France had some traditional circuits, but as you say, most have falling into disrepair. Paul Ricard has enjoyed a recent revamp, but I’m not sure it is to the FIA guidelines.

I like your idea of a ‘Temporary GP’, and I think that was the original idea behind the European Grand Prix before it got stuck in Germany.

I get why the calendar is in the order that it is. as Australia, Malaysia and Bahrain are relatively close, as is America and Canada. Also, the regions seasonal weather has to come into account a little, although wet races do provide better entertainment at times. But like you say, I to don’t understand the three and four week gaps (aside from the summer break). Especially as the gaps are at the start of the season - it makes no sense whatsoever and new fans tuning in for Australia are likely to go off the boil by Malaysia next weekend.

Besides, I’ve been sitting here twiddling my thumbs for the past two weeks now!

Belated birthday wishes for last Tuesday!

A lot of the new countries only want a GP because of the tourist/promotional value, and F1 is not really organised to allow them to do this properly. Since most press comment occurs when a track either enters or leaves the schedules, it makes sense to do this more often to the tracks that want the press coverage. How about having three slots in the calender for “promotional” races, which will hold a GP for three years at a time and not be allow two adjacent slots? The contracts would be organised so that one “temporary GP” would be changed over each year, adding surprise to every calender year and giving new tracks their much-desired PR without causing undue worry to older tracks that have proven their value? If a “temporary GP” proves its worth as a great circuit, it could always be converted into a permanent GP.

The other thing that annoys me about the circuits is that they are scheduled rather strangely. Having back-to-back weekends alongside multiple three-week breaks is far from ideal. So how about having one race every two weeks every time? I’d also ban testing unless it was in January or an in-season compulsory session with a proper non-championship(?) race was included in the testing programme each time.

I’d go for a schedule something like this:

February - (possibly non-European) test with non-championship race and Suzuka (Japan)
March - [Temporary GP] and Sepang? (SE Asia)
April - Interlagos? (South America) and European test with non-championship race
May - Barcelona? (Spain) and Monaco
June - [Temporary GP] and Gilles Villnueve (Canada)
July - Indy? (USA) and Free Time
August - Silverstone (Britain) and Magny-Couers (France)
September - Hockenheim? (Germany) and Monza (Italy)
October - [Temporary GP] and European test with non-championship race
November - Spa (Belgium) and Melbourne (Australia)