2022 Discussion Thread

[mario]

just a tactic to extract more money from spa, is all, it's the usual story, and usually when spa is without a race for one or two years, they'll bring out a better bid again, because it's good marketing. So even if Spa leaves, i'm confident it will come back as well.

Nevertheless with the death of the track owner still being very recent, i can imagine negotiations aren't as smooth as they could have been.

One of the attractions of the Belgian GP had been the fact that, since it was the only Benelux race venue, it tended to draw in quite a few Verstappen fans - but, with Zandvoort now on the calendar to cash in on his popularity, there might be an element of cynical calculation that Spa is more expendable than it was in the past.

It does also have a slight detraction in that it doesn't fit so well to the model that Liberty Media wants, which is leaning more towards the model of having more street races and tying the race into wider events (e.g. such as linking it to concerts, or other similar gimmicks).

[Nessafox]

As long as the Verstappen fans will travel basically anywhere, it remains lucrative, of course it doesn't last forever but Spa has seen days with few spectators and the powers that be still realised what great marketing Spa is, as it truly is representative of a touristic region. The return of Zandvoort seems to actually strengthen Spa's position, at least with regards to spectators showing up. Even if that's just temporary as the max hype will sooner or later fade.

Also i don't think they'll spend so much on renovations just for moto GP alone as that sport isn't so popular locally, i just think this is the usual 'hard negotiations'.

Now what Liberty thinks is a different thing of course, they say they want to drop monaco as well. But as you might remember, Bernie also used to constantly threaten to drop historic venues to get more money from them. They tended to only actually get dropped when the venues pulled out of the bidding war.

Regardless, even if Spa dissapears, i'm fairly certain it will eventually return.

[dr-baker]

Belgium has disappeared from the calendar before in 2003 and 2006, only to make a return again, just at Montreal’s Ile de Notre Dame did after its 2009 hiatus. And I can’t believe that F1 would drop the crown jewel event of Monaco, too many business deals take part in this glamorous venue. And I thought that Monaco didn’t pay any host racing fees at all, as F1 needs Monaco more than Monaco needs F1. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if this had changed in recent years…

[mario]

Belgium has disappeared from the calendar before in 2003 and 2006, only to make a return again, just at Montreal’s Ile de Notre Dame did after its 2009 hiatus. And I can’t believe that F1 would drop the crown jewel event of Monaco, too many business deals take part in this glamorous venue. And I thought that Monaco didn’t pay any host racing fees at all, as F1 needs Monaco more than Monaco needs F1. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if this had changed in recent years…

Liberty Media have insisted that Monaco has to pay a fee for the race, and it has also had to scrap the tradition of having the practice sessions on Thursday, with practice now shifted to Fridays instead to match other race weekends.

[Rob Dylan]

Belgium has disappeared from the calendar before in 2003 and 2006, only to make a return again, just at Montreal’s Ile de Notre Dame did after its 2009 hiatus. And I can’t believe that F1 would drop the crown jewel event of Monaco, too many business deals take part in this glamorous venue. And I thought that Monaco didn’t pay any host racing fees at all, as F1 needs Monaco more than Monaco needs F1. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if this had changed in recent years…

Liberty Media have insisted that Monaco has to pay a fee for the race, and it has also had to scrap the tradition of having the practice sessions on Thursday, with practice now shifted to Fridays instead to match other race weekends.

It's also a classic case of say one thing, do the other. They want folks interested and focussed on a 23+ race calendar, but they also want to dilute any possible variety and difference between the circuits and the racing weekends. Taking away Monaco's prestigious status and making the format identical each weekend does nothing to help a sport that is seeking to become more and more episodic, surely. If every episode is the same, why tune in?

[dr-baker]

[]It's also a classic case of say one thing, do the other. They want folks interested and focussed on a 23+ race calendar, but they also want to dilute any possible variety and difference between the circuits and the racing weekends. Taking away Monaco's prestigious status and making the format identical each weekend does nothing to help a sport that is seeking to become more and more episodic, surely. If every episode is the same, why tune in?

And yet they are still prepared to shake up the schedule for the Las Vegas race by having the race on a Saturday night?

[CoopsII]

Holy hell will be raised if they attempt to drop Spa from the calendar.

Doubtful. Perhaps on pages like this but nobody else will raise a whimper. Also, the current Powers That Be, much like the old Powers That Be, know that they can do what they want and the show will go on.

