Races leaving Europe

It looks like we’ve already seen races in Belgium and Austria pulled from the schedule due to those ongoing disputes over advertising, making room instead for locations like Bahrain and China where tobacco sponsorships are still welcomed. On top of that, there is quite a bit of chatter about adding India, Egypt, Mexico, and potentially another race in the United States to the mix.

From what I gather, the FIA doesn't see much point in pursuing an EU ban at this stage; after all, if tobacco ads are permitted at certain races, they'll just end up being broadcast right back into Europe on our TV screens anyway. It brings to mind what FIA President Max Mosley mentioned back in March—that implementing a ban starting at the end of the 2005 season might actually trigger a mass exodus from Europe altogether.

Personally, I don't see much point in banning tobacco advertising when the products themselves are perfectly legal to sell. It feels like a circular logic trap—if you go ahead and ban cigarettes and all those other tobacco products entirely, then obviously you won't be able to advertise them anymore!

But hey, I suppose you can't just go killing the cow that provides the milk, right?

During Thursday's press conference, Normand Legault, the director of the Canadian Grand Prix, announced that we won't be seeing a race in Canada next year at the Gilles Villeneuve circuit.

The whole reason the Canadian Grand Prix is getting scrapped comes down to a new law taking effect this November that bans tobacco advertising.

Normand Legault made it clear, too, that the organizers aren't planning to appeal the cancellation, nor are they going to lobby the government for any legal loopholes just to keep Formula 1 on the schedule in Canada.

What a shame... just another great race gone.

..hold up..I think I read somewhere (can't remember if it was in ESPN or some other outlet) that Spa might actually be back on the calendar next year since they reached some kind of deal with the government...

I saw that same thing mentioned about Spa.
But now, it looks like Canada is on the chopping block too...

FIA under Montezemolo said:I actually caught that bit about Spa myself.
But now, it looks like Canada might be off the table too...

Not quite yet; Bernie mentioned the calendar isn't set in stone, so they're still weighing whether to keep Canada on the schedule...

Personally, I'm all for it... let everything just go south... I want brand new tracks.

Just please leave Spa alone...👍

At this rate, we won't even call the champion a world champ anymore, just an Asian one, since all the races are moving over there anyway...

mistybear87 said:Not yet, Bernie mentioned the calendar isn't set in stone and they’re still weighing whether Canada stays on the schedule...

Bernie’s already looked at the situation with Canada, and honestly, it looks like Canada is definitely getting dropped from next season's lineup; whether they ever make a comeback in 2005 is anyone's guess.

What a complete piece of work, just like Bernie! I can't stand that guy one bit. He really thinks he’s going to call the shots at Gilles Villeneuve's track?! Absolute trash... 😠

wearyraven41 said:Just one of Bernie's little pieces of trash. I can't stand the guy. He thinks he’s actually going to run the Gilles Villeneuve circuit? Absolute joke... 😠

Give me a break... what's his problem? It's not his fault if the Canadian government decides to ban tobacco advertising.

I don't know, I can't help but feel there's some merit to banning these ads—you know, for the sake of public health and protecting kids...
In my view, it just feels more organic for top-tier racing teams to be backed by sponsors that aren't peddling vices.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not exactly a saint—I smoke too—but does nicotine really belong in the world of sports? To me, this feels like a choice the teams should be making themselves rather than something forced upon them by the EU.
Then again, money talks, and let's face it: without that cash flow, nothing moves, not even the wheels on an F1 car.
Well, look on the bright side: soon we'll be watching almost every race at 3 or 4 in the morning. At least it'll be quiet and peaceful; the neighbors won't be complaining about the noise. Pure bliss.

...just watching TV right now...Canada is definitely off the schedule, and looks like Austria might be too......👎

Those were some good races, though...
Maybe it isn't even a loss. I guess we should give others a chance to break through in this circus (I mean, the high-octane one).🙂

I think it’s time we explore some new territories and move on from the Old Continent!🙄

Sure, but most of the races are still held in Europe anyway... 👍

Carl Foster8 said:That's true, but most of the races are still held in Europe... 👍

I certainly hope they stay that way!

Honestly, maybe it’s actually a good thing they’re introducing these brand-new tracks because, let's face it, none of the teams have any real data on them yet. They’ll be forced to just load up the telemetry right before the race starts, and that’s where things are going to get messy—we're talking everything from massive DNFs to total tactical meltdowns. It's going to be pure chaos, and I am here for it. Don't get me wrong, the last few races haven't been boring by any means, but there's just something about that "new track" energy that hits different.