While the troubles of Bahrain have brought into question certain aspects of the “new market” push from Formula 1, we got a dose of good news today for a classic F1 venue.
Spa-Francorchamps is the best track in F1 period. I don’t care what critics say about Monaco or even Monza. The one race I have circled every year and the one that resides on my bucket list is the Belgian Grand Prix. It combines ultra high speed with really technical sections and is always a blast to watch on television. The last few years however, the future of the race had been brought into question due to a lack of funds. Because ridiculous fees were being charged to house the race, a lot of classic circuits were running into financial trouble and have been removed in favor of places where…well you have seen the news.
Spa has cemented their place on the F1 circuit with a deal today that will see Shell as the title sponsor for the GP. The deal is said to be a multi year deal and a push for Shell to become even closer with Formula 1. It is no secret that Ferrari and Shell have shared a very successful history together and this move further cements Shell into the global series.
“The 2011 Formula 1 Shell Belgian Grand Prix is a great way to augment our technical partnership with Scuderia Ferrari. The extreme and controlled testing ground provided by Scuderia Ferrari allows us to constantly develop our fuels and lubricants. Spa is one of the most demanding races on the calendar for teams and drivers alike, making it the perfect place to demonstrate Shell’s premium products.” – Shell Richard Bracewell, Global Sponsorship Manager
I really welcome the news as I think Spa is a MUST have on the schedule. It breeds great racing and is one of the real classics on the calendar. The fact that Bernie and really anyone associated with Formula 1 or the FiA would think to get rid of the venue is beyond any rational thinking. This deal should solidify and stop all of that talk. Hopefully….