[Rob Dylan]

Holy hell will be raised if they attempt to drop Spa from the calendar.

Doubtful. Perhaps on pages like this but nobody else will raise a whimper. Also, the current Powers That Be, much like the old Powers That Be, know that they can do what they want and the show will go on.

I'll actually have to disagree with you strongly there. While I know we're not casuals and we're something of a niche community here, but our pessimism is probably somewhat mislaid when it comes to the average fan. As far as I know about casual fans I know personally, they care a huge amount about the "classic" tracks like Monaco and Spa, because that's the kind of mystique that gets them into the sport proper. No matter how much money exchanges hands in the next few years, you can't buy the enthusiasm an average fan has for "oh yeah it's Monaco this weekend!" for some sterile empty landscape that the organisers hide by making it a night race.

[CoopsII]

I agree with your disagreement. I'm not saying people won't be upset and being passionate about the classic circuits isn't limited to dark corners of the internet. Ok, perhaps more than 'a whimper' will be raised, maybe a hashtag will surface, maybe people will hold up bedsheets with "Save Spa" at some races.

But when all is said and done, if Liberty want Spa to go then go it will. And, as I pointed out with my original post, the previous F1 owners were as unsentimental as this lot, witness another classic track in the form of Silverstones many years of battle to stay on the F1 calendar.

[Row Man Gross-Gene]

But when all is said and done, if Liberty want Spa to go then go it will.

I agree that this is true. I don't think that Liberty wants Spa to go though. What they want is money (just like the old guys). What the fans can do is make sure there is money in it for Liberty to keep going to Spa, or the potential loss of money for stopping, or more likely, both.

I also echo Rob's more hopeful notes on the casual fan. I'm also pretty hopeful about the the new fans being brought in by DTS.

I know a lot of us are pretty skeptical about the new DTS fans, especially the ones in the US. It is often mentioned that if they are brought in using the more sensationalist editing style, they'll somehow force a change to the actual sport through the sheer force of their expectations. But, here are my anecdotal reasons to be hopeful. The Ringer is a US website and podcast network focused on sports and popular culture. I like to read their articles because they're a little funny and irreverent, while still doing decent journalism. Their podcasts are a little more "take" oriented, but still enjoyable. They started publishing articles on DTS first, and then F1 generally and recently started a podcast. First thing is, I'm just pleased to read about F1 in mainstream media again. Their articles come from a journalism standpoint (even if they are a bit light), but the podcasts come more from a fan standpoint.

I also started listening to the podcast, and I'm pleasantly surprised. The guy who does it is their normal NFL football guy and his co-hosts have ranged from total newbie to fairly experienced. Yes, there are major bathplug-ups and oversights, but the fact is they all seem to want to learn and are trying. That's all I can ask in a situation like this. Additionally, they seem perfectly capable and willing to separate Reality TV from reality. They're well aware that DTS edits for maximum drama and they seem to treat it with the level of seriousness it deserves. There are face-palm moments listening to very new fans/journalists, though. Like with the Vegas announcement the host trying to name previous US races and coming up with Austin, Indy, and "I think Long Beach". (After that I DMed him on Twitter and said there is a longer and weirder history of F1 racing in the US all the way back to the Indy 500 counting toward the world championship in the 50s. I didn't try to mention all the races, he can use wikipedia. I don't know if he got it, but I wanted to be constructive.) Or the obsession with Toto's roll-neck sweater. If some new people get into it because Charles Leclerc is good-looking, I'm fine with it because by following, they'll start to get a real idea of what makes the sport fun and worth investing the time into. If they stick with it, they'll eventually learn who Jim Clark is. I think it's important to avoid gatekeeping (not that anyone here would do that), and just try to be patient when someone asks if Senna was the first world champion.

Edit: I should mention one reason why I like the podcast is that it lets me know what newer fans are actually thinking. I'm not going to stop listening to Mark Hughes for in-depth analysis. It's very zeitgeist-y if you know what I mean, F1 is having a huge moment in the US right now.

[Paul Hayes]

So much going on in that qualifying session that it was difficult to keep up!

Leclerc's superb pole... The battle nicely set-up with him Verstappen again... Sainz being so out of position... Alonso losing what could have been a mega qualifying result... Norris getting up to fourth... The Mercedes battle, and Hamilton pipping Russell...

