US Grand Prix- Austin (USA)

[deletraz]

Originally Posted by Fish_Flake

Austin is a wonderful city: it's emerging as a major high-tech business center, has a vibrant culture and nightlife, and its eclectic population that takes pride in its uniqueness. Despite all of that, it's not generally thought of as a major city domestically or internationally, and that's certainly why they'd want to use an event like the USGP to raise its global profile.

I'd be interested to know when the new race will appear on the calendar. I'd think the ideal time would be in early May, before the start of Indianapolis 500 practice and during a period when NASCAR has recently been inclined to hold its races on Saturday nights.

It'll be within a week of Canada. The schedule has to adjust around Monaco, which always gets the sixth Sunday after Easter, so they can't really stick to hard dates that time of year. I would expect it to get roughly the same kind of date Indy got once it moved to Spring.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by deletraz

It'll be within a week of Canada. The schedule has to adjust around Monaco, which always gets the sixth Sunday after Easter, so they can't really stick to hard dates that time of year. I would expect it to get roughly the same kind of date Indy got once it moved to Spring.

Monaco used to coincide with Indy but this year it didn't for the first time since I think 1997, so I wouldn't be too sure about dates yet.

[fieldodreams79]

Austin is an awesome place (from what I hear) with a very progressive track record compared to the rest of, um, America.

Who cares where it is? Just do it and do it right. Make it so we can be proud to host the world and the world's premier (OW) racing series, again or for the first time, whichever is the case. in doing so, you would just have to build a new circuit as most American road courses are "outdated" and "unsafe" compared to modern F1 circuits and F1 standards.

[Dutton]

I think you mean most US road courses are too awesome for modern F1? Which they are, of course. It is a source of great relief they are building a new circuit. It means existing excellent venues are not mutilated and/or bankrupted by the rape-a-thon which is F1.

It'll be good to find out who is financing this. Must be some person or organisation with enough money hanging around that wasting it on holding an F1 race seems like a good idea. I'm assuming that government isn't going to be funding it.

This is all good, and hopefully it may turn into a successful event. F1 badly needs a stable US grand prix.

[deletraz]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Monaco used to coincide with Indy but this year it didn't for the first time since I think 1997, so I wouldn't be too sure about dates yet.

It did, but it was largely coincidental. From my understanding, Monaco gets the Sunday six weeks after Easter, and the it's first race put on the schedule because of that. For a few years running it happened to be the same Sunday as Indy, but not because of any tradition.

Wherever it goes it will be a week from Canada and the early June date makes far more sense than any other part of the calendar. The teams want to pair the two North American races because the flyaway is hugely expensive for just one race -- like this year. A midsummer date is too hot for Texas, and a fall date could be too cold in Montreal.

[Purist]

And early May, as some were suggesting, is prime tornado season in the middle of the US.

[Andy77]

Originally Posted by deletraz

The teams want to pair the two North American races because the flyaway is hugely expensive for just one race -- like this year. A midsummer date is too hot for Texas, and a fall date could be too cold in Montreal.

I have witnessed sports car races at the Nürburgring and Spa-Francorchamps with tarmac temperatures barely over 3°C. I'd love to see how this high paid drivers make up excuses for ending up in a wall coz of no grip because tarmac temperature was too low

[JimW]

Originally Posted by gttouring

this is exactly what i thought.
if the money was poured into Road America or even Road Atlanta, which is awesome,
or VIR or Monticello any one of these already wickedly cool tracks would grow in awesomeness- this Austin deal is just a head scratcher

but yay for a US GP!

Originally Posted by ptclaus98

If the money was poured into them, they would cease to be awesome.

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

They would lose their character and be ruined.

Just like Donington would have been and one reason why I was sad to see the proposals for F1 there. (And am sad and cross to see how it collapsed. )

Good luck to Austin and I hope this proves a better re-introduction of F1 to the States.

Regards

Jim

[jab]

They haven't even decided where they're building it yet. They haven't even picked and bought a site. So one can only presume that they don't even have plans for a facility yet. And the thing needs to be built to Bernie's enormously high standards

The article also points out that the Mayor of Austin hadn't even been informed. And that's on top of all the liberals and econuts living there. This has farce written all over it

[josvandeperre]

Much as I would love to see this happen my Gillett detector is going off

I saw a comment elsewhere that the local airport can't even cope with the influx of visitors for the SXSW festival.....

[csirl]

Originally Posted by jab

I'm sure Jeremy will correct me otherwise, but I really don't think this will happen

They've got less than 2 years to build a F1-standard permanent race circuit, and it's not the Middle East

In fact, it's in Texas. F1 in Texas. What next? Olympic yachting in Leicester?

Seriously, at first glance, this seems about as feasible as US F1. Less feasible than bloody Donington

Agree with the above - even with the best will in the world, loads of money and loads of support, it would be difficult to get a track built within this timeframe.

I cant see where the money is coming from? State or City funding is unlikely given that F1 is a minority sport in that part of the world. Touch of the USF1's about it.

What's interesting is that the article talks about a contract until 2021. Bernie's contract only runs to the end of 2012 and is not going to be renewed, so a contract until 2021 is meaningless.

That said, I see F1 returning to USA sometime between 2013 and 2015. Probably to an upgraded existing facility or a street circuit.

[DanicaFan]

I wish them the best but F1 doesnt have the draw in America like it used to. I think the fiasco at Indy turned a lot of people off and not many care anymore. I dont follow F1, never did when they raced here at Indy either, its just not as popular here in the states, sorry to burst the F1 fans bubble. I just dont see this as a sound investment unless they build an oval there as well.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by DanicaFan

I just dont see this as a sound investment unless they build an oval there as well.

