Comments on: Video: Why is there no Dubai Grand Prix?

By: Lucas

Lucas — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 18:05:03 +0000

Forgot Indonesia to be considered.

By: Lucas

Lucas — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 18:03:15 +0000

I wonder why GP2 Asia has a small number of races. It should be ten rounds:-

Bahrain – Sakhir
Abu Dhabi – Yas Marina
Malaysia – Sepang
Indonesia – Sentul
Dubai – Dubai Autodrome
Qatar – Losail
China – Shanghai
Korea – Yeongam
India – Jaypee
Japan – Suzuka

Not in that order but still, those races in GP2 Asia would be good enough. Maybe Qatar, Dubai, Malaysia and China should be considered to replace Bahrain for GP2 Asia now.

By: R. Brown

R. Brown — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:38:22 +0000

as dubai vol said, it just isnt a place for F1. Dubai is a great place but has absloutly no orginality. Its like the west, just in the east. With my experince of Bahrain, its nearly as modern as Dubai but stil with a culture. And also a motoracing fantaical history. I mean okay the stands whernt filled up but 28,000 people turned up for the V8 race there which isnt even known in the Middle East… Also when the GP comes the WHOLE nation goes into GP mode (went to the GP this year from the UK), but in Dubai it will just be another event. Thats why in my opinon Bahrain deserves the GP much more. The crown prince is a life long fan and he is the one which built the track and then the whole nation got hooked on F1 and MotoGP.

By: Tony Rowlstone

Tony Rowlstone — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 10:56:54 +0000

Dubai Vol

Spot on, also when they built the track they did not put enough stands around it, this was also a requirement for F1 now they are building flats and apartments l doubt there will be any room to put up more stands, they are also building a multi lane interchange at the entrance, you would not be able to get in or out of the track, that is why nobody goes to it

By: Dubai Vol

Dubai Vol — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 18:10:56 +0000

Dubai doesn’t have a Gp for one simple reason: Sheikh (not Sultan) Mohammed wouldn’t pay Bernie’s fee. The circuit was built to lure an F1 race here, but the price to host a GP was too much for Mo. A1GP was founded to create a need for the Dubai Autodrome after Mo dcide not to pay Bernis for a GP. Then at the first Dubai A1GP race nobody came. I got in free just by turning up, and the place was deserted until the bused in loads of laborers to fill the stands. Sheikh Hasher Maktoum, who founded A1GP, threatened not to come back to Dubai if no fans came; they didn’t, so he didn’t, and shortly sold his interest in what had becaome an embarrassment. Meanwhile Dubai autodrome continues to search for a purpose, and while it is busy, runs at a loss. Union Properties, the owner, is looking to recoup its losses by building thousands of apartments and office buildings on the land around the track. I am a racing fan, but not stupid enough to live next door to a facility that runs 7 days a week. Nobody else who works there is either. And the idea that things are built to last here is laughable. The flats being built in Dubai are falling down when they open. Some places were condemned before anyone could move in. If anyone you know is looking to buy property in Dubai, tell them DON’T! Don’t say you weren’t warned.

By: Uppili

Uppili — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 04:30:49 +0000

I am willing to bet that Dubai will be on the F1 calendar by 2011 or later. I think Bernie is waiting for the Ferrari theme park to get completed. If you observed closely during the GP2 Asia broadcast, you could see all the construction in progress with tonnes of heavy equipment. No one is going to make such huge investments without plans in place.

By: Pink Peril

Pink Peril — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 01:55:07 +0000

Perhaps Dubai is where my beloved Melbourne GP will end up.

There, or Russia

By: Steven Roy

Steven Roy — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 23:46:50 +0000

Was it not a member of the Dubai royal family who started up A1GP? Still I am sure Bernie wouldn’t hold a grudge and deny them a GP because of that.

By: openwheelfan

openwheelfan — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 23:35:55 +0000

These Emirates have alot of disposable income. They are all looking to the future without oil. Ironic that they decide to build tracks. I remember an interview with the Sultans of Dubai’s head engineer. This is the guy responsilble for the development in Dubai. You know the islands shaped like palm trees. He flat out said that he is intructed to build this Emirate into the business and financial capitol of the region. But the really amazing thing is that he said that the Sultan had instructed him that Sultan did not want his county to rely on oil dollars. The Emirates have so much money that whatever they build is built to last and the best materials are used in their construction.

Looking at the theme park’s press release– Did they have to pay F1 for the logo. I am sure they did. Bernie gets the money and does not even need to bring a race to the track–brilliant huh!!

By: Daniel

Daniel — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 21:05:07 +0000

oops, Dhabi… bad spelling of mine…