And that's without the Canadian confrontation earlier on!

Let's hope the race is even half as eventful!

[Rob Dylan]

I honestly can't believe how far Latifi has fallen off the cliff of performance this year. He's crashed in at least one important session for four races in a row now! The Stroll incident with him was avoidable, but also not in my opinion Lance's fault. The two were clearly not paying as much attention as they should have been, and look at the mess.

All I'm thinking from this is the mighty bill that Aston Martin and Williams are racking up in just the first few races from all these shenanigans

[Spectoremg]

Let's hope Monaco invade the Ukraine and that mickey mouse event can be dropped

[dr-baker]

Let's hope Monaco invade the Ukraine and that mickey mouse event can be dropped

I disagree. But there again, I saw a meme recently that stated that tradition is just peer pressure from dead people.

Monaco is not the best by any stretch of the imagination for racing and overtaking but there has been a number of memorable moments over the years, usually coming out of the tunnel towards the Novelle Chicane. And 1996 was a very memorable, eventful race!

Edit: Watching the GP, with some nice head on shots of the cars, I keep thinking that the McLarens look like Spykers and the Alfa Romeos look like Midlands.

[Paul Hayes]

A shame it wasn't a closer battle at the front, but still plenty of interest going on. Well done to Albon and Williams for making that strategy work to nab a point - sadly we didn't see it, but from the timings it looked very close with Zhou Guanyu when he came out at the end there!

[dr-baker]

Who would have thought Aston Martin would be the last team to remain pointless on the scoreboard? To have last year's back markers of Alfa Romeo, Williams and Haas all score before you, and doing so during the early season flyaway, must be frustrating and/or embarrassing.

[Paul Hayes]

Definitely the best sprint race we have had so far in their brief F1 history, I'd say. (Admittedly that's not saying much!)

[Row Man Gross-Gene]

Definitely the best sprint race we have had so far in their brief F1 history, I'd say. (Admittedly that's not saying much!)

I agree, the cars can follow pretty well. Who knew it was ground effect we’ve been missing?

[IceG]

Yes, the new cars look really great on low tanks on a proper traditional circuit. There was an edgy lively dynamism to the way they responded to driver input and the kerbs during the race, except the Mercedes which looked a bit like a drunk hippo.

The DRS seemed forced and unnecessary though. Hopefully, in the longer run, it will either (i) be removed as an option or (ii) be available as and when the driver wants so it can be used to defend as welll as attack.

[Paul Hayes]

Red Bull will be pretty delighted with how that afternoon unfolded for them!

[IceG]

The DRS seemed forced and unnecessary though. Hopefully, in the longer run, it will either (i) be removed as an option

Well that happened sooner than I expected.

There seemed to be more action without DRS, leading to repeated overtaking attempts, than with, meaning the faster car just cruised past at the first attempt. And it had no effect on the DRS train which contnued to chuff around even once DRS had been allowed.

Which is the better show?

[Rob Dylan]

I agree with all the DRS comments. It was quite fascinating how the Sky commentators disproved their own point during the race. di Resta and Croft demanded DRS to be instated to liven up the racing, whereas in fact it made such little difference. They were so adamant that DRS should be instated that they were demanding for an enquiry at the race director for why it was not implemented (as if safety isn't paramount in Formula 1...).

However, the eventual implementation of DRS only turned the good old fashioned Trulli Trains into DRS trains, which are different effectively in name only. If there is any enquiry to be made regarding DRS after Imola, it should surely be as to when we can get rid of it if the wheel to wheel racing is so good without it.

[Row Man Gross-Gene]

I agree with all the DRS comments. It was quite fascinating how the Sky commentators disproved their own point during the race. di Resta and Croft demanded DRS to be instated to liven up the racing, whereas in fact it made such little difference. They were so adamant that DRS should be instated that they were demanding for an enquiry at the race director for why it was not implemented (as if safety isn't paramount in Formula 1...).

However, the eventual implementation of DRS only turned the good old fashioned Trulli Trains into DRS trains, which are different effectively in name only. If there is any enquiry to be made regarding DRS after Imola, it should surely be as to when we can get rid of it if the wheel to wheel racing is so good without it.

