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Greece to get a GP?


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#1 noikeee

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 16:04

http://adamcooperf1....e-for-f1-event/

 

Highly doubt it'll happen, but worth opening a thread just for what looks like a fairly exciting, refreshing layout of a street circuit. Although this map is from a proposal from 2 years ago and could have been tweaked/revamped:

 

greek-f1-track-plan.jpg

 

The tunnel part.  :cool: Not sure how can that be safe, they'd reach turn 15 at insane speeds, but whatever.



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#2 OO7

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 16:11

http://adamcooperf1....e-for-f1-event/

 

Highly doubt it'll happen, but worth opening a thread just for what looks like a fairly exciting, refreshing layout of a street circuit. Although this map is from a proposal from 2 years ago and could have been tweaked/revamped:

 

greek-f1-track-plan.jpg

 

The tunnel part.  :cool: Not sure how can that be safe, they'd reach turn 15 at insane speeds, but whatever.

Never going to happen.  The circuit looks far too good for it to a real possibility and who would be paying for it.

 

The only part I dislike is the mickey mouse section towards the end of the lap.


Edited by Obi Offiah, 26 August 2014 - 16:14.


#3 Petroltorque

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 16:40

One is left asking where the wisdom of the ancient Greeks has gone. Greece is the most indebted country in the EU. How do they intend to fund it? Take a few moments to think how investors fund their projects. They will leverage the presumed value of the enterprise, ie they will fund it with debt and not their own money. All we need now is for the respective local government to be enticed into part funding the project and we have a disaster in the making.

#4 jestaudio

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 17:28

the first question should be "who,s paying" it won't be Greece that's for certain, non starter i think



#5 BRG

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 17:47

Valencia meets Monaco?

 

Anti-clockwise track. That's the most interesting part of it, but I can see half a dozen places where Nico could hit Lewis.



#6 Thanos89

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 17:51

Greece is the most indebted country in the EU.

It depends on how you look at it. 
I mean italy and spain are in debt aswell and pretty much most of the countries in EU, but they both have races. Last time i heard Italy has around a trilion on debt whereas greece ''only'' around 300 bilions.Better leave the economics and the silly second German race out of this. Anyway the funding would come from private investors and the only support from the goverment would be to provide the land and some part of the promotion.


Edited by Thanos89, 26 August 2014 - 17:55.


#7 Nonesuch

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 17:58

Greece is the most indebted country in the EU. How do they intend to fund it?

 

That's only a problem if the organisers intend to trick the (local) government into paying for this scheme, which one would hope the Greek voters will instantly reject.

 

But if the organisers can get sufficient private funding there is no reason this couldn't happen in Greece, or anywhere for that matter.



#8 thegamer23

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 17:59

Great looking layout.
Not going to happen



#9 DinocoBlue

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 18:14

It doesn't hurt to dream.

 

And I suppose you can never rule it out. Wasn't Sochi dismissed when it was first mooted? Just like Baku has been.



#10 TheRacingElf

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 18:21

So thats where all our money went :well:



#11 DaddyCool

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 18:43

That run from the hairpin to turn 15 makes me moist.



#12 nosecone

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 18:52

I really appreciate the idea of one more European race in the calendar but i really doubt that this is a good idea. We can't host a GP in a country that went nearly bust just a couple of years ago. There will be no attendance at all except the super rich people that got not affected by the crisis. In a country where unemployment is that high and where some people even can't afford to visit a doctor, we can't hold a sport event there.

 

Of course you could argue like this for other countries as well but this is Europe, a developed nation. And the EU is the Union in which the opinions and interests of the small men are respected. And the small men are definetly interested in jobs, more social spending, more spending on schools and rather not in paying for a sports event they can't attend because it's to expensive.



#13 DinocoBlue

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 18:52

Interesting bit on CNN...

(CNN) -- A grand prix in austerity-hit Greece could be on the horizon according to Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone.

On May 30, Ecclestone's company Formula One Licensing registered the 'Formula 1 Mediterranean Grand Prix' as a trademark.

 

.....

 

Registering a pan-European trademark for the title 'Formula 1 Mediterranean Grand Prix' is a key step in the process of bringing the race to the F1 calendar.

Wherever possible, Formula One Licensing registers trademarks for the names of upcoming races and prior to the Mediterranean Grand Prix it protected the title to the Austrian Grand Prix which returned to the F1 calendar in June.

 

A Mediterranean Grand Prix in Greece was first rumored in 2006 by Autosport magazine when it was suggested that the race could be rotated between a number of circuits, starting with Valencia in 2008 and then Paul Ricard in France the year after.

 

http://edition.cnn.c...prix/index.html



#14 Fastcake

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 19:44

Bernie's probably registered the Kyrgyzstan Grand Prix, but it doesn't mean it's going to happen.

 

There's actually a better chance of going to Kyrgyzstan than Greece, what with it being a central Asian dictatorship no one has heard of.



#15 AlexLangheck

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 20:16

They can't afford a WRC round, how can they afford a F1 race, which is about 10 times as expensive...... The mind boggles.

