The Weekly Grapevine

The 2007 calendar

That Formula One's 2007 calendar is undergoing a major reshuffle became clear, rather ironically in view of the circuit's expected permanent or temporary disappearance as host venue for the German Grand Prix, in Hockenheim over the weekend.

First salvo was fired by the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, which on Friday announced that it bagged 18 March for its Melbourne race. For a while rumours had been floating about that the new season would start two weeks later than expected, enabling teams to test a fortnight longer before heading for the first race of the incoming season.

This seems to have been confirmed by the AGPC's release, which stressed that the event had been returned to its traditional season opener slot after being pushed down the list by four weeks and two Grands Prix due to clashes with this year's Commonwealth Games hosted by the city.

The AGPC's announcement took many, both within and without Australia, by surprise.

Not only has it long been known that the World Swimming Championships are to be hosted by the Victoria State capital that very weekend - thus placing hotel accommodation at an even greater premium - but, with the Australian Supercar V8 championship, which has graced Melbourne's Grand Prix since the maiden event in 1996 as a non-championship round, racing in Perth the next weekend, there was simply no way the V8s would risk racing in Albert Park.

Just why the two-week shift has not been disclosed by the powers-that-be either, but could it be that, with Grand Prix Fridays now almost certainly being given official test day status, the need for testing between races is reduced, thus permitting a tighter spread of races through a greater number of back-to-back events? There is, though, another alternative, by far the more likely, of which more anon.

Bernie Ecclestone and Ron Walker © XPB/LAT

The second calendar salvo was blasted by Martin Whitaker, General Manager of Bahrain International Circuit, who on Tuesday announced that the desert state had been granted a provisional date for its race of 15 April, a week after the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Although Whitaker stressed the provisional nature of the slot, it does have a ring of probability to it, for not too long ago Whitaker had been punting strongly for a repeat of the honour of season opener (as per this year). The release, then, implies BIC has totally accepted third in line on the 2007 fixture list.

So, although Malaysia has not (yet) officially commented on the provisional calendar or the Australian and Bahraini announcements, it seems a fair bet that the Asian country's race will be run on 8 April (not, note 7 April as erroneously stated in BIC's release).

A Melbourne - Malaysia - Manama sequence makes enormous logistical (the routing flows logically) and scheduling sense - by getting Euro fans up early when F1 withdrawal symptoms are at their strongest, then permit 9:00am viewing from Malaysia as the effects of winter begin to wear off, and finally have them back before their screens before lunchtime for the Race in the Desert.

So far, so good. But, then it gets slightly complicated: Imola traditionally welcomes F1 to Europe, but whether or not the quaint circuit nestling in the Apennines foothills remains on the trail depends upon imminent negotiations, with most in the paddock semi-convinced that the San Marino Grand Prix was this year run for the last time.

Not only does the Automobile Club of Bologna desperately need to find funding to upgrade the place, it is selling its majority shareholding in Sagis, the circuit-owning company, to do so.

Whilst positive noises have been made of late, there has been little tangible progress towards bringing the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari up to scratch. In fact, work is not scheduled to start until mid-September, leaving little time to spend the estimated €10m, particularly if expected winter delays are factored into the situation.

Should one of three interested investors come to pass, should the work be completed in time, should Bernie Ecclestone decide that Italy, unlike Germany, qualifies for two Grands Prix, then there may just be a Grand Prix on the banks of Santerno River. If not, what are his options?

Given that Ecclestone admitted that the 2007 schedule would run to 18 races and that Spa-Francorchamps would be back after its bankruptcy-enforced break, that the 77-year old as much as confirmed that Hockenheim will be off the calendar for at least a year - whether or not it enters into a form of time share agreement with the Nurburgring, where will the additional race come from should Imola drop off?

Although Dr Mario Theissen, Motorsport Director of BMW, told journalists in Germany that the chances of two races in Japan were unlikely, there is every chance that the country, home to Honda, Toyota and Super Aguri, plus, of course, Bridgestone, will indeed promote two Grands Prix next year should Italy's quota be reduced.

Ecclestone did, though, state in Germany that Japan would host only one race next year and that no new events were scheduled for 2007 - but, as outlined below, a second race in Japan is not a new phenomenon, and, after all, how often has deliberate misinformation been placed in F1, particularly where calendar matters are concerned?

A second Grand Prix in Japan is not only possible, but feasible, for demand for seats at Suzuka has long outstripped availability, and both Japanese motor companies are desperate to host races at their own circuits.

With the snaring of the Japanese Grand Prix by Toyota's Fuji raceway, the ante has been upped substantially, and rumours have it that Honda is hopeful of retaining a date for its Suzuka facility. What better solution for all parties than to revive the Pacific Grand Prix; above all, what better method of persuading Honda to up their offer for a race than by stating publicly that Japan will host but one race?

Spa-Francorchamps should return in 2007 © LAT

Japan is, of course, no stranger to two events, having hosted its own race and the Pacific Grand Prix at Aida in 1994/5. Interestingly, the first such Grand Prix took place in mid-April, and the (temporary?) swansong in late October, suggesting a second Japanese race could comfortably be scheduled at any stage within that time frame, thus granting Ecclestone some welcome flexibility.

A Pacific Grand Prix in Japan would also, technically speaking, not be a 'new Grand Prix'...

Should Imola, though, remain with us for another year, the chances are strong it will be accommodated on 29 April, with Spain double-heading on 6 May - as close to its traditional slot as makes no difference - or on 13 May, permitting a two- or three-week gap to Monaco on 27 May.

Logic dictates that Silverstone will be next up (June 3), falling earlier than usual, as per this year, with the circus then moving to the North American continent for a series of back-to-backs.

Although Indianapolis Motor Speedway has not yet been confirmed as venue, Joie Chitwood, president of IMS on Monday told the Indianapolis Star when confirming the date for the venue's NASCAR 2007 race (31 July) that "We've gotten very good at converting the track. I don't think we've done anything to preclude (F1 keeping its date)."

So, it seems, Canada and Indy are sorted for 17 and 24 June respectively.

Then, likely, it will be France's turn (8 July), with Nurburgring (whether as German or European Grand Prix) on 22 July, with Hungary slotting in a week later on 29 July.

After F1's summer break, proceedings return to Turkey (19 August), with Spa returning to the fray on 2 September before F1 faces Monza's high speeds on 9 September, leaving Ecclestone close on seven weeks to accommodate Japan, China, Brazil, and possibly, the Pacific Grand Prix.

Dates are expected to be confirmed at an upcoming World Motorsport Council meeting, probably to be held after the Turkish Grand Prix, but, in the interim the pointers for 2007 are as follows:

18 March         Australian Grand Prix
8 April          Malaysian Grand Prix
15 April         Bahraini Grand Prix
29 April         San Marino/Pacific Grand Prix (?)
6/13 May         Spanish Grand Prix (?)
27 May           Monaco Grand Prix
3 June           British Grand Prix
17 June          Canadian Grand Prix
24 June          US Grand Prix
8 July           French Grand Prix
22 July          German or European Grand Prix
29 July          Hungarian Grand Prix
19 August        Turkish Grand Prix
2 September      Belgian Grand Prix
9 September      Italian Grand Prix
23 September     Chinese Grand Prix
30 September     Japanese Grand Prix
14 October       Brazilian Grand Prix

A different tyre war

Forget the on-track 'tyre war' - there is presently a fascinating on-going struggle between Bridgestone and Michelin for best of the rest after Goodyear in the overall victory stakes.

In Montreal, within, literally, seconds of Fernando Alonso's Michelin-shod Renault taking the chequer, Michelin staff donned 'Michelin 100 Formula One Victories' T-shirts and distributed same at the foot of the Media Centre.

Michelin and Bridgestone transporters © XPB/LAT

The French company first entered the sport in 1977 with Renault, bringing with it radial ply construction. The first Grand Prix victory on such technology followed less than a year later when Carlos Alberto Reutemann won the Brazilian Grand Prix for Ferrari. After 58 victories - and third place on the overall log behind Goodyear with 368 victories and Dunlop on 83, but ahead of Firestone, Pirelli, Continental and Engelbert - the company withdrew in 1985 to concentrate on other forms of motorsport.

Then, in 2001, Michelin returned with Williams-BMW, taking a win in only their fourth race courtesy of Ralf Schumacher. Through to Canada this year, the French brand took a further 41 victories and both 2005 championships via Fernando Alonso and Renault respectively. True, the season was extremely embarrassing for Michelin at one point, but they got there in the end.

By the start of this year Michelin had won 93 Grands Prix to still place third - by now behind Bridgestone - but Alonso's victory in Bahrain took them clear of the Japanese brand, with Alonso's last victory giving Michelin the century. Since then, though, the count has stagnated, and Bridgestone has hauled its present opposition in.

The Japanese company - now also controller of Firestone, begging the question of whether the latter's 49 wins should count towards Bridgestone's tally - entered Formula One in 1997, and almost won its 11th race (Damon Hill for Arrows in Hungary), and went on to score its first victory with Mika Hakkinen in Melbourne after that (in)famous McLaren-instructed pitstop shuffle.

Both titles followed, with Hakkinen repeating the drivers' feat the following year and Ferrari taking the constructors' in their first season on Bridgestones after Goodyear's withdrawal at end-1998. Bridgestone caught up rapidly, to lie second after Goodyear by late 2005. Last year was, of course, a season to forget for Bridgestone, with the trademark red cap only being worn once by Schumacher - in Indianapolis.

In Germany last week, Bridgestone hit their century, and the pressure is now on both companies to capture second place on the all-time list by season's end: Michelin, because it hopes to exit F1 on a high (and it can't get much higher than quitting whilst ahead of its arch-rival); Bridgestone, for the obvious and opposite reason ahead of becoming F1's sole tyre supplier.

With six races remaining, the tyre war is far from over, whether on track or statistically. It could just be 103 wins each after Brazil.

Note: 'strike rates' have been excluded as they are, in a tyre context, meaningless. Apart from the fact that victory tallies are greatly influenced by the number of partner teams and/or individual contractual obligations, Bridgestone 'enjoyed' a period of zero competition in the late nineties, whilst Michelin has always faced at least one opponent.