At Jerez on Wednesday, Pitpass had the sad task of breaking the news to several drivers that Spa had been removed from the 2006 Formula One calendar.

One man who was particularly disappointed was Tiago Monteiro, who finished eighth in the 2005 event, thus scoring his first real point (his words) of the season.

"It's a f****** shame," said the Midland F1 driver, without hesitation. "It my favourite track. It's a shame really because it's so... I was really, really looking forward to going there but I guess we will have to do without it now."

"It's a great circuit," added Fernando Alonso, "you always want to race well but it's true we have a lot of races this year so we do have one less for us so it's maybe more relaxed, so I am not too worried.

"However, it's not good that it's Spa, that is the one that is off, because it's a great circuit for driving."

"I didn't know that," admitted Nico Rosberg. "It's unfortunate because Spa is a great track for a driver it was great fun.

"I was there in GP2 last year," he continued, "we didn't do one lap in the dry but it was still a lot of fun. I don't know I suppose all together to loose one of 19 races there were too many anyway so there are positives and negatives.

Mark Webber wasn't in the mood for talking, that was until he heard the name 'Spa'. "What about Spa?" he said, then, when told the news, replied: "What a bloody shame".

Jo Ramirez has been in F1 for longer than even he would want to remember.

"I am glad I m not in it anymore," said the affable Mexican. "I would be very, very sad if I was still in it because to me it was of the only two real race tracks left. Spa and Suzuka were the only two tracks left. It's so sad I still hope that it will be resolved.

"Very often in Formula 1 officials can put the money up then be on again," he added. "I hope so because it will be really sad to loose that, very sad.

"In F1 the tracks are getting slower and slower, with all the new Herman Tilke race tracks. They are all the same. OK, Turkey was good, I think that is a good race track, but all the other ones there is no fun.

"They are making proper racing too slow now," he continued, "the engines are slower. I cannot understand where we are going to go, if you take the danger away you are going to kill Formula 1, it's part of the sport. If you don't like the heat get out of the kitchen like they say.

"I think the drivers will be very sorry to see Spa going. Imola was a good circuit but when Senna was killed they changed it all completely and now it's a circuit that is nothing. Imola is circuit that you always see the two Ferraris the two McLarens the two Renaults you can have one of the best drivers in the world you cannot make much difference in a circuit like Imola because they are all together."