An F1 calendar query/ challenge
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OK, this probably isn’t really worthy of a Forum topic, but I can’t think of anywhere else to put it. It’s too long for Twitter, and too random for the round-up. It seems a bit complicated as well so I hope people can make sense of my ramblings!
Anyway, I was thinking about how much the calendar has changed over the years, and I wondered how long you’d have to go back to find a sequence of 3 (or more) consecutive Grand Prix’s which are no longer on the calendar.
I reckon you’d have to go back to 2006 to find a three race sequence of circuits which aren’t on the 2011 calendar: Indianapolis, Magny Cours and Hockenheim. Also, the race that preceded that sequence, Montreal, wasn’t on the calendar in 2009, so there was a brief period where all four circuits were gone. However, Hockenheim still has a GP every two years, so maybe it doesn’t count?
So, are there any other statto’s out there who can think of any more multiple race sequences from past calendars that have now disapeared?
1980
Kyalami-Long Beach-Zolder
A quick Wiki check says that the “first” time 3 circuits which are no longer on the calendar were together was 1953 – Autódromo Juan y Óscar Gálvez, Indianapolis and Zandvoort (although that is the oval Indy circuit, so it’s a grey area). The next year Zandvoort was not on the calendar.
And there would have been non-championship races in between, I imagine.
Oh and another from 1959 which smashes that – Indianapolis, Zandvoort, Reims, Aintree, AVUS and Monsanto Park. Only Monaco and Monza remain today!
If it was a pre-2001 season you were looking at I would definitely count Hockenheim as “no longer on the calendar” even if there is a race at a circuit of the same name but only half the track.
I went back as far as 1987 and got a run of Estoril – Jerez – Hermanos Rodriguez (Portugal, Spain, Mexico). I’ve not trawled extensively, however interesting to note that 4/7 of the circuits on the original 1950 F1 season are still used in the current season, albeit changed quite a lot (Silverstone, Monaco, Spa & Monza)
No sequence of words could sound any sweeter to an F1 fan; Silverstone, Monaco, Spa & Monza.
Ichtyes I think found it despite the fact it’s a lot more than three, I was going to suggest finding a calendar that didn’t include 3 from this season but he’s found it. Why wasn’t Silverstone raced that year?
I had actually thought initially that a more recent season such as 2006 or 2005 might have had it because Bahrain is no longer on the calendar, but not quite
Not sure but it rotated a lot in the 1960s between Aintree, Silverstone and Brands Hatch.
Aintree would be a genius question to have in an F1 quiz. Well, that and Brooklands, but there was no F1 back then!
Historian’s habit ;-)
At one point the 1990, 1994 seasons had 4, but Suzuka came back to the calendar and in 1995 there were 5 (Estoril, Nurburgring, Aida, Suzuka, Adelaide – this was only a valid example in the 2008 season)! 1996 had a run of Buenos Aires, Nurburgring and Imola.
But if Nurburgring doesn’t count then there are currently none from the 90s.
1963 is another example – USA, Mexico, South Africa. I think that’s the earliest time there were 3 countries in a row not currently on the calendar that “actually” count (USA was at Watkins Glen and its own F1 race, not the Indy 500)
What an unusual question! I tried thinking for about 30 seconds then I thought; “Hang on, why does he want to know this?!” :P
If you’re allowed to count two seasons, there’s quite a run from the end of 1988 to 1989: Estoril, Jerez, Suzuka (well, it was dropped), Adelaide, Jacarepaqua, Imola.
Similarily, Damon, I thought to myself “why would anybody chose to spend their evening going through all 44 pages of the F1 Fanatic Forum archives??” Haha!
I once made a wonderful spreadsheet with years across the top, and grand prix down the side (in order they first appeared in the championship), and coloured in each box in-between where a grand prix was held in a given year.
What a wonderful spreadsheet that was, although I may have deleted it. I’ll have to make it again.
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