New Jersey in 2013

[Beetle]

I think this is good news. HEY HEY HEY DON'T SHOOT ME !

I never liked the setting of the racetrack. Just seemed very run down and depressing spot. Maybe we can make room for the French GP. We don't need 2 American GPS. Please be nice when responding to this, as most people seem to think this is sad.

[chillibowl]

im not entirely sure i find it sad either and since i have really high hopes for Austin's race i think we will start seeing better offers from other US markets after this years race happens.

[Purist]

I'm not sure that those 'other US markets" matter, because Bernie WANTS HIS race in the New York area, period!

I doubt that that area is anywhere near the peak of "run down" in New Jersey, and with the spotlight on it, not to mention being prime real estate, there would be definite impetus to spruce up anything within sight that "needed it".

I might add, this actually looked like a good circuit with very real racing potential. The track layout has three very solid overtaking points, which is as many as a number of Tilke's permanent tracks have! It has real elevation change (a rarity on any temporary course). It's also one track that will NOT look likes it's in a parking lot/concrete desert.

Something interesting to note, that 2013 will be the first time in 6 seasons without an entirely new venue added to the calendar.
2008- Spain (Valencia), Singapore
2009- Abu Dhabi
2010- South Korea
2011- India
2012- US (Austin)
2013-...
2014- US (New Jersey), Russia, Thailand (potentially)

[wolfhound]

There is an article in Pitpass about the wider implications of the loss of the New Jersey race. It is close to Wall Street where Bernie and CVC are trying to sell shares in F1. It is also the loss of a new race for the first time for many years.

http://www.pitpass.com/47659-Ecclest...ew-Jersey-race

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Purist

I'm not sure that those 'other US markets" matter, because Bernie WANTS HIS race in the New York area, period!

maybe a better deal will be made by someone who can put a race in Manhattan instead of New Jersey.

[Purist]

Uh-huh... I've got a bridge I'd like to sell you.

Seriously, I don't think the chances of getting a race in Manhattan are too far away from just plain non-existent.

[Jacques Rabbit]

Originally Posted by Beetle

I think this is good news. HEY HEY HEY DON'T SHOOT ME !

I never liked the setting of the racetrack. Just seemed very run down and depressing spot. Maybe we can make room for the French GP. We don't need 2 American GPS. Please be nice when responding to this, as most people seem to think this is sad.

Being from New Jersey, I agree that Weehawken's a dump. A Grand Prix circuit going past West New York Sewerage Treatment was very hilarious to me. It also encompassed the Weehawken Dueling Grounds, which I found kind of cool.

I liked the layout of the track, and obviously liked the idea of a Grand Prix I could either attend in person or at least watch on TV in my time zone. So I won't go as far as to say it's a good thing, but it certainly is for the teams and drivers who won't have to smell Northeast Jersey.

By the way, despite being different target demographics, racing fans are racing fans and I know a few people who planned to attend Weehawken but were deterred by it being in the same month as NASCAR at Pocono and Dover, two races that people from that area typically travel to attend. The most expensive ticket is around F1's cheapest, and it's a much longer, more hands-on experience if you pay enough to get that access ($250 per at Pocono, compare to a $360 weekend at Weehawken of staring into catch-fencing). I'd choose F1, personally, because it's new, but still, one wonders if that would have left something on the table attendance-wise.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

maybe a better deal will be made by someone who can put a race in Manhattan instead of New Jersey.

Haha, now that I would like to see but it will never happen.

[Marcus666]

Originally Posted by Matt

its actually an older car upgraded to look like the 2011 one.

Ye, an RB1 upgraded with 2009 wings. How could they destroy such a masterpiece like the RB1!

[TrueBlueFlyer]

Originally Posted by Jacques Rabbit

Being from New Jersey, I agree that Weehawken's a dump. A Grand Prix circuit going past West New York Sewerage Treatment was very hilarious to me. It also encompassed the Weehