No German GP next year?

[WhiteBlue]

As it looks today the 2013 edition of the German GP could be going nowhere. The regular venue is supposed to be the Nürburgring. The Nürburgring and the Hockenheim Ring have agreed some years ago to alternate the event between them to avoid some of the exorbitant fees they have to pay to Bernie Ecclestone. Just recently the liquidator overseeing the insolvency of the Nürburgring commented that talks about a 2013 race have broken down. Now Hockenheim told DPA that they are not too keen to jump into the gap either.

We are, of course, in constant contact but it has never led to negotiations on a Formula One event in Hockenheim in 2013. Before a grand prix in Germany goes we would in any case be prepared to talk,but priority has in any case Nürburgring.

It would be inconceivable if F1 manages to snub their biggest market in Europe in order to collect insane fees from the race venues. The poison dwarf needs to sort this mess pronto before it becomes an even bigger scandal.

[Cam]

Bernie Ecclestone was already in talks with Hockenheim about replacing the mid-July event next year, while the crisis-struck Nurburgring is grappling with an insolvency process.

Wasn't Bernie already in talks with Hockenheim as a plan B? Probably all part of Bernie's plan to angry up the blood in Germany (we've seen what happens when that occurs) to force a decision that works in his favour. Does he work any other way?

[Hail22]

Bernie Ecclestone was already in talks with Hockenheim about replacing the mid-July event next year, while the crisis-struck Nurburgring is grappling with an insolvency process.

Wasn't Bernie already in talks with Hockenheim as a plan B? Probably all part of Bernie's plan to angry up the blood in Germany (we've seen what happens when that occurs) to force a decision that works in his favour. Does he work any other way?

Wasn't there also a threat from the German prosecution that they would put out an interpol warrant on Bernie over the "fraud/corruption" scandal?

So perhaps he is using this as a leverage tool for them to back off of him?

[raymondu999]

Wouldn't Plan B be to do a Hockenheim-only German GP? As opposed to having Hockenheim every other year, and no German GP every other year?

[Cam]

Wouldn't Plan B be to do a Hockenheim-only German GP? As opposed to having Hockenheim every other year, and no German GP every other year?

Yes, Ray, sorry, I should have clarified that. To be clear, that is only was is said in various online publications, so the reality may be somewhat different.

@Hail22 - LOL, maybe you're right, I hadn't considered that. If Germany did however refrain from seeking the truth and justice on an outstanding and somewhat extremely important matter, simply to ensure a motor race, would be a travesty of justice on an epic scale. Germany is trying very hard to be the 'look to guys' in the EU, so that's not a good look to again, allow cash to interfere in legal matters. That said, it could actually be the case, the Germans have a habit of letting things through:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34ag4nkSh7Q[/youtube]

[browney]

To some extent isn't dropping various European GPs likely to happen given the financial state of Europe at the moment? While I am surprised that the German one is in the firing line.

It sucks for us fans that the iconic tracks are being replaced by some of the rubbish new ones (why does Tilke keep getting the job???), but the continent as a whole has many GPs in a relatively short distance (compared to the size of Australia and the USA, for example) when there is no money and banks/countries are being 'bailed out'. Maybe a reality is that between Spain, France and Germany there can only be 1 GP in that region for a while and people who want to go, have to travel?

This is far from my ideal situation as, I love many of the European tracks, in fact I just went to the German GP this year, but neither is 25% unemployment in Spain and still having massive strikes, or Germany and France as the effectively holding up the European economy.

[WhiteBlue]

This is a straightforward economic problem like the one Silverstone used to have with Bernie. He has driven both Nürburgring and Hockenheim into hugely expensive modifications with his demands. Now both circuits are unable to pay the deficits from his race fees every year. I'm afraid the only solution to having an annual German GP will be a reduced fee. The issue has nothing to do with European fiscal policies, who pays for bailing out Greece, Spain or Portugal or even the Griebkowsky corruption affair. The number of European GPs is protected by the FiA. It must not fall under a certain figure. I reckon when Germany is unable to pay Bernies fees other European countries will follow suit very shortly. So in the end it will all depend of the FiA enforcing the their rule of a minimum of European GPs. Another job for Mr. Todt I'm afraid.

[bhall]

[...]
The number of European GPs is protected by the FiA. It must not fall under a certain figure.
[...]

Since when?

[Cam]

[...]
The number of European GPs is protected by the FiA. It must not fall under a certain figure.
[...]

Since when?

Good question. Is there an actual FIA regulation or clause somewhere? If there is, it begs the question why the tracks haven't ganged up and used that little gem for their benefit. Imagine if they all pulled stumps and refused to host a GP, with that clause in place they'd be some serious blowback and have some serious negotiating power.

