Formula 1 bubble splits in Spain – Formula 1 news
Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix at Barcelona was a great event as it attracted around 130,000 spectators during the 2007 season.
“It will be good to have another grand prix to see how Formula 1 is developing in Spain, where a few years ago there wasn't even any TV coverage,” Spanish driver Fernando Alonso said in 2007 on the day when Valencia was confirmed to be joining the sport.
However, the Spaniards are facing huge financial crisis at present and the government being in the state of empty reserves earnestly requires to save every euro while the upcoming 2012 F1 season is on a verge to start off on March 18, 2012.
The CEO of F1, Bernie Ecclestone has expressed to DPA that from 2013 onwards, there will be only one race in Spain.
“Next year we'll alternate between the two,” he said.
After France lost its event in 2008, Spain was the only country with two race events to be held together which proved out to be a great milestone in the season’s schedule and made its way to Asia afterwards.
Furthermore, in this regard, Spain followed Germany which had Hockenheim and Nurburgring running for some years, simultaneously.
However, currently, Barcelona which has been the conventional venue of Spanish GP since 1991 has joined hands with Valencia on an agreement to swap, in order to reduce costs and Spain to come back to a more modest state of organizing only one race event.
Last year, Valencia rejected the option of sharing the Grand Prix with Barcelona. However, now Valencia has appeared to be agreeable to confirm that it will share a race event with Barcelona because of worsening financial crisis there.
“The situation of the economy is not the same now as it was a year ago,” sources in the Valencian government told dpa. “We have already said publicly that the policy for major events is being reviewed, and alternating would be a good proposal for Formula
1.”
In the forthcoming season, the European Grand Prix will be held at Valencia on June 24, 2012 while Barcelona will hold the Spanish Grand Prix on May 13, 2012.
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