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Jem of the Shire

Belgian Grand Prix Cancelled (again)

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NO BELGIAN GP IN 2006

Last Updated: Wednesday, 08, February, 2006, 15:07

The Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps has been scratched from this year

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Belgian Grand Prix called off

f1-2005-bel-xp-0819.jpg

There will be no Belgian Grand Prix this season, the FIA announced on Wednesday. The race has been called off to allow time for the completion of extensive improvement work to facilities at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

Belgium

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Nightmare, just as I was thinking about maby going to it this year. I went in 2000 and was dieing to get back, finally this year I had a chance to and now its cancelled. Oh well I guess it'll be off to somewhere else.

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[sat infront of computer crying and cursing the fia!]

terrible terrible news. we have now lost the best race of the year.

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Here is the full story:

OFFICIAL: NO BELGIAN GP IN 2006

ITV

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The Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps has been dropped from the 2006 Formula 1 calendar, the FIA has confirmed.

Circuit officials were unable to meet the governing body's requirements for a major upgrade of pit and paddock facilities in time for this year's race, scheduled for September 17.

The FIA said in a statement: "The Belgian national sporting authority, the RACB, has written to notify the FIA of the withdrawal of the 2006 Belgian Grand Prix from the FIA Formula 1 world championship.

"The withdrawal has been made in order to allow the completion of extensive improvement work to facilities at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

"The FIA hopes that the event will be included once again in the Formula 1 world championship calendar from 2007 onwards."

Spa's future has been in doubt since the race promoter Didier Defourney Grand Prix went bankrupt last year.

The regional Walloon government balked at Bernie Ecclestone's insistence that it was legally obliged to pick up the tab for the event (which has been loss-making in recent years) until 2010.

Reports over the Christmas period suggested Ecclestone was prepared to compromise and was close to agreeing a new three-year deal to safeguard the race.

But a fortnight ago a local politician told the Belgian media that he had been notified by Ecclestone's office that this year's race would not go ahead

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Very dissapointing, it's always the most interesting cirucits that seem to be taken away. Let's hope these chances don't extend to changing the track in any way.

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Spa will be back promises Bernie

It was officially confirmed yesterday that the Belgian grand Prix had been cancelled this year, the 17th of September left to pass by without event as there is no time to fill the weekend with another race venue. Officials realize that they won’t be able to complete all the work necessary around the circuit in the allocated time, and were therefore forced to cancel the race.

However FOM chief Bernie Ecclestone is confident that the race will be back next year and with the improvements that are so desperately needed to bring the Spa Francorchamps circuit up to FIA standards…

"The race has not gone forever, and I'm happy that they've decided to do the re-building work - even though it means the race won't happen this year,” he was quoted as saying in the Telegraph.

"Spa has not been up to scratch for quite some time, and they need to spend a bit of time and money on improving the paddock facilities and building new grandstands. If they get their work done on time then there will be no problem at all and the race will be back in 2007, without question."

gp2006.com

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A shame, a pity, a disgrace. Those are the feelings I have about Spa not being on the calendar. I'm just as peeved off at this decision as all of you.

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Well at least the facilities will be upgraded and it will be less likely to be cut out of the calender again following the improvements.

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Will they replace Spa with another circuit?

No, the calendar has been cut down to 18 races for 2006. Then should be back in 2007

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NEW SPA DEAL IMMINENT

ITV

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The Belgian Grand Prix looks set to reclaim its place on the Formula 1 calendar in 2007, just two days after this year's event was cancelled.

Jean-Claude Marcourt, economics minister of the Walloon region in which the Spa-Francorchamps circuit is based, told Belgian broadcaster RTBF that he has agreed a new five-year deal with Bernie Ecclestone to host the race.

The contract will cost the government nearly 18 million euros in hosting fees, leaving it with a shortfall of 5-6 million euros which it hopes to raise from the federal government and/or private sponsors.

The deal still has to be ratified by the Walloon parliament, although the 18 million euro investment programme required to upgrade the pit/paddock complex and grandstands in line with FIA standards was approved on Thursday.

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Will they replace Spa with another circuit?

Belgian GP to take place in Rio? (gp2006.com)

With the demise of the 2006 Belgian Grand Prix, there is an empty place on the Formula One calendar that Rio de Janeiro is hoping to fill.

Despite the fact that there is already a Brazilian Grand Prix on the schedule, Rio

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