2012 F1 calendar will not have 21 races, says Todt

2012 F1 season

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Vitaly Petrov, Renault, Istanbul, 2011

Jean Todt has said the 2012 F1 calendar will not have 21 races, contrary to the provisional calendar published by the FIA on Friday.

The addition of the United States Grand Prix to the 20-race schedule planned for 2011 would increase the championship to an unprecedented 21 rounds.

But Todt told Spain’s Diario Sport there would “absolutely not” be 21 races in 2012:

“There are 21 dates, but the championship will be with 20 Grands Prix.

He added he did not know which race would be dropped to cut the calendar down.

However the Turkish Grand Prix was listed as “subject to confirmation” when the calendar was published. Its original seven-year contract with FOM expired this year.

View the 2012 F1 calendar.

2012 F1 calendar

    Image © Renault/LAT

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    Keith Collantine
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    54 comments on “2012 F1 calendar will not have 21 races, says Todt”

    1. Then why didn’t they say that in the first place?

      1. Yeah, these guys seem to have really meaninfull discussions in the WMSC.

        1. Is Todt trying to **** people off at the moment, because he is doing a good job of it.

        2. The decisions they get are so meaningless because after the decision of placing the Bahrain GP now they have to place the Indian GP, and the calendar shows 21 races but Todt is sure there will be only 20…

    2. Turkey should be first to out.

      1. Why? It’s a great circuit. Sure, the crowd numbers might be down – but it’s a better layout than a few of the circuits we’ve got. On the basis of their circuits, you could reasonably drop Valencia, Catalunya, Abu Dhabi, Singapore and Bahrain before Istanbul. Though with a few easy changes, you could make Valencia and Singapore very good.

        1. I’m not saying I hate Turkey or Turkey is bad circuit. just based on business principle and current situation. If not Turkey, Where else? probably this is why Bernie asked them more money. to cut them.

          1. Actually, it’s a standard Bernie tactic. Once the original contract expires, the fee to renew is double the original cost. This is to weed out a) countries who want a quick profile boost by hosting a Grand Prix, and then disappearing, and b) countries who commit to a second contract, but lose interest. The terms of the second contract will generally see lower fees in subsequent years than on the first contract; the organisers pay for two Grands Prix the first year of the new contract, which is then subsidised by all subsequent Grands Prix on that contract. When the second contract expires, they’ll still have paid the same amount as they did on the first contract, but the payment plan is structured differently. Doubling the fee for the first race of a new contract is a sign of commitment.

            Does that make sense?

            1. Mouse_Nightshirt
              7th June 2011, 16:18

              Where’s that from?

      2. I think Baharain shouldbe drpped first.such a boring race…

        then Valencia….

        Turkey for me is a gud track with that awsome turn 8. we will miss this track if in case this is dropped from the calender…

        1. For sure… these would be my two votes as well. Bahrain and Valencia should go. And as others have said, Abu Dhabi could go too. Turkey, as a circuit, is a far better destination.

      3. Should as in will probably be.
        Otherwise Turkey should remain.

    3. I think Turkey will be axed if that stay then they should definitely should drop Valencia.

      1. i dunno, i like Valencia. its Bahrain and Abu Dhabi that i hate and i think should be kicked out before Valencia

        1. You like Valencia ?

          Do you suffer from insomnia or some other form of sleep deprivation :-)

          1. it’s better than Catelunya

          2. Valencia is alright. Sector 3 is good.

            1. I don’t understand why some like Valencia, except for Webber Flying last year & some drama with Ferrari in the pit over the years there isn’t too much to talk about this event.
              Bahrain is good with the old configuration & watch out for this year Abu Dhabi will be good too.

    4. Maybe better drop the summer break and make the season more compact – it would allow some extra time off between the seasons.

      Or realign the races so the all “european”,”asian + AUS” and “americas” are together – would be more logical.

      1. The problem with that is the races are in direct comeptition with one another. If you put Sepang and Singapore together, and fans can only go to one, the other can lose crowd numbers. The trick is to make a route that startes in Australia, goes up through Asia and into Europe, then across to the Americas before doubling back to Europe for a second stint and the final away leg through Asia. Something like this:

        1 – Australia
        2 – Malaysia
        3 – Korea
        4 – China
        5 – Bahrain
        6 – Turkey
        7 – Monaco
        8 – Spain/Europe
        9 – Britain
        10 – Canada
        11 – USA
        12 – Brazil
        13 – Belgium
        14 – Germany
        15 – Italy
        16 – Hungary
        17 – Abu Dhabi
        18 – India
        19 – Singapore
        20 – Japan

        1. I see your point, but doubt that there will be many people who would go to two GP in year (like Malaysia on March & Singapore on October)

          Besides F1 wants to be green – i can’t even theorize how many cargo in terms of units they need to haul from place A to place B. So on 2030. F1 season cars will go on AA batteries but still will take ships to carry it around.