I pretty much agree and I look forward to the day that this artifice can be cast aside. That said, I see the sport hanging on to this for a while at least. As the teams really start to get their heads around the new formula, you just know they're going to be adding downforce and depending on how they do, the aero wakes are going to get more turbulent, which will make following harder, which will create further need for DRS. I would think a well-managed regulatory regime could obviate the need for DRS, but that sort of assumes the rule-makers will always be out ahead of the teams. Or they might find they just like having the option for DRS in their back pocket just in case, which gives them the ability to add or remove DRS zones as they see fit, like they did in Oz.

[Nessafox]

I'm not sure what race you are watching and you're entitled to your opinion, but i'd rather keep DRS at most points. (just remove it at obvious unnecessairy points like the Kemmel straight)

[Yannick]

What do ladies named Marina think about Miami's fake marina?

[Psyclepath]

Seeing how much of a handful that Mercedes car looked in Miami qualifying, I'm believing at this point that both Hamilton and Russell are flattering that car.

[Row Man Gross-Gene]

I'm not sure what race you are watching and you're entitled to your opinion, but i'd rather keep DRS at most points. (just remove it at obvious unnecessairy points like the Kemmel straight)

Point taken, you're probably right. I guess wishing that F1 didn't need DRS is not the same as not needing it in fact.

[Row Man Gross-Gene]

One thing I don't feel like I understand very well is the FIA ruling on Jewelry and fire-proof undergarments. I don't want to start a flame war (sorry) but I do want to understand what exactly is going on and the discussion available elsewhere isn't particularly helpful. Anybody want to chime in with a reasonable account of what I should think and why? I'm inclined to leave it up to the drivers, but as we know, drivers have often had to be protected from their own inclinations by others.

[Yannick]

One thing I don't feel like I understand very well is the FIA ruling on Jewelry and fire-proof undergarments. I don't want to start a flame war (sorry) but I do want to understand what exactly is going on and the discussion available elsewhere isn't particularly helpful. Anybody want to chime in with a reasonable account of what I should think and why? I'm inclined to leave it up to the drivers, but as we know, drivers have often had to be protected from their own inclinations by others.

I have an "unpopular opinion" (meme alert goes off ) on that one: The FIA is just forcing the issue to generate publicity for F1 in the celebrity press. After all, jewelery is something that everybody can relate to, and any kind of publicity is good publicity.
That would kind of fit with the mold of bringing celebrities to the Miami GP to look happy, which is one possible way of putting on a show to enhance the on-track product that the fans care about, but to get people interested who aren't fans yet, you need to do something else. In Monaco, the glamour (and the marina) is real. In Miami, it's a show.
This is not Bernie's sport anymore: Liberty Media obviously has different marketing concepts for their events.

[CoopsII]

One thing I don't feel like I understand very well is the FIA ruling on Jewelry and fire-proof undergarments

It's all a bit strange and I agree with Yannick. If Hamilton has a Grosjean-like crash but can't get out of the car then all that metal in his head will get hot and cook his face, essentially. But, as with the fire proof pants, if that ever happens then a number of other fail-safes must have failed and they really shouldn't be racing. And, ironically, it almost comes across as a Bernie-era failure to get on terms with the modern world, particularly around the piercings.

[mario]

One thing I don't feel like I understand very well is the FIA ruling on Jewelry and fire-proof undergarments

It's all a bit strange and I agree with Yannick. If Hamilton has a Grosjean-like crash but can't get out of the car then all that metal in his head will get hot and cook his face, essentially. But, as with the fire proof pants, if that ever happens then a number of other fail-safes must have failed and they really shouldn't be racing. And, ironically, it almost comes across as a Bernie-era failure to get on terms with the modern world, particularly around the piercings.

Kevin Magnussen has highlighted that there are some parts of those rules which would also seem to contradict the line that it is purely about driver safety.

His complaint is that the regulations leave the status of a wedding ring unclear, whilst the guidance notes that were issued by Wittich did not make any reference to wedding rings, leaving their status ambiguous and potentially even implying that it would be legal to wear a wedding ring whilst driving. Up until Miami, Magnussen was wearing his wedding ring whilst driving his car - he chose to remove it in Miami rather than risk a penalty, but he's also said that he would prefer to continue wearing it if possible.

In the case of a wedding ring, the arguments about conducting heat would apply just as much to that as to any other piece of jewellery, which is why it seems odd that it hasn't been specified.