You got a point there otherwise apart from F1 who would race there? Bernie would have to let the track host other series like NASCAR and possibly the IICS. However TMS currently hosts both NASCAR and the IICS and they are very popular. I don't see TMS giving up any of its series to Austin and I don't see how Austin could fit itself into an already very hectic NASCAR season. As for the IICS, the attendance figures elsewhere would suggest a non starter unless they can turn the series around.

[Spritle]

Originally Posted by csirl

Agree with the above - even with the best will in the world, loads of money and loads of support, it would be difficult to get a track built within this timeframe.

I cant see where the money is coming from? State or City funding is unlikely given that F1 is a minority sport in that part of the world. Touch of the USF1's about it.

What's interesting is that the article talks about a contract until 2021. Bernie's contract only runs to the end of 2012 and is not going to be renewed, so a contract until 2021 is meaningless.

That said, I see F1 returning to USA sometime between 2013 and 2015. Probably to an upgraded existing facility or a street circuit.

I too am beginning to have my doubts this is going to happen. The points made in this story are EXTREMELY valid:

http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/story/18170.html

[fieldodreams79]

anytime Bernie and Company start talking about a USGP, i'll wait until i can see it to believe it. one can hope, but hope doesn't build tracks, attract participants and fans or build a USF1 car, for that matter. too soon?

Originally Posted by Dutton

I think you mean most US road courses are too awesome for modern F1? Which they are, of course. It is a source of great relief they are building a new circuit. It means existing excellent venues are not mutilated and/or bankrupted by the rape-a-thon which is F1.

Touche! You are a glass is half full, man, and i couldn't agree more. i have seen my home track mutilated in the name of two wheels.

[JeremySmith]

Show me the money..

[csirl]

Originally Posted by DanicaFan

I wish them the best but F1 doesnt have the draw in America like it used to. I think the fiasco at Indy turned a lot of people off and not many care anymore. I dont follow F1, never did when they raced here at Indy either, its just not as popular here in the states, sorry to burst the F1 fans bubble. I just dont see this as a sound investment unless they build an oval there as well.

While I dont think the Austin track will happen, I think that F1 has a future in the US. Indycars is on its last legs - wont be there in 5 years time. F1 needs to think of ways of exploiting this gap in the market. US has always had a lot of fans of open wheel racing.

[Flyin Ryan]

Odd choice from left field to be sure. Although I've always heard good things about Austin, which is certainly helped by having the University of Texas there and lots of nice-looking 20-year-old females.

They can't hold the race in the fall, otherwise UT football would override the race in the city which Bernie wouldn't want (the Longhorns have a huge following). The summer though it'd be scorching hot. I imagine they'd want to double it with Montreal.

[Flyin Ryan]

Originally Posted by csirl

While I dont think the Austin track will happen, I think that F1 has a future in the US. Indycars is on its last legs - wont be there in 5 years time. F1 needs to think of ways of exploiting this gap in the market. US has always had a lot of fans of open wheel racing.

Yeah, and "US has always had a lots of fans of open wheel racing" = predominantly Indycar on ovals over its history with a mainly blue-collar fanbase with its center in the Midwest, not the jetsetter F1 fan drinking his Patron in the grandstand and drove to the track in a BMW.

F1 is never going to be huge in this country because almost all of the races are on the other side of the world and either start at midnight or 7am. If you'd like I can pull out my thesis I wrote on the subject on this site a year or so ago when I stated why I thought USF1 would fail and would not generate any interest in the series stateside.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by DanicaFan

I wish them the best but F1 doesnt have the draw in America like it used to. I think the fiasco at Indy turned a lot of people off and not many care anymore. I dont follow F1, never did when they raced here at Indy either, its just not as popular here in the states, sorry to burst the F1 fans bubble. I just dont see this as a sound investment unless they build an oval there as well.

you are correct making references to this venture being an "up hill" battle, but talk of sound investments from an IRL fan??? and i hate to burst your bubble but most American "race fans" are sick of the IRL as well due to a much longer, drawn out fiasco.

and i am unsure if it is legal to discuss oval tracks in a Formula 1 thread.

[Sodemo]

I have just designed a track layout that Austin can use on that back of a used post-it note.

I will sell the design to them for £200 million.

Its a wonderful track, it uses aspects of Watkins Glen, Zandvoort and the old glorious Österreichring.

[ptclaus98]

Originally Posted by csirl

I cant see where the money is coming from? State or City funding is unlikely given that F1 is a minority sport in that part of the world. Touch of the USF1's about it.

There is much more money floating around in Texas than there is NY, Florida, or California.

[ptclaus98]

Originally Posted by DanicaFan

I wish them the best but F1 doesnt have the draw in America like it used to. I think the fiasco at Indy turned a lot of people off and not many care anymore. I dont follow F1, never did when they raced here at Indy either, its just not as popular here in the states, sorry to burst the F1 fans bubble. I just dont see this as a sound investment unless they build an oval there as well.

Of course it doesn't.

[jab]

Originally Posted by ptclaus98

There is much more money floating around in Texas than there is NY, Florida, or California.

But I bet none of it is in the hands of FTP

I reckon this is just a pitch for sponsors like US F1, and that they don't actually have any money but they're hoping someone will come in and bankroll them like Hurley tried to. It sounds to be all on the promise of getting money rather than actually having it, like US F1 and Donington, and we know what happened there

[JeremySmith]

I was thrilled to bits when I first read the news.

24 hours have now passed and the more I think about this idea the more I think it is just not going to happen..