#16 Petroltorque

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 20:22

It depends on how you look at it. 
I mean italy and spain are in debt aswell and pretty much most of the countries in EU, but they both have races. Last time i heard Italy has around a trilion on debt whereas greece ''only'' around 300 bilions.Better leave the economics and the silly second German race out of this. Anyway the funding would come from private investors and the only support from the goverment would be to provide the land and some part of the promotion.

The Greek economy is no where near the size of Spain's or Italy's. How much larger is Greece's deficit relative to GDP. No my friend Greece is not out of the mire yet. It remains small enough for EU central bank to cut it loose from the euro. The thought of raising funds to build a white elephant in a country with a failed economy is lunacy.

#17 Atreiu

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 20:45

I'll believe it when FP1 starts.



#18 Thanos89

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 21:06

The Greek economy is no where near the size of Spain's or Italy's. How much larger is Greece's deficit relative to GDP. No my friend Greece is not out of the mire yet. It remains small enough for EU central bank to cut it loose from the euro. The thought of raising funds to build a white elephant in a country with a failed economy is lunacy.

Never said it's perfectly fine down here but what part of the private investing you people don't understand? Not trying to be offensive here with anyone of you but seriously leave the politics out of this. For me it would be awesome if we had this circuit 'cause i could get my bike or my car and have fun track days. TBH i am actually against having a F1 race simply because with a 40 million fee to host a race that indeed is a lunacy and it is for every single country that already has a grand prix no matter who pays for it. I would look at hosting a MotoGP race or a WTCC one. If it ever gets build that is  :lol:


Edited by Thanos89, 26 August 2014 - 21:18.


#19 Goron3

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 21:10

Never going to happen.  The circuit looks far too good for it to a real possibility and who would be paying for it.

 

The only part I dislike is the mickey mouse section towards the end of the lap.

Basically this. They would never allow a track that actually has flow and good corners onto the F1 calendar. Although the proposed designer isn't Tilke so maybe that's why ;)

 

Edit. Oh man, that sector 2...oh man.


Edited by Goron3, 26 August 2014 - 21:12.


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#20 PayasYouRace

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 22:04

That would be an amazing street circuit.

 

As someone has already said, we can dream.



#21 emmanuelrubi

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 22:07

Nope, country too broke post is over.



#22 scandyman

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Posted 26 August 2014 - 22:11

Hopefully this F1-track plan will be buried ASAP. I doubt would this country even be able to host f3-race. :well:



#23 skyfolker

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 00:36

This layout resembles Suzuka.



#24 loki

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 06:31

It doesn't hurt to dream.

 

And I suppose you can never rule it out. Wasn't Sochi dismissed when it was first mooted? Just like Baku has been.

Both of those governments can afford to fund a race. Greece can't.



#25 Kristian

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 07:49

A new race in Europe, with a fantastic layout? It will never happen. This will go down with the Bangkok grand prix unfortunately, and we'll go to a mickey mouse circuit in Baku instead. 



#26 DutchQuicksilver

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 10:05

Yeey, another street circuit? I'll pass.



#27 Raest

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 10:29

Not gonna happen unless bernie pays for it. 

And it's not just a money thing it's pointless anyway. 

It's expensive, it's another european GP, the market is small and motorsport is not popular in Greece (maybe rallying a bit and that's on the decline). 

People might watch it the first couple of years but when the novelty wears out they' ll lose interest. 



#28 William Hunt

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 12:53

Ecclestone said today that a Greece GP is likely to happen with the support of private investors, he is working on a deal he said.



#29 Fontainebleau

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 13:29

Dear all,

 

While of course it is OK to discuss the likelihood/appropriateness of having a GP in light of past issues, politic or economic, in any country, please be mindful of your comments and respect nationals of or people living in said countries. We all understand humour, but it is difficult to convey the right degree of it when putting things in writing.

 

Thanks for your understanding!



#30 chipmcdonald

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 13:40

Ok, so no referencing austerity measures, Detroit's economic situation, or slave labor in Bahrain.   Things are just fine in Greece, gotcha.   :evil:



#31 Fontainebleau

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 13:43

Ok, so no referencing austerity measures, Detroit's economic situation, or slave labor in Bahrain.   Things are just fine in Greece, gotcha.   :evil:

 

No, things are, unfortunately, not fine in many parts of the world. But that does not mean that you cannot make such statements while at the same time being mindful of the way you express yourself when referring to them, so that you don't rub salt on the wounds of those who are in fact dealing with those bad things in their everyday life. Thats all I am asking people to do.



#32 chipmcdonald

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 13:51

Citing the reality of conditions in Greece, Detroit and Bahrain is not "rubbing salt in wounds".   Spending million of $ for an entertainment event in their presence is.  That is called "irony".   Making a joke based on that is called "sarcasm".  There was nothing offensive to anyone in my post except the dignity of FOM and Bernie.



#33 Fontainebleau

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 13:58

Citing the reality of conditions in Greece, Detroit and Bahrain is not "rubbing salt in wounds".   Spending million of $ for an entertainment event in their presence is.  That is called "irony".   Making a joke based on that is called "sarcasm".  There was nothing offensive to anyone in my post except the dignity of FOM and Bernie.

