18/11/2006
NEWS STORY
Those of you who have trawled through the 14-page press release issued following this week's meeting between Max Mosley and Burkhard Goschel will be aware that little comfort was given to race fans in Europe, who fear that the sport has every intention of deserting its former heartland in search of new rich pickings in the east.
Mosley said that despite losing two races next season (San Marino and Europe), there is still a "disproportionate number of races in Europe".
Bernie Ecclestone has long warned that he sees Europe's F1 future in demise, claiming that the future of the sport is with the new Tiger and Dragon economies of India, China and other upcoming nations whose governments are willing to pay the price, any price, for the world status that a round of the Formula One World Championship supposedly brings.
In recent weeks, Ecclestone revealed that he had approached the organisers of both the British and French Grands Prix asking if they would consider (annually) alternating as hosts of a European race. While Silverstone, which hosted the first ever Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, rejected the idea, France, which gave the sport the term 'Grand Prix, was amenable to the proposal.
"If you look at the Olympic Games, over the last 100 years around 50% of them have been in Europe and that is a little bit out of balance and we are even worse," said Mosley. "But we will get to the right balance between European and non-European races as markets develop. Places like India, China, Russia, South America, Central America, they are all very important markets."
Very important markets… for the owners of F1, and the car manufacturers.
Mosley and Göschel are both keen to see at least one more race in the United States, even though the future of the (sole) existing event is very much in doubt, with Indianapolis only scheduled to host one more race.
"The US is still the most important market in the world," admitted the German.
"It is an area where F1 still has some weaknesses," he added, a masterpiece of understatement. "There might be an interest from the car manufacturers to improve the situation in the US."
However, Goschel, clearly aware that Europe is important to the manufacturers added: "Europe is still a very important issue for the car manufacturers".
With more races out east, at least two races in the United States, and moves into Central and South America, it is inevitable that the calendar will be expanded.
"I'd really like to ask the public what they want," said Mosley. "But I think we have to be careful not to have too many. I think the number should be in the 16-20 bracket."
It's interesting to note that as recently as 2004, Mosley said: "16 events should be the norm".
"It's a huge area of discussion," said Mosley this week, referring to the idea of increasing the number of races. "But it is not something that is going to lead to any difficulties between us and the manufacturers that's for sure.
"In the 2008 regulations the limit is 20," he added, "but I think Bernie has to pay the teams more for that. But 2009 will be another discussion."
We all know that Bernie is not a man one would want to play Poker with, he keeps his cards as close to his chest as he can, and will bluff his opponent all the way.
One could be forgiven however, for thinking that the threat to F1 is a similar threat, aimed at the circuit owners, the promoters, the teams, manufacturers, sponsors, broadcasters and even the fans. A bluff that even Max is playing along with.
However, at a time when we are being warned - threatened even - that F1 is turning its back on Europe, we have to ask why the handful of journalists selected to this week's meeting (in Munich) with Mosley and Goschel, represented only European newspapers - one each from Italy and France and two each from Britain and Germany.
For a sport seemingly heading out of Europe, the new Third World, it seems strange that the European media was so well represented, unlike India, South Korea, Russia and the United States.