It also has to be said that, whilst the focus is primarily on Hamilton, it seems that Gasly, for the moment at least, is a similar rule breaker. In his case, he is wearing a chain with a cross on it as an expression of his faith, and is not particularly keen on having to remove it whilst he is driving.

As to why the FIA has been pushing this, there are some wondering if this may be tying in to a bit of a power play on the part of the FIA, given it comes at a time when the FIA is also reportedly playing hard ball with Liberty Media over adding more sprint races (with the FIA demanding a bigger cut of the sponsorship revenue from Liberty Media). That interpretation sees it as a way for the FIA to flex its regulatory muscles over some minor aspects, and may give them leverage to hurt Liberty Media by taking action against a high profile driver.

Others, meanwhile, have wondered if it may simply be more of a personal choice by the new head of the FIA (i.e. that he doesn't like drivers wearing jewellery, and is thus using this rule to enforce his personal preferences).

[Wallio]

The wedding ring argument is interesting. When I raced, jewelry was banned, but I wore my wedding ring (as did most others) and never really thought anything of it. Wedding rings were specifically mentioned in NHRA/IHRA rules, but they weren't enforced, as opposed to earrings/necklaces. Some guys taped over them with fire-retardant tape and I tried that once or twice, but then your gloves don't fit right. Trouble is, that any exception becomes a slippery slope.


The underwear ban though? That's just stupid.

[Row Man Gross-Gene]

Thanks guys. This really goes to show that people with authority need to always be professional and be consistent. Just the omission of mentioning wedding rings starts to make it look targeted at a certain driver. If I was at risk of a body part being cooked, you can bet I'd take off any jewelry. That said, the FIA has clearly not been consistent over the years on this. Lewis (and others) have been wearing jewelry for a while now and if it didn't bother a Charlie Whiting, why is it bothering the current regime? If it's mostly about the preference of the current president or a powerplay with Liberty, then shame on the FIA for using safety issues as leverage in this way.

[mario]

On another note, during the driver press conference on Friday morning, Alonso criticised the response of the stewards in Miami by calling them "incompetent".

When pressed about whether he thought that the standard of race direction had improved since the FIA implemented its new reforms, Alonso's response was "No", before proceeding to call into question Wittich's competence as a race director due to his lack of prior experience and complaining about the FIA dismissing the requests that the drivers made for a barrier at Turn 14 in Miami after Sainz's crash. https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alon ... /10307212/

Those complaints from Alonso seem to have hit a particularly raw nerve at the FIA, because there are reports that he has been referred to the stewards for his criticism of the FIA. However, Sulayem seems to have decided that was not enough and chose to then summon Alonso for a personal, and rather public, meeting with him, which he held directly on the terrace in front of the Alpine motorhome. https://twitter.com/JRobertsF1/status/1 ... 5416123396

The decision to refer Alonso to the stewards for that public criticism comes across as a bit petty, as they've not usually retaliated against drivers for that sort of criticism. Meanwhile, it does raise a few questions as to why the President of the FIA felt it necessary to directly intervene after that referral had already been made, particularly when the extremely public nature of Sulayem's meeting with Alonso suggests it was more about making an example of Alonso.

[Klon]

The decision to refer Alonso to the stewards for that public criticism comes across as a bit petty, as they've not usually retaliated against drivers for that sort of criticism. Meanwhile, it does raise a few questions as to why the President of the FIA felt it necessary to directly intervene after that referral had already been made, particularly when the extremely public nature of Sulayem's meeting with Alonso suggests it was more about making an example of Alonso.

Which has been baffling to me for years now. No other sport lets its competitors pull the stunts Formula 1 teams and drivers pull in that regard on the regular. Say a quarter of what F1 drivers and teams feel is legitimate to say in any other major sport and your paycheck will be somewhat smaller this month as the organisational body will assign you a five-digit fine.

Honestly, part of the reason why FIA officialdom has been such a mess is that Jean Todt permitted a culture of disrespect to not only fester, but actively thrive. When every jackass makes a public spectacle of how they are displeased on a level that makes the average NBA fan appear more rational when analyzing referee decisions that went against his team, you will give into what they want on some level just to make them shut up for one HWNSNBM-forsaken minute. If Sulayem finally puts the hammer down on this nonsense, I am fully supportive of it. Should have been done much earlier. I mean, I found Sebastian Vettel's tantrum after the 2019 Canadian Grand Prix as funny as anyone else, but the fact that it did not have any ramifications at all was ridiculous. Most other sports would've fined him back to the stone age for that, hell, soccer would've probably thrown in a match ban.

