Filed under: Motorsports, Euro
Euro Disney Grand Prix plans shelved
We're not sure what has more clout: Mickey Mouse, Alain Prost or 60 million euros, but the combination of the three was still not enough to get the French Grand Prix back on track. The race, previously held at the Magny Cours circuit in rural France, was removed from the 2009 calendar after organizers couldn't cough up the cash, and almost immediately other parties began filing queue to acquire the rights. The leading tender was spearheaded by Prost, the French former world champion, and backed by promoters Lagadere Sports and Euro Disney. Lagadere would provide the 60 million needed to finance the project, while Disneyland Paris would provide the land for the new circuit to be constructed. The theme park is just a 30-minute drive from metropolitan Paris, and already has plenty of hotel accommodations on site. However, the plan has now fallen apart due to lack of funding and following protests over the prospect of noise and environmental pollution by local residents who intend instead to go back to force-feeding geese and chain-smoking Gauloises.
The Euro Disney proposal was seen as the only viable option for getting the French GP back on for 2010, and its collapse means that Formula One will in all likelihood will not return to France until 2011 at the earliest. Still, the idea has merit, and makes us wonder if the US Grand Prix couldn't do well in Orlando or Anaheim.
[Source: F1-Live]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
John Johnson 9:16AM (11/21/2008)
An east coast race would rock. I'd be all over it.
Disney World > Disney Land. I'm not sure what the attendance is for either park, foreign or domestic visitors. I'd think the most popular one with foreign visitors would be the best choice.
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raz 9:27AM (11/21/2008)
NYC Grand Prix.................YEAH
John Johnson 9:29AM (11/21/2008)
An NYC street circuit would be so awesome that I would not be able to sleep at night. Not too many bendy areas though.
I can't imagine doing 200MPH through Times Square :D
geo.stewart 9:16AM (11/21/2008)
Kissimmee is hte only one with the land to do it right, and ohh the fun to be had. I could shipt hte wife and kids off to the park and go enjoy the race.
or better yet, take a class on track off season
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bill 9:59AM (11/21/2008)
A circuit on Disney land? This could become the home race for the many cartoonish race stewards and their Mickey Mouse decisions.
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Mobius_1 10:09AM (11/21/2008)
Use the rollercoaster!
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Tourian 10:24AM (11/21/2008)
Disney Land is land locked, no way to build a circuit there.
At Disney World they are only using about a third of the land they own, plenty of room.
I don't understand why F1 seems so intent on cutting venues/events. What could possibly be the motivation.
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bill 11:58AM (11/21/2008)
The motivation with Bernie is always money. He is constantly searching the world over for the biggest piggy banks and dumbest among us who are willing to lose huge amounts of revenue to put on a F1 race. Bernie likes government sponsered races because governments can just raise taxes to cover their losses. That Bernie wins, the country hosting the event gets great PR, and the poor saps living in the country get hosed.
Bored 12:57PM (11/21/2008)
"I don't understand why F1 seems so intent on cutting venues/events. What could possibly be the motivation."
Um, divorce?
Maybe Bernie's been hanging out with the owner of the San Diego Padres too much of late?
j/k
Nick 10:51AM (11/21/2008)
Daytona?
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why not the LS2LS7? 12:30PM (11/21/2008)
You keep going Bernie. Keep trading fans for short-term money and see how it comes out.
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Bored 12:49PM (11/21/2008)
From a cost/exposure perspective, a race on one of the coast does make sense. But a Disney sponsored race -- NO F'N WAY!!! It would be SOOO overexposed and over-advertised.
Do you really want Hannah Montana headlining your F1 pre-race party!?
How about the Beverly Hills Chihuahua Paddock Club!?
High School Musical Goes F1!?
Personally, I wish someone would resurrect the plan for an open-wheel race on Chicago's Lake Shore Drive (there was a plan back in 1979 -- I think for CART -- but was axed at the 11th hour). Hopefully one day someone will run a race though Grant Park, Navy Pier and North Beach.
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Jruhi4 7:36PM (11/21/2008)
LMAO! That's the funniest thing I've read today.
Seriously, though, Disney World in Orlando, FL already has a speedway, a tri-oval which hosted a few IRL and other races. It's currently used for the Richard Petty Driving Experience. For more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphi_Indy_200
I'm well aware that it would have to be so extensively modified that little, if any of it would be worth using for an F1 track, but, as others have mentioned, Disney World in Orlando has more land available than any of their other parks, and a good number of foreign tourists.
exkart 4:51PM (11/21/2008)
that would be awesome!!
Especially on in Disney World.
It would be a nice change from seeing buildings, and trees to rollercoasters and a cartoonish castle in the background.
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