Home » Sports » Motor Racing
Stewart: F1 cannot forget history
Print Edition
FORMULA One great Jackie Stewart has bemoaned the downfall of the German Grand Prix and is urging the sport’s bosses not to forsake tradition for money as the number of European races on the calendar dwindles.
The German GP was erased from the 2015 schedule because of financial problems and F1 commercial head Bernie Ecclestone hasn’t guaranteed the future of the iconic Italian Grand Prix, either.
More races are heading to countries in Asia and the Middle East, where government funding can better cover the high hosting fees.
Stewart, a three-time world champion, said there should always be a place for the “essential” races in Germany, Italy, Britain, France and Monaco, as they helped “motorsport to become what it is today.”
“That sounds like me being a purist,” Stewart said. “But you have to respect history. They should always be on the calendar — it’s terrific we have a USGP, a Brazilian Grand Prix, one in Bahrain, and that we are going to new countries. But you still have to respect your heritage.”
Germany’s grand prix may have disappeared but its status as a big motorsport nation is being preserved by the presence of Mercedes atop the drivers’ and constructors’ standings last year and the start of this season. Germany can also count on Sebastian Vettel, the winner of four consecutive world titles, to put up a fight this season.
Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg went head to head for the title last year and are expected to do so again, despite Vettel’s unexpected victory for Ferrari at the Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday.
“It was very welcome,” Stewart said of Vettel’s win. “We have got such total domination, except for the last race, that it has done damage to F1, in the same way as we lost television audiences and attendance figures in the Michael Schumacher days at Ferrari.”
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