[Paul Hayes]

That was certainly a livelier Spanish Grand Prix than usual. I do understand and appreciate why Perez is unhappy, but in my heart of hearts I can't see him having been able to keep Verstappen behind him for very long if he'd been allowed to, even with the Dutchman's DRS issues. And you can understand why Red Bull wouldn't want to give themselves the extra headache of them racing one another.

But I hope Perez gets another win soon to keep him cheerful. I guess this race perhaps marked the end of the "just happy to still be here" stage of his Red Bull career.

Obviously the race ended disappointingly for Hamilton with him having to drop back to 5th, but what a drive from him - I know he's had over 100 wins, but still one of his best ever I think. To come from that far back to where he was, without the benefit of a red flag or a safety car... Tremendous. A boosting day for Mercedes all-round with Russell dicing for the lead and keeping it for a few laps, too.

[mario]

The decision to refer Alonso to the stewards for that public criticism comes across as a bit petty, as they've not usually retaliated against drivers for that sort of criticism. Meanwhile, it does raise a few questions as to why the President of the FIA felt it necessary to directly intervene after that referral had already been made, particularly when the extremely public nature of Sulayem's meeting with Alonso suggests it was more about making an example of Alonso.

Which has been baffling to me for years now. No other sport lets its competitors pull the stunts Formula 1 teams and drivers pull in that regard on the regular. Say a quarter of what F1 drivers and teams feel is legitimate to say in any other major sport and your paycheck will be somewhat smaller this month as the organisational body will assign you a five-digit fine.

Honestly, part of the reason why FIA officialdom has been such a mess is that Jean Todt permitted a culture of disrespect to not only fester, but actively thrive. When every jackass makes a public spectacle of how they are displeased on a level that makes the average NBA fan appear more rational when analyzing referee decisions that went against his team, you will give into what they want on some level just to make them shut up for one HWNSNBM-forsaken minute. If Sulayem finally puts the hammer down on this nonsense, I am fully supportive of it. Should have been done much earlier. I mean, I found Sebastian Vettel's tantrum after the 2019 Canadian Grand Prix as funny as anyone else, but the fact that it did not have any ramifications at all was ridiculous. Most other sports would've fined him back to the stone age for that, hell, soccer would've probably thrown in a match ban.

The thing is, it's one thing when that criticism is about the governance, but another when that also included taking action against Alonso for the complaints about the barriers in Miami and the after effects that Ocon was experiencing after colliding with that concrete barrier.

I wonder if some of Alonso's comments might have been motivated in part because the company that was responsible for those barriers had put out a statement only a few days earlier that basically accepted that it shouldn't have been such a high G-force crash, but then dismissed the safety concerns by saying "it was a freak crash, and because putting a TecPro barrier would have meant it took longer to disassemble the barrier when the circuit wasn't in use, we're not going to bother with putting that type of barrier in place".

I can understand the argument that he shouldn't have been so openly critical of the officials, but when it seems that he was also being made an example of for his criticism of the safety standards of the circuit, that is more questionable.

[Rob Dylan]

In all my years on this forum, I never thought that a silly throw-away joke would become a reality. And may I just be the first to paraphrase it today:

"Verstappen spins but Verstappen wins!"

[Paul Hayes]

Well, that was a strange end to the session! Unfortunate for Perez, who'd looked so good - I hope he can start in his position.

Is Monaco *still* the only race coverage provided by the local broadcaster, even after last year's shambles? If so, they once again didn't cover themselves in glory in that session.

[mario]

Well, that was a strange end to the session! Unfortunate for Perez, who'd looked so good - I hope he can start in his position.

Is Monaco *still* the only race coverage provided by the local broadcaster, even after last year's shambles? If so, they once again didn't cover themselves in glory in that session.

It is currently still being provided by a local broadcaster - one of the changes that Liberty Media is claimed to have insisted on as part of their contract talks with the ACM is that FOM will cover the race instead.

Apart from that, it seems that there are moves by Liberty Media to strip away more of Monaco's privileges - asides from increasing the hosting fee, it appears that they also want control over the advertising around the circuit (which is currently also under the control of the ACM).