[stefan_]

It is a shame if other European races drop off the calendar. With all the respect for other people around the world, but Formula One was "born and raised" in Europe and I think this is where the biggest fans and people who know the sport better than average are. Where do they want us to get, to the point in which we fight for tickets, climb trees or telephone posts to have a glimpse of the cars? This is would be ridiculous.

I'm getting annoyed by the statements like "Oh, we have other markets, we have to expand F1 and make it a global event because it is a 'World Championship' " - bullshit. Bernie sents F1 where the money comes from.

[beelsebob]

It is a shame if other European races drop off the calendar. With all the respect for other people around the world, but Formula One was "born and raised" in Europe and I think this is where the biggest fans and people who know the sport better than average are. Where do they want us to get, to the point in which we fight for tickets, climb trees or telephone posts to have a glimpse of the cars? This is would be ridiculous.

I'm getting annoyed by the statements like "Oh, we have other markets, we have to expand F1 and make it a global event because it is a 'World Championship' " - bullshit. Bernie sents F1 where the money comes from.

The other problem is that Bernie's leading it down a boom then bust path. He's got a surplass of tracks and can charge the earth to race at them. When they all, one by one, realise they can't make a profit with those fees, they'll all one by one back out, and F1 will be left with nothing. Of course, I guess bernie doesn't much care about that – he'll have made his cash and be gone in a couple of years when it happens.

[WhiteBlue]

The number of European GPs is protected by the FiA. It must not fall under a certain figure.

Since when?

Don't know since when but It was mentioned several times when the British GP was under discussion for a very long time. It is part of a package that is written into the CA protocols and deals with the number of races, the restrictions on pay TV and the like. It would be very unwise IMO to tamper with the GPs in Britain, Germany, Italy, Belgium and Monaco. They are the foundation of the sport and the business in my view. It is bad enough that the historically important French GP has been in constant decline for decades. Very few teams, drivers, manufacturers and sponsors have come out of France if you compare it to Britain, Germany and Italy. Germany has been a power house for the F1 business with one of the biggest developed TV and sponsorship markets and a bunch of potential manufacturers.

[beelsebob]

The number of European GPs is protected by the FiA. It must not fall under a certain figure.

Since when?

Don't know since when but It was mentioned several times when the British GP was under discussion for a very long time. It is part of a package that is written into the CA protocols and deals with the number of races, the restrictions on pay TV and the like. It would be very unwise IMO to tamper with the GPs in Britain, Germany, Italy, Belgium and Monaco. They are the foundation of the sport and the business in my view. It is bad enough that the historically important French GP has been in constant decline for decades. Very few teams, drivers, manufacturers and sponsors have come out of France if you compare it to Britain, Germany and Italy. Germany has been a power house for the F1 business with one of the biggest developed TV and sponsorship markets and a bunch of potential manufacturers.

IIRC it's not the FIA that limits this, instead, it's the teams insist on it, as the more long haul flights they need to do the harder the season is.

[bhall]

Don't know since when but It was mentioned several times when...

In other words, you just made that up?

Ecclestone recognizes only one sacred cow as far as circuits are concerned, and that's Monaco, which doesn't even pay for their race. Everything else is negotiable. Have money? F1 will travel. And viewership numbers seem to indicate that no one really cares.

It's only going to get worse for the "legacy circuits" now that the so-called "Steering Committee" is F1's lone legislative body, because promoters don't have any seats in this new committee. As part of the "F1 Commission" - and they're heavily outnumbered there - they can only vote for or against measures already decided by the "Steering Committee."

[PlatinumZealot]

As it looks today the 2013 edition of the German GP could be going nowhere. The regular venue is supposed to be the Nürburgring. The Nürburgring and the Hockenheim Ring have agreed some years ago to alternate the event between them to avoid some of the exorbitant fees they have to pay to Bernie Ecclestone. Just recently the liquidator overseeing the insolvency of the Nürburgring commented that talks about a 2013 race have broken down. Now Hockenheim told DPA that they are not too keen to jump into the gap either.

We are, of course, in constant contact but it has never led to negotiations on a Formula One event in Hockenheim in 2013. Before a grand prix in Germany goes we would in any case be prepared to talk,but priority has in any case Nürburgring.

It would be inconceivable if F1 manages to snub their biggest market in Europe in order to collect insane fees from the race venues. The poison dwarf needs to sort this mess pronto before it becomes an even bigger scandal.

If your country can't afford a race then tough luck says Bernie. From Bernie's point of view it is not his fault that Nurburgring can't work around his requirements. Whether they sell more tickets or get more sponsors... that's what they have to do to keep up with Bernie!