Belgian Grand Prix 'cancelled'

[narain fan 0]

The Belgian Grand Prix at Spa has been cancelled after Bernie Ecclestone pulled out of a bid to try to promote the race, say reports in Belgium.

Formula One chief Ecclestone had been in talks to take over promoting the race after its promoters went bankrupt.

A former local government minister told politicians that sources close to Ecclestone had confirmed the news.

The cancellation leaves little time for track improvements to take place before the proposed race date of 17 September.

Initially, Ecclestone had seemed enthusiastic to save the race, saying "we need to keep Spa alive, don't we?".

If the race is dropped, the 2006 season would be trimmed to 18 races.

[narain fan 0]

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_new...es_art_id=26906

According to reports elsewhere, the 2006 Belgian Grand Prix has been cancelled.

However, these reports are based on the comments of a Belgian politician who has a reputation as being something of a 'loose cannon'.

As of Friday afternoon, the FIA is unaware of any change to the circumstances surrounding the Belgian Grand Prix, while F1 supremo, Bernie Ecclestone, is out of the country.

Therefore although there might be reports that the event, something of a political football in Belgium, has been cancelled, none of this is official.

pitpass.com

[Jem of the Shire 0]

Oh no! Thats terrible, the best f1 circuit with the most famous corner, cancelled. A massive shame

[ecapdeville 0]

Why SPA????? Why???? Its a great circuit!!!!!!

[Jem of the Shire 0]

The belgian government, the EU, ANYONE must surely come forward and do something, Spa is world famous and is a highlight of the f1 season cos it always throws up surprises

[narain fan 0]

The belgian government, the EU, ANYONE must surely come forward and do something, Spa is world famous and is a highlight of the f1 season cos it always throws up surprises

i think the belgian local government(which owns the track) smells the fact that Bernie wants to save the race,and thus wants to extract as much as possible

[Jem of the Shire 0]

i think the belgian local government(which owns the track) smells the fact that Bernie wants to save the race,and thus wants to extract as much as possible

i hope not. Politics and money should not be the cause of the loss of f1's greatest race

[ecapdeville 0]

i hope not. Politics and money should not be the cause of the loss of f1's greatest race

Hey!... Politics and money...thats F1

[Jem of the Shire 0]

Hey!... Politics and money...thats F1

Yeah but it shouldnt go so far as to cause the cancellation of the best race in the calendar!

[Jenson_Rules 0]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

O

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

What a complete ****ing joke, a complete ****ing joke i tell you!

[dribbler 6]

You know, i respect Bernie a lot. But what makes me laught is that he bitched at the Michelin runners at Indy last year for not making it happen and then, with more time on his hands allows one of the best races on the calender not to happen.

Sorry, perhaps a stupid opinion without knowing all the facts (and a little bit of bias because it's Michaels fave') but this is crazy....a Formula One crime.

[Senna 0]

Why SPA????? Why???? Its a great circuit!!!!!!

Indeed, despite the new Bus Stop and Eue Rouge sections.

This is disgusting news. Spa can

[Kennye 0]

Hey!... Politics and money...thats F1

EXACTLY Ecap.

The whole world has become filled with nothing but greedy people that want something for nothing. It is nice to see this happening outside of the USA, at least we will not perish alone. We might be first, but not the last

[Taku 0]

"http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_new...es_art_id=26906

QUOTE

According to reports elsewhere, the 2006 Belgian Grand Prix has been cancelled.

However, these reports are based on the comments of a Belgian politician who has a reputation as being something of a 'loose cannon'.

As of Friday afternoon, the FIA is unaware of any change to the circumstances surrounding the Belgian Grand Prix, while F1 supremo, Bernie Ecclestone, is out of the country.

Therefore although there might be reports that the event, something of a political football in Belgium, has been cancelled, none of this is official.

pitpass.com"

i hope sanity prevails. i went to spa last year and it was simply amazing. there's nothing like f1 cars thrashing up eau rouge, disappearing into the forest and an eerie 1 minute silence, before re-emerging on the other side of the track in a crescendo of highpitched engine note goodness. it truly is a heavenly track i tell u. i'll try and post some pics sometime.

[nojvnof1 0]

The only thing giving us hope is that pitpass article. If Spa goes, it will be a major embarassment to the sport.

[narain fan 0]

Belgian GP still on?

The FIA, ruling body of Formula One, have denied reports from yesterday that the 2006 Belgian Grand Prix has been cancelled.

A report in the Daily Telegraph, one of the UK's more respected broadsheets, explains that the speculation was fuelled by a Belgian local government minister who announced the withdrawal of Bernie Ecclestone from a deal intended to save the financially troubled race.

Ecclestone, the story goes on to say, was 'perhaps significantly unavailable for comment, and the FIA said they were not taking the claims seriously.'

The problem stems from a

[Senna 0]

The saga continues

[ben_3001 0]

I really hope it is not cancelled! It's seriously along with Montreal and Japan GPs the race I like to watch the most! Plus I was actually planning on going there this year! !!!

[AutoRacer5 0]

CAD has a comic for this, hold on...

This is the portion of the comic I wanted, it show my reaction:

[Buttonfan 0]

NO, thats like so bad for F1

[narain fan 0]

Ecclestone organising Belgian race himself?

According to Belgian reports Bernie Ecclestone will be organising the Belgian Grand Prix himself starting from 2007. It more and more looks like it that we will not have a race this year at the famous and loved Spa-Francorchamps track.

The Walloon government and Ecclestone are apparently not talking about 2006 anymore, but about the period 2007-2012. Ecclestone would be organising the race himself, without interference of the Walloon government. All the government has to do is pay back a damage fee of 18 million euro and invest 15 million euro in the track.

The problems around the Belgian race started when the promoter of the race went bankrupt. After that a Belgian politician signed a deal with Ecclestone without actually being able to read the contract

F1RACING.net

[F1 FANatic 1]

well, id rather not see it this year and then see it 07-12 than see it this year and not see it again

[Buttonfan 0]

if they take any track off it better be the snorgaronring

[Taku 0]

"The future of the Belgian GP

The word from Belgium is that the Belgian Grand Prix is off because work at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit cannot be completed in time for the race. Politician Serge Kubla, who is a member of the opposition in the Wallonia regional government, told a radio station in Belgium that the race is off because decisions have taken too long to be implemented and the work needed cannot now be done in the time available. The news, if it is confirmed, will not go down well in the F1 fraternity which is very keen on keeping the race alive, although an extra break from the gruelling calendar will be appreciated.

The promotional company running the event went out of business last year with large losses but it seemed that a solution had been fined when the government offered the deal to promote the race to Ecclestone. It also said it would pay $5m in direct financial aid and $2.5m in sponsorship. This should have guaranteed that the promoter would break even but the government also said that the budget for upgrading work would be limited to $16m which meant that changes had to be pared back to the absolute minimum. Now it seems that the timescale involved has torpedoed that deal.

The race may have been doomed from the start of negotiations but it is a shame that one of the few remaining tracks with real historical value, which usually produces exciting events, has had to be dropped. When all is said and done the thing that has driven the race into this situation is the ever-increasing cost of the fees which circuits must pay in order to get the races. The profits from that operation go largely to Formula One Management.

"

looks like there is some substance to these rumours. no confirmation yet from the fia though...