Imola or Suzuka for 2007

[fpv_gtho]

Imola's lifeline for next season looks under threat by the continued challenge from Honda to keep Suzuka on the grid. Whilst you would expect most drivers to prefer the vastly more exciting Suzuka over Imola, the latter's continuation on the grid looks more secure as Imola is set for revisions to the track, pit facilities and the access roads and race organisers claim Ecclestone has guranteed them a spot on next years grid.

Personally, i'd rather Suzuka be kept on but the proposed new layout for Imola could be interesting.

[Rockefella]

I personally prefer Suzuka, but you have to keep Imola's history in mind. The problem is, Imola is too damn dangerous for the drivers these days. If appropriate revisions are made, my vote's for Imola but for now it's Suzuka.

[fpv_gtho]

Most of the problem with Imola can be attributed to the "sanitisation" it recieved after '94 i guess, but with that new safety barrier the FIA developed for such races like Indy and Monza, perhaps the track can return to its more exciting past, whilst increasing safety to acceptable levels.

[carsnut]

the FIA's fault for switching to Fuji. They should've kept Suzuka

[fpv_gtho]

The FIA had nothing to do with it, Bernie made the decision.

[Jack_Bauer]

Looks like Suzuka's definitely out of the question for next year at least.

The Suzuka Circuit has told the Reuters newsagency that it will not be hosting a race in 2007.

"We were informed by the Formula 1 authorities yesterday," Suzuka's public relation's chief Yasuo Sugaya told Reuters. "Obviously we feel it is a great pity. We had been hopeful we could come to an arrangement to have two races but unfortunately it was not to be. It's still possible we can come back next year (2008) so we'll keep trying."

The news means that F1 is left with a very odd start to the year in 2007 with the opening race in Australia on its own on March 18, two weeks later than normal, and then a three-week gap until the Malaysian GP on April 8 which is followed a week later by Bahrain on April 15. There is little logistical logic in this as teams will now have to fly their crews back to Europe between races, rather than leaving them in Australia for three weeks. They will then be involved in a mad rush to get everything from Kuala Lumpur to Bahrain in just a week.

One can only assume that this odd calendar is designed to convince the teams that theer should be 19 races in 2008.

[magracer]

We had been hopeful we could come to an arrangement to have two races but unfortunately it was not to be. It's still possible we can come back next year (2008) so we'll keep trying.

Two races? then zero... isn't that odd... Unless he is talking about Fuji AND Suzuka, but it's the Suzuka Circuit speaking so... me no understand!!!

[Jack_Bauer]

Two races? then zero... isn't that odd... Unless he is talking about Fuji AND Suzuka, but it's the Suzuka Circuit speaking so... me no understand!!!

I read it as meaning they wanted two races in Japan, not two races at Suzuka. Two races at Suzuka would just be silly!

[Daz27]

Does Suzuka have the fastest corner in F1 still? the 130r or whatever its called?

[fpv_gtho]

It'd be pretty close, i think its strongest competition would come from Eau Rouge or the final corner at Indy.

[ptclaus98]

Suzuka is a great track IMHO. It would be a great idea for a Pacific GP

[Nazmacher]

Suzuka is a brilliant racetrack, great racing especially when it was the last GP of the season and the championship was down to the wire. But if I had to choose, it would have to be Imola.