{"id":1523626,"date":"2022-08-08T11:11:40","date_gmt":"2022-08-08T15:11:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1523626"},"modified":"2022-08-08T11:11:42","modified_gmt":"2022-08-08T15:11:42","slug":"fewer-europeans-witnessing-formula-1-greatness-of-max-verstappen-in-person","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/fewer-europeans-witnessing-formula-1-greatness-of-max-verstappen-in-person\/","title":{"rendered":"Fewer Europeans Will Be Witnessing the Formula 1 Greatness of Max Verstappen in Person"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Formula 1<\/a> has commenced its month-long summer break with Max Verstappen<\/a> comfortably in command despite the promising start to the year by Charles Leclerc. Verstappen can\u2019t coast through the remainder of the schedule, but his 258-178 cushion over Leclerc has the makings of a runaway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rest of 2022 could be rather anti-climactic and a downbeat sendoff for fans in Belgium and France who cherish watching live racing each season. That\u2019s because F1\u2019s growth in the United States is coming at the expense of longstanding grand prix races in Europe, and it could become a trend as the decade progresses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Formula 1 is walking away from the French and Belgian GPs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Lance
Lance Stroll of Aston Martin Aramco and Daniel Ricciardo of McLaren during the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix at Hungaroring in Budapest, Hungary on July 31, 2022. | Jakub Porzycki\/NurPhoto via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The origin of the French Grand Prix can be traced to 1906, and the Belgian Grand Prix goes as far back as 1925. Each has experienced interruptions over the years due to wars and other reasons, and both are now on the Formula 1 chopping block for financial reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Motorsport Magazine<\/a> reports neither race is on the provisional 2023 schedule. The contracts for both expire this summer, and there are numerous options for competing elsewhere. That includes Las Vegas, which comes back onto the schedule in 2023 after an absence of four decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not surprisingly, money is at the heart of the issue. The traditional business model calls for the tracks to pay a negotiated fee to Formula 1 for the right to host. The contracts for European venues<\/a> are near the bottom of the scale for rights fees, and those in Belgium and France have the misfortune of holding expired contracts at a time of renewed F1 popularity accelerated by last year\u2019s duel between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those tracks are unwilling or unable to pay what Formula 1 is seeking. Thus, France and Belgium must face losing their races when the official 2023 schedule is released early this fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miami came aboard in 2022, and Las Vegas returns next year<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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ON THE SEPTEMBER COVER OF VANITY FAIR \ud83d\udca5\ud83d\udca5\ud83d\udca5 Talked all things past, present, and future. It's an honour, thank you @VanityFair<\/a> ~ pic.twitter.com\/7fKiDdHmq2<\/a><\/p>— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) August 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>