European/Luxembourg Grand Prix?

[pD F1]

What was the idea in naming it 'The European Grand Prix? Also, I always thought the Nurburgring was in Luxembourg, its never mentioned now - just the European, or the second race in Germany?

[Adam43]

The Nurburgring is, of course, in Germany and has hosted the German GP (on the old circuit) many times. When they want two GP in Germany they use a different name.

The name "European GP" is used a lot to acheive two GP in a country. For two years ('97-98) they called it the Luxembourg GP instead. I don't know why they did this. There was a European GP in '97 (Jerez), but this was arranged after the Nurburgring had ben give the status of Luxembourg GP. Was there a tie up with Luxembourg? I presume their officials presented the trophies?

It is also interesting to note that the first world championship GP ever was held at Silvestone and had the title "European GP". This is often listed as the British GP though.

Recent European GPs are:
1983 Brands Hatch
1984 Nurburgring
1985 Brands Hatch
1993 Donington
1994 Jerez
1995 Nurburgring
1996 Nurburgring
1997 Jerez
1999 Nurburgring
2000 Nurburgring
2001 Nurburgring
2002 Nurburgring
2003 Nurburgring
2004 Nurburgring
2005 Nurburgring

[pD F1]

So there was no 'European Grand Prix' in 1998, since Jerez didn't appear on the calender. Ws this due to the failure to improve the Estoril track to standards, in time for 1998?
I remember arounsd the time of the 1997 Spanish Grand Prix, they replaced Estoril with Jerez, to improve Estoril.

[Adam43]

I can't remember why they chose Jerez in '97 at the moment, other than it was a replacement for a race that was dropped for some reason.

[Jordi]

Estoril was dropped in 1997 due to not being up to FIA-standard.

Back in the 1930s, the European GP would roll every year. For example, Brooklands would have the British GP and in 1937 be the European GP (with no other GP). The next year the European GP would be in Italy and so on...

[Jordi]

Also, Jerez was dropped because in 1997 some local governants got in the way of the people who were there to give the trophies. Bernie said there'd never be a GP again in Jerez, but with Bernie you can never say never...

[Rob29]

Originally Posted by Jordi

Estoril was dropped in 1997 due to not being up to FIA-standard.

Back in the 1930s, the European GP would roll every year. For example, Brooklands would have the British GP and in 1937 be the European GP (with no other GP). The next year the European GP would be in Italy and so on...

Sorry Jordi,Brooklands never had a European GP. The title was dropped in the thirties & replaced by a European Championship 1935-39 of 4 or 5 rounds(none in UK-Donington was non-championship) Revived post war though meaningless since the WC started in 1950.I have never found out why the Luxembourg GP was renamed European permanently.

[luke]

The European Grand Prix should alternate each year and not an escuse for an extra German round, although Bernie quoted a few yeras or so back, that the reason why Germany has two races is because they're very good events, fair enough but they could always alternate it every year, perhaps a second race at Spain one year, and that would make sense as Spain is at the moment has a big interest in F1.
Then next year to some where else in Europe that deserves a race, although I wouldn't say a second British race would be clever as the reason why the two tracks, Brands and Silver always alternated because they could never find a way of making two British races in one year work.

[Adam43]

Germany gets two because of the interst there - both inside and outside of the paddock. There are the Schumachers, Heidfeld, Mercedes, BMW and to a lesser extent Toyota. The last seven world championships have had a strong German connection with the winner.

[Mark Edwards]

There may be a large interest in Germany, but surely some other countries deserve a chance. Dutch fans are always enthusiatic and I don't remember too many empty seats at the A1 Ring either. For such a global sport it does't make much sense to me to have two grands prix in Germany and even less sense to have two in Italy, especially as the Imola event has been poorly attended for some years now.

[pD F1]

Originally Posted by Mark Edwards

There may be a large interest in Germany, but surely some other countries deserve a chance. Dutch fans are always enthusiatic and I don't remember too many empty seats at the A1 Ring either. For such a global sport it does't make much sense to me to have two grands prix in Germany and even less sense to have two in Italy, especially as the Imola event has been poorly attended for some years now.

I think Imola might have had less of an attendance, because it falls on Easter some years - in 2001 and 2003, the San Marino Grand Prix was on Easter Sunday, so that might have been an effect on the Imola attendance.