Post here all non technical related topics about Formula One. This includes race results, discussions, testing analysis etc. TV coverage and other personal questions should be in Off topic chat.
MADRID — Spain's Prosecutor's Office has begun an investigation into alleged corruption and embezzlement in the awarding of contracts to hold the 2012 Formula One race in Valencia.
The writ names Francisco Camps, a former president of the Valencia region, Dolores Johnson, a tourism official, and Jorge Martinez, a shareholder in Valmor Sports, the company that Camps assigned the hosting rights to after securing them from F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone.
The writ asks Valencia's courts to investigate alleged irregularities, including how Camps allowed a private company with no experience in motorsport and only 12 employees, to operate the multimillion-dollar event.
The writ names Camps as a suspect in cases of misappropriation of public funds and corruption.
Valencia hosted the European GP for five years to 2012, but not another F1 race since then.
"Explain the ending to F1 in football terms"
"Hamilton was beating Verstappen 7-0, then the ref decided F%$& rules, next goal wins
while also sending off 4 Hamilton players to make it more interesting"
Corruption? In Valencia? How could that possibly happen! Can't be true...
I am not amazed by F1 cars in Monaco. I want to see them driving in the A8 highway: Variable radius corners, negative banking, and extreme narrowings that Tilke has never dreamed off. Oh, yes, and "beautiful" weather tops it all.
"Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future." Niels Bohr
I don't know either, it just popped up in the news all of a sudden, it confused me too. Well, not the fact there's corruption going on behind the 'scenes' in F1, i'd hardly expect otherwise. I'd like to see it different, but in today's world and megabusinesses and corporations, it's generally a no-brainer.
But indeed, it did surprise me that, out of all things, Valencia popped up.
"Explain the ending to F1 in football terms"
"Hamilton was beating Verstappen 7-0, then the ref decided F%$& rules, next goal wins
while also sending off 4 Hamilton players to make it more interesting"
The Singapore-based ARC Resorts has announced plans to build a six-star hotel, casino, golf course and a museum for glass artists in the marina area of Valencia. The project would also include a second hotel and a number of luxury homes. The area was revamped in 2003 in preparation for the America’s Cup yacht races in 2007. The work included a metro line to the city and the local airport. After the America’s Cup teams departed Formula 1 moved into Valencia but the local government did not have the money to keep the European Grand Prix going. ARC Resorts says that it would be willing to invest $600 million to revive the Grand Prix, arguing that the investment would pay off if they were allowed to build the new complex, which they say would be “the best urban resort in Europe” and which would create 8,000 permanent new jobs. For the city of Valencia this would be a godsend as the area is now neglected and unused. The City Council of Valencia would need to change its rules relating to gambling in order for the project to go ahead, but it would breath life into the city, as the facilities would include a concert area, an indoor shopping centre and an arts centre in the iconic Veles e Vents building in the centre of the harbour, plus a yacht club in the old Team Alinghi base.
ARC has been involved in some of the development that has been going on in Singapore’s Marina Bay. The company is owned by Mark Vlassopulos, the son of Tony Vlassopulos, who ran the Token F1 team in the 1970s, after taking over Ron Dennis’s Rondel Racing. The Spanish see the idea as a way to revive the local economy and to provide money for infrastructure changes such as the long-awaited high-speed train link between the cities of Castellón, Valencia and Alicante and the development of the Castellón airport, which has been mothballed since its official opening.
The plan is to bid for a bi-annual Grand Prix and alternate with Formula E. This sounds a rather unlikely deal. The other element that will be difficult is the title of the race as Azerbaijan is expected to get the European GP tag in the years to comne. The good news is that Formula One Licensing registered the name “Formula 1 Mediterranean Grand Prix” as a trademark last year.
The Formula One group is very keen to create new European races because its contracts with the team require at least half the races (10 events) to be held in Europe. With Germany, Belgium, Italy and even the UK struggling to pay the bills, Ecclestone needs all the options he can find.
Interesting, thanks Williams, we´ll see if the project succed or it follow EuroVegas route...
WilliamsF1 wrote:The Formula One group is very keen to create new European races because its contracts with the team require at least half the races (10 events) to be held in Europe.
How´s that posible if this season only 7 races are in Europe?
WilliamsF1 wrote:The Formula One group is very keen to create new European races because its contracts with the team require at least half the races (10 events) to be held in Europe.
How´s that posible if this season only 7 races are in Europe?
Take this "revival" of the race (usefully creating a lot of permanent employment) with a lot of salt. There are elections to Valencia's regional parliament in a month and it was one particular party that is friends with Bernie. The promises will most likely disappear once they are not useful anymore.
Manoah2u wrote:I don't know either, it just popped up in the news all of a sudden, it confused me too. Well, not the fact there's corruption going on behind the 'scenes' in F1, i'd hardly expect otherwise. I'd like to see it different, but in today's world and megabusinesses and corporations, it's generally a no-brainer.
But indeed, it did surprise me that, out of all things, Valencia popped up.
as far as I can tell this it's not about paying Bernie etc. to get the GP, it's about people in charge getting paid by a
company to reward them the lucrative contract. So really has little to do with F1 it could have been anything.
hollus wrote:Take this "revival" of the race (usefully creating a lot of permanent employment) with a lot of salt. There are elections to Valencia's regional parliament in a month and it was one particular party that is friends with Bernie. The promises will most likely disappear once they are not useful anymore.
I would say that no one is going to believe this but its Valencia, and although all the corruption around the local government they always manage to be re-elected once again.
hollus wrote:Take this "revival" of the race (usefully creating a lot of permanent employment) with a lot of salt. There are elections to Valencia's regional parliament in a month and it was one particular party that is friends with Bernie. The promises will most likely disappear once they are not useful anymore.
I would say that no one is going to believe this but its Valencia, and although all the corruption around the local government they always manage to be re-elected once again.
After Andalucia elections that wouldn´t surprise me
WilliamsF1 wrote:The Formula One group is very keen to create new European races because its contracts with the team require at least half the races (10 events) to be held in Europe.
How´s that posible if this season only 7 races are in Europe?
hollus wrote:Take this "revival" of the race (usefully creating a lot of permanent employment) with a lot of salt. There are elections to Valencia's regional parliament in a month and it was one particular party that is friends with Bernie. The promises will most likely disappear once they are not useful anymore.
I would say that no one is going to believe this but its Valencia, and although all the corruption around the local government they always manage to be re-elected once again.
After Andalucia elections that wouldn´t surprise me
This always tend me to think which one of these options is the correct one:
A) People are stupid. Plus people tend to justify almost everything when they support a party or simply the very typically Spanish term "amiguismo" (cronyism).
Andres125sx wrote:Interesting, thanks Williams, we´ll see if the project succed or it follow EuroVegas route...
WilliamsF1 wrote:The Formula One group is very keen to create new European races because its contracts with the team require at least half the races (10 events) to be held in Europe.
How´s that posible if this season only 7 races are in Europe?
There were 9 in Europe when the calendar was published. If the agreement says N America as some people allege then we can add Austin and Montreal to make 11 out of 20.
Montmelo, Monaco, RedBull Ring, Silverstone, Hungaroring, Spa, Monza, Sochi, Germany (on the calendar at the start of the year).
We can also add Baku as another European track in 2016.
