F1 news review: Threat to Valencia Grand Prix

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In the F1 news this week an EC investigation could put next year’s European Grand Prix at the new Valencia street circuit in danger.

Silverstone is getting a lick of paint and the row continues over the McLaren-Ferrari spy saga and the future of Ron Dennis despite the FIA officially finishing the matter.

All this and more in this week’s news review.

Valencia GP hits potential snag – The European Commission claims there has not been a sufficiently thorough investigation of the environmental impact of next year’s European Grand Prix.

Ferrari still bitter over Stepneygate – Jean Todt asks, “Should Ron Dennis be banned?”

I’m not quitting, says Dennis – Ron Dennis refuses to step down following McLaren’s disaster of a season.

Apology leaves Dennis with nowhere to go – But others think he should step down.

FIA needs to broker lasting peace deal – But what chance of that?

Bulldozers move in at Silverstone – Pictures of the changes to the pit wall at the home of the British Grand Prix.

Christian Horner interview – The Red Bull team manager claims unreliability cost them 24 points in 2007.

Jarno Trulli vs Ralf Schumacher – Mark Hughes compares the Toyota team mates. See also Vitantonio Liuzzi vs Scott Speed (Toro Rosso) and Mark Webber vs David Coulthard (Red Bull).

Low-key launch for Honda – The successor to the flawed RA.107 will be revealed late in January.

Who said what? The 2007 season in quotes – Also see F1 Fanatic’s 2007 in quotes.

How to manage a champion – exclusive with David Robertson – Kimi Raikkonen’s manager speaks.

Alonso open to possible Ferrari future – Is the two-time world champion looking at a Ferrari seat in 2010? And did his grandmother tell him to go back to Renault for 2008?

An interview with Koichi Ogawara, Control Systems Engineer – Super Aguri’s launch control technician. But hang on, I thought launch control was banned?

Ferrari F2008 will be completely new – Radical Ferrari for 2008.

2007 review: How Kimi won the title – A look back at last year.

Kovalainen vows to get along with Hamilton – The Finnish driver insists he has equal number one status at McLaren with Lewis Hamilton.

McLaren hand Lewis top spot – But the Daily Star reckons Kovalainen will have to defer to Hamilton in 2008.

2008 in our sights already: the aerodynamics – More of Renault’s fascinating technical features on their preparations for the 2008 season.

Cabbie Schu in Coburg police probe – Will Michael Schumacher get into trouble over his infamous taxi dash to an airport?

Rodriguez eyes test seat as plan B – Roldan Rodriguez looks at an F1 option with Force India for 2008.

David Coulthard: I would consider NASCAR – The Red Bull driver considers his future in motor racing.

More about the Valencia street circuit

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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8 comments on “F1 news review: Threat to Valencia Grand Prix”

  1. regarding the valencia story was there not a claim of certain people receiving favours or that it was done as a done deal when bernie said he would scrap bringing the race there? – ps how do bernia an max always threaten that tracks/teams will be excluded each year seems a bit samey? – personally I dont see the need to include any more street circuits – they should be on land away but near too major centres of population if being built new – existing courses should stay as usually developers take all the land near them then try to get them shut down due to noise/polution issues – never in a city – madness

  2. The case of Valencia is very special, Bernie was to that town a time before to the local elections, and he said he would bring a circuit but only if certain political party would win the elections. He does not care to dissemble a bit, just pure shamelessness.

    I agree with Alan about the street circuits. In my city we had an urban circuit of the world series and it was very criticized because of the noise, blocked streets, security walls, and a lot of problems. The street circuits are very spectacular, but full of inconveniences and nuissances for the people who are not specially interested on this sport, it is not the best way to popularize it.

  3. I can’t understand what’s the problem with Valencia.

    Where the circuit is going to be built there is a harbour,another sport harbour, residencial buildings and industrial buildings. The “green zone” (mouth of Turia river) they are trying to protect was destroyed years ago.

  4. The problem is that the Turia river flowpath (or something like that) is being affected. It is thought it may even affect a few houses, at least by the environmentalists, and that is why they’ve called for the Valencia GP project to be stalled while a proper environmental impact assessment is completed.

  5. As someone who has spent 20 years on an environmental board I’ve come to learn that the vast majority of people who call for environmental studies use the process to stall or try to cancel development of any kind. The process is legitimate and fills a need, but is often corrupted by NIMBY’S (Not In My Back Yard) who oppose change of any kind.

    Without knowing the particulars of the Valencia issues the worst thing the developers could do is bring forth a half-arsed plan that does not address construction and post construction environmental impacts.

  6. I’ve got a story for George (above). Money corupts everyone including environmental whackos.
    Years ago developers mowed down 25 acres of forrest, drained a small pond behind my land and built a dozen large residental houses. The wild life was driven away, replaced by screaming children and barking dogs. But when I tried to plant grass on the remaining 1/4 acre corner of
    my land ………. OH NO! That’s STILL wetlands conservation area. Further more I was required to PRESERVE what had been destroyed by the moneied developers. Events like this cause the environmentalists to loose all credibility. And back to the Valencia situation,
    the Valencia event lasts a week, caused no harm and returns to usual on Monday. My backyard forrest is gone forever, what good have these folks done?

  7. My sympathies Number 38! Wouldn’t have happened on my watch. The majority of my time was spent attempting to ease the regulatory burdens of single homeowners and making developers comply with the regulations.

  8. My sympathies go to you nunber38 – I have a similar situation at the back of where I live – complete with yelping dog – new building has left a strip of land as a boundary between the houses where I live and the new build – I suggested taking over part of the land for growing veggies etc – went as far as the local councillor and the builders – apparently I cant use it as every house holder in hte new build is part owner of the land?? – a legal cop out – so I am left with not a wet land but a dump for others less interested in finding a decent use for it – so youre not alone there – sense – huh!!! – max must have relations??

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