Chip, if you want to continue this discussion, may I suggest that we do so by PM so that we do not derail this thread any further? Thanks.



#34 Brazzers

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 14:25

I'll be a billionaire before Greece gets a F1 race. 



#35 William Hunt

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 14:47

about the track layout: it looks fantastic



#36 pingu666

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 14:47

hmm

if it wasnt for the fee's then this maybe a good plan, go watch f1 and have a holiday in greece seems a reasonable idea



#37 nordschleife

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 16:03

I'll be a billionaire before Greece gets a F1 race. 

 

Ecclestone said today that a Greece GP is likely to happen with the support of private investors, he is working on a deal he said.

 

 

When you become a billionaire your new buddies will let you in on this deal they're working on in which you invest in "Monaco - Greek style." They won't mention Donington Ventures Leisure.


Edited by nordschleife, 27 August 2014 - 16:14.


#38 LORDBYRON

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 16:25

It doesn't hurt to dream.

 
But then they could track share just like other tracks in Europe already. 


#39 Ze Bum

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 16:44

Google Street View, Turn 12, going into the tunnel. Paddock area on the left.

 

fxyvsw.jpg

 

 

The place is practically ready. Only takes a few billions to finish.



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#40 noikeee

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 16:52

 

It doesn't hurt to dream.

 
But then they could track share just like other tracks in Europe already. 

 

I have no idea why would you invest bazillions to build a track then host it only every other year...

 

I think the idea of a GP in Greece is bonkers, probably completely irresponsible (if paid by private investors then how the hell do they expect to recoup their money??), and about as likely as Alonso moving to Caterham next year, but I still want it to happen for my own personal amusement because the track looks bloody great.



#41 pingu666

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 17:29

IF you could use the facilities for other stuff, and the fees where'nt £lol then it might not be such a bad idea



#42 Morbus

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 17:38

Am I the only one to think the proposed layout sucks balls? Cause I can only see one overtaking opportunity there. This is basically Abu Dhabi all over again. It looks nice on paper, but I'm SURE it will be super boring, because, like Abu Dhabi, there's only one real overtaking opportunity.



#43 nosecone

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 18:58

If i was a track designer i'd build a high speed-track. Something like Spa 2.0 or Monza V2.0. Because those tracks always deliver great racing. Furthermore they encourage the teams to build cars with less drag (which is more road relevant than down force). So why has Tilke never come up with something like a high-speed-track?



#44 Raest

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 19:22

OK to give you some perspective. Greek goverments have been trying for more than 10 years to build a motorway through the country's western part (Ioannina to the Rio bridge) and

in that time about 25% of the motorway has been completed due to lack of funding. Its total length will, eventually, be about 200km and by motorway I don't mean anything like M25 but

two lanes and a hard shoulder per side. The last thing Greece needs, or wants or should have is a bloody race track. Especially in Athens. 


Edited by Raest, 27 August 2014 - 19:23.


#45 Alexandros

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 19:24

The cheap solution would be to make it in the city streets (Athens)... kind a like Monaco but instead of seeing the rocks of Monte Carlo, you'd be seeing the Acropolis.



#46 wrighty

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 20:31

They should reroute the track layout to take in some of the abandoned Olympic venues.....

http://www.theguardi...-on-in-pictures

 

i'm not banking on it tbh.



#47 Dick Dastardly

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Posted 27 August 2014 - 22:43

Never mind Greece....why isn't there a race in Scandinavia? There used to be the Swedish GP at Anderstorp, but since Ronnie died nothing. Since then Finland has produced WDCs.....Keke, Mika, Kimi & maybe Nico [he's 1/2 Finnish !!]....up & coming stars Valteri Bottas and Kevin Magnussen are from that part of the world as well [Finland & Denmark respectively]  :drunk:   Surprises me that there's no GP up there.... 


Edited by Dick Dastardly, 28 August 2014 - 14:35.


#48 loki

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Posted 28 August 2014 - 03:41

Ecclestone said today that a Greece GP is likely to happen with the support of private investors, he is working on a deal 

Ecclestone says a lot of things.  Some of which are true....

 

New Jersey and Long beach were going to happen with private money as well.



#49 CoolBreeze

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Posted 28 August 2014 - 06:39

Will be a disaster, economic wise. Just google the 2004 Olympic site and have a look. Owning and hosting is one thing. Maintenance is another different level, taking into account the economic situation there, 



#50 Kristian

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Posted 28 August 2014 - 08:25

If i was a track designer i'd build a high speed-track. Something like Spa 2.0 or Monza V2.0. Because those tracks always deliver great racing. Furthermore they encourage the teams to build cars with less drag (which is more road relevant than down force). So why has Tilke never come up with something like a high-speed-track?

 

Tilke's Cape Town proposal was pretty high speed, its a pity it was never built: (even if it does resemble Bahrain with corners in a different order) 

 

c9e16b384ab741d0906400bb9436884d.jpg

 

But I think ultimately its down to the FIA delcaring a standard track length and average speed... if they took their grubby mits off track design it would help a lot. 


Edited by Kristian, 28 August 2014 - 08:26.