17/08/2022
NEWS STORY
Jenson Button has joined the growing number of drivers calling on F1 bosses not to drop Spa-Francorchamps from the schedule.
Though Formula One is all too keen to use its long, rich history to its advantage, especially for promotional purposes, over the years, be it drivers, teams or circuits, all too often we have seen the sport turn its back on them when they have served their purpose.
Every year when the circus arrives at Spa-Francorchamps, adjectives like 'majestic' are the order of the day, just as, a few days later, the Autodromo Nazionale is given the same gushing praise, terms like Temple of Speed used unsparingly.
The stark reality is however, that as majestic as Spa might be, however demanding it is of drivers and their machines, the classic Ardennes track is no match for the likes of Miami, Qatar, Jeddah or Las Vegas. in terms of hosting fees or attracting the A-list celebrities the sport needs in order to convince potential fans that F1 is the new thing.
While it might have played host to almost all the sport's great heroes, witnessed epic battles and remains a firm favourite of almost every contemporary racer, Spa, certainly as far as Liberty Media is concerned, will never be seen as the ideal backdrop... the likes of Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B or whatever, unlikely to don a Drizabone and wellies in order to enjoy a quick chat with Martin Brundle on the grid.
Consequently, as the sport seeks to expand to as many as 24 races - thirty if Stefano Domenicali gets his way - Spa is likely to be among the first to be dropped as F1 seeks the next Miami or Qatar.
A winner there in 2012, Jenson Button admits losing Spa would be a huge loss to the sport and would upset him personally.
"If Spa isn't there I'll be very upset," said the 2009 world champion in a recent WTF1 podcast.
"Monaco is a tricky one because there's lots going on behind the scenes," he continued. "But if you take away Spa, it's for other reasons, not because it's not a good circuit. It's one of the best in the world, the racing's amazing, the drivers love it and the teams love going there.
"We have to be a little bit careful," he warned. "We know Formula 1 is entertainment and a certain TV show has made it very famous in America, which is great for the sport. But we need to make sure we keep the racing exciting and going to circuits that give us great racing because you're going to see happy drivers.
"You're going to get a lot more out of them if they're in a good place, not thinking <br>why are we at this track? It's not fun, we can't overtake, it's too narrow'.
"I like the mix of having street circuits and old school tracks, but we can't be going to all city centres, and just going there because of the location. It needs to be because of the track itself and the country it's in too because that's how you get the fan-base. And having a fun race to watch on TV, with lots of fighting, is important too."