London should have an F1 course and be a functional part of the F1 Calendar

I would appreciate to see F1 in London at some point why it is not already a part of our yearly life here is beyond me.

Here is a video of the proposed route.

I am not sure what is the current status of F1 in London but surely at some point it will happen?




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Are there any drivers that known London inside out (around the major attractions?) that can voice if London would be a technically good place to hold F1 and if so what would be your idea of the perfect course?

We should have F1 in London its hugely exciting and would be great for the capital.


What is the best route that could be made for F1 in London?

 

May I offer some suggestions for improvement? I'd adopt a Death Race format, and keep the track entirely within the City boundaries. Start and finish at Canary Wharf.

I'd watch. Every year.

 

I think if they do it they have to create a proper course, if we can shut down 26 miles for the London Marathon we can close down 13 miles for F1.

London has so much excellent real estate space, London would be the perfect venue.

Seriously how can we not have F1 a yearly event, or even if the government said ok yes we will allow it but it will be a once every two or three years event not every year.

London would earn huge sums from the event, it would be fantastic.

 

The races in Vancouver, Canada were canceled after 15 years because residents complained too much, in particularly about the noise.

 

Noise isn't quite such an issue these days with Hybrid V6s. I mean they're still loud, but not deafening any more.

A London race would be cool, but from a broader F1 fan point of view I'm not sure what the sport needs is yet another modern street circuit.

 

As a F1 fan... meh...

As a northerner - **** right off, everything is too London-centric as it is... Silverstone isn't perfect but I'd rather the F1 stay there...

As for the marathon, closing roads for 1 day, if that [based on local road closures for the great north run] isn't even remotely close to shutting the same roads for the 3+ days of an f1 event, nor is the cost of fencing etc. close to the cost of installing the required Armco, then grandstands, pit buildings etc... It takes Monaco 6 *weeks* to get the streets ready for the F1 weekend [source]...

 

In Montreal we have one in a separate island, and downtown, which is fairly far, you hear the F1 racing cars. They make awful a lot of noise.

I would suggest the new Formula E instead of F1.
Formula E is new, using Electric motors, instead of fuel. It is also, in my opinion, more exiting, as it pushes the industry of electric vehicle forward, so we as consumer benefit from it, and brings a new element to the event: electric motor and batteries. Combustion engine are known these days. Most of teh work is optimizing the racing car with the race car driver, and teh race car driver himself. Electric motors and battery is all new, so it no longer about the driver as much, but rather the know how of each companies, and it is no longer a fight to push for that millisecond, but rather seconds, something more visible and therefor, in my opinion, more exiting.

Also, cars are more closer, and yes, moves slower, but you get to see the cars a bit more.

 

Do. Not. Want.

 

Noooooo!!!

City centre tracks are mostly horrible, they're full of ninety degree turns with no flow, the streets are usually too narrow and there's nowhere to put the crowd.

Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve and Albert Park work because they're fast and slippery, which generates exciting races. They're quite wide by street circuit standards too.

Monaco trades on glamour and tradition, Singapore it's darkness and the rest (Valencia, Phoenix, Las Vegas and many others) have been best summed up by Mark Webber, Like driving around a Tesco's car park.

London isn't very suitable, plus it would involve progressively closing the centre of London for around a month whilst they weld down the man holes, build the barriers and catch fencing and alter/close/build the infrastructure required to run a Grand Prix.

 

This, precisely, to be honest. I can see the sensational appeal of it but in practical terms it'd be a nightmare.

Nobody would win: fans would have to suffer London crowds, London transport, London parking and food costs; locals would have to endure yet more swathes of seasonal visitors clogging up the commuter routes on trains, buses and the underground; business and infrastructure would have to somehow circumnavigate the road closures and security perimeters for several days. On top of all that, it is the least environmentally suitable place for motorsport, being one of the only places in the UK so heavily congested that air pollution is already a legitimate concern.

I love motorsport and I love cities and where it's possible to mesh the two together it's often awesome, so I wish it were a feasible suggestion, but I don't think it is on any level. Sorry to be a party pooper

edit - as spade points out, it's also not geometrically ideal for something as suped as F1. Cities are more suited to shenanigans like this:



(and even then, American cities are so much more suitable for motorsport becaue their roads are the size of runways where ours are like rat mazes)

And this:



(I offer these awesome videos as an apology for being such a killjoy and to show that I'm standing in the same ballpark as you, OP)

 

No.

There are enough street races on the calendar already.

 

London is already scheduled as the closing race of the Formula E season on June 27th.

The advantage over F1 for street racing, is that practice, qualifying & the race all take place on the same day.

 

Can I suggest some WRC back in Scotland as an alternative?

 

Yes, makes perfect sense... the logistics for a foot race and F1 are comparable.

Because we all know that if Mo Farrah were to lose it on a hairpin the possible carnage to the crowd and historic buildings doesn't bare thinking about.

F1 in the heart of London!

LOL.

 

But consider the possibilities!

 

I dunno, Mo's got sharp elbows, I wouldn't want to be in the way of 'em.

 

I dont know, one of my best motorsport memories is a city circuit (Valencia) although having the winner (Alonso) stop in front of me helped.

 

I do find the guardians mock up quite funny... plastic barriers and the crowd on the outside of the corner

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/feb/27/london-f1-gp-race-motor-sport

 

Absolutely.

Plus it will serve as a tool for Bernie to threaten Silverstone and rinse even more money out of them. "We have London now, so we don't necessarily need a second race in the UK" will become a common phrase in negotiations.

Also, street circuits are sh!t. I hate Monaco. Always have. Always will. They all wax on about how wonderful it is, but it's the only race where I honestly don't mind if I miss it.

 

That's not a mock up, that's 2004