NOVEMBER 4, 2002

Saving the Belgian Grand Prix

The Belgian authorities are beginning to wake up to the reality that the FIA is serious about the cancellation of the Belgian Grand Prix and are now scrambling to find ways to save the race at Spa-Francorchamps.

The Belgian authorities are beginning to wake up to the reality that the FIA is serious about the cancellation of the Belgian Grand Prix and are now scrambling to find ways to save the race at Spa-Francorchamps. According to reports over the weekend the F1 authorities have indicated to Belgian politicians that if a solution can be found before the next meeting of the FIA World Council on December 12 there is a possibility that the race could go ahead as planned. But that would take some emergency legislation to bring Belgium into line with other European countries to allow tobacco sponsorship until the global ban on tobacco sponorships in 2006.

An attempt will be made to either stop the legislation or have it modified but it is worth noting that an attempt to modify the law last summer to avoid the very problem that is now happening was defeated in the Belgian arliament. The same could happen again although as issues of national pride have now surfaced there is going to be more pressure on Belgian politicians not to vote their race into oblivion.

Formula 1 has made it very clear that it does not care whether or not the Belgian GP takes place.