          1. Agreed. The way I see it, the Malaysian Grand Prix is for Malaysians to go to, the Singapore Grand Prix for Singaporeans, etc.

            Maybe a tiny minority will go to Korea early in the year, save up and then go to Japan later but we’re really not talking about that many people.

        2. Hm, wouldn’t that put the US GP right into August, when temperatures will be sweltering?

          I do agree with the principle of it though.

          1. Hm, wouldn’t that put the US GP right into August, when temperatures will be sweltering?

            Well, the exact dates aren’t really the point. The idea is to go east to west and back east again to think out the number of local races rather than just going east to west.

            Besides, bring the sweltering termperatures on. Formula 1 drivers are the best drivers in the world. Make them work for they pay.

            1. you’r a cruel man pm but you’r right it gets hot in europe in August and it is always hot in Malaysia, Singapore.

          2. Night race!

    5. For me they could drop Valencia and Bahrain…

    6. drop bahrain this year for good… there’s no way to have bahrain back to back within 3 months.

      as for next year… i guess turkey will be drop eventually but man.. the circuit there is great I think.

      1. there’s no way to have bahrain back to back within 3 months.

        Except that it’s not three months. Bahrain has been scheduled for October 2011, and March 2012. That’s five months, not three.

        1. With a possible change to December

          1. True, there is a possible change to December. But even then, the infrastructure is still in place. It’s not like they will have to do anything different.

    7. Now I’m lost.
      What an utter disgrace, these WMSC publications.
      Everything gets turned over, contradicted or rebuked.

      Knowing Bernie, it’ll turn out to be political / negotiating / Concorde-related, but what a mess, what a mess.

      1. Everything gets turned over, contradicted or rebuked.

        How is it a contradiction? Bernie has always said there will be a maximum of 20 races. Todt agrees. The only reason why a provisional calendar was 21 races was released is because the WMSC always produce the first working draft of the calendar at their June meeting. I suspect they’re obligated to. The difference in this case is that they need to axe one race, but there is currently no clear candidate. So they produce a calendar with 21 races, and trim one back. It wouldn’t be the first time this has happened – in June 1982, a calendar was produced with a race in Moscow to be called the “Grand Prix of the Soviet Union” for the 1983 season. But it was removed from the 1983 calendar before the end of the year.

        1. I agree. I think there’s been a ton of over reaction to what is clearly a PROVISIONAL calendar. The final calendar is never the same.

    8. I don’t know what happened that day in FIA meeting, seems like all were high

    9. I have been to two races this year – Malaysia and Spain. Last year I was at Bahrain and Silverstone. I know that I am very lucky in being able to take the time to travel and to be able to afford to do so.

      However it is possible, with some careful research, to get flights and accomodation at reasonable prices. The main expense is the cost of the race ticket! My ticket for Barcelona cost me more that scheduled flights with BA from Scotland – fortuately my wife and her friend wanted a few days in the city so it worked out great.

      I had flights to Bahrain and as that was cancelled ended up going to Malaysia or lose the money. Having been bitteny that and seeing Bernie simply move India I will be very reluctant to plan expensive trips again. What will happend to those people who had flights etc for India?

    10. Argh!! Not brilliant news from Todt, just after I got excited about the prospect of a safe 2012 for Istanbul Park.

      Surely the amount of races is down to the Concorde Agreement so it should be the teams disagreeing with the idea of 21 races rather than the FIA?

    11. Surely Valencia should go. It makes no sense having 2 tracks in the same country and no sense that there should be a European GP when there is already lots in Europe.

      I imagine that it’s quite lucrative so its position is safe though..

      1. I’d get rid of Barcelona before Valencia. At least Valencia has some potential. Barcelona has no overtaking, even with DRS. Make Valencia the Spanish GP and keep Barcelona as a test track only…

        1. Yep. The teams are too familiar with Barcelona for it to be a F1 race.

    12. This one thinks that Bernie’s probably just posturing to keep all the circuits on their toes.

    13. Barcelona (yawn) should be axed and the Spanish Grand Prix should move to Valencia Street Circuit.

    14. I would drop Valencia first.

      Partly because I don’t think any country should regularly have two Grand Prix and partly because it is not that good a circuit.

        1. For sure-ly not?

    15. “There are 21 dates, but the championship will be with 20 Grands Prix”

      Maybe he is hinting at the return of non-championship rounds? :)

      1. That was what I was thinking. Won’t happen, but I would love to see it.

      2. If we want affordable non-championship races, I think FP2 should be turned into a short race for reserve drivers only.

    16. When’s the next Jean Todt approval rating due Keith? ;)

        1. Mouse_Nightshirt
          7th June 2011, 16:20

          I can’t wait to see it!

    17. Really looking forward to the next “How do you think Todt is going?” poll…

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