are shadows of their former selves.

I still prefer my ideal schedule!

It's a good thing that Imola has been dropped as it is more remembered for the deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger in 1994 than the great races there. It only came into the schedule when Monza was closed for the 1980 Italian Grand Prix, when it was being improved. The following year, the FIA liked Imola, and decided to create the San Marino Grand Prix. But the track is now a shadow of its' former self, blighted by chicanes. I hope it is not on the 2007 schedule.

I do hope that Suzuka hosts a race though. It would take a bit of re-organisation, but the Pacific Grand Prix at Suzuka would be a great race on the calendar.

As for Fuji, it hosted the first Japanese Grand Prix before the weather near Mount Fuji caused the race to be scrapped. This could still be a problem, but we'll have to wait and see if it will be any good.

I think that the trimming from 18 to 17 is a bad thing, and 20 would be an ideal season length. This would need a European race (probably at Valencia - F1 supremo is very interested in hosting a race there), the Pacific race, and granting a place to the new track in Mexico.

But this is as ideal as you can get. The major change I would make is to scrap the Hungarian Grand Prix, and go back to Zandvoort - the Dutch Grand Prix. It could even work as back-to-back races with the race in Belgium. Or include a race at Brno in the Czech Republic. Neither of these will probably ever happen though, as F1 globalises.

It still has a blend of the best tracks in the world, with Istanbul proving to be the best on the calendar, and the ever-present classics such as Monte Carlo, Silverstone, Monza, and other traditional racing countries such as France, Germany, Canada and the United States.

There could still be improvements, but with the addition of Suzuka, the schedule will be as perfect as it could be in 2007. Scrap Imola.

Date

Wed 08/30/06, 9:11 am EST