Noticias 2014, Con el analisis de los miembros del Foro Oficial de Pedro de la Rosa Votos Opciones

[tenista]

Testing in January and a 21-race calendar?

Formula 1 looks set for a record 21-race calendar in 2014, with the season kicking off earlier than usual to accomodate two new races.

Not only will the racing season begin earlier, testing will too. The teams are believed to have agreed to an additional pre-season test in January in order for them to get some early running with the new power units.

The first test, to be held in Jerez, is likely to take place on January 21st, lasting four days. The locations of the final three tests haven't been confirmed, but Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Bahrain are in the running to host one or more each.

With the season likely to begin two weeks earlier than usual in Bahrain - rather than Australia - on March 2nd, having the final test on the island kingdom makes sense as it would only be a week or two before the race.

A record breaking calendar also looks likely with the addition of Russia and New Jersey. At present we have 19 races following the loss of Valencia (Europe), and there are no signs of any race being dropped.

It's worth noting nothing has been ratified for 2014 yet. This proposal must be signed off by the FIA later in the year before it becomes official and, requires a change in the regulations to allow for testing to take place in January.


http://www.f1times.co.uk/news/display/07696

[tenista]

Mateschitz will pay £16m Austrian race fee

Red Bull's Dietrich Mateschitz has denied that he has received any special discount from Bernie Ecclestone after it was announced that Formula 1 would return to Austria next year.

The billionaire businessman bought the A1-Ring in 2007 and redeveloped it and renamed it the Red Bull Ring. The circuit, located near the Austrian city of Graz, will play host to F1 for the first time in ten years a year from now.

Mateschitz insists he hasn't received any special discount from Ecclestone, staunchly replying "no" when asked by SpeedWeek.

But whilst all but one of the current 19-races receives state funding, the Austrian Grand Prix, like the British event, won't. Instead, he himself and the Red Bull brand will pay the hosting fee, expected to be in the region of £16 million, whilst he expects the money raised through tickets will cover the organisational costs.

"With the gate receipts, at best I will cover my organisational costs, but not the license fee," he said. "I have to put that up."

Additional grandstands will need to be constructed as at present the circuit has a capacity of just 40,000 - which would make it the lowest on the calendar - but Mateschitz is expecting many more to attend

"I expect [similar to] the average European race, at around 60,000 spectators. Plus or minus twenty percent, depending on the weather."


http://www.f1times.co.uk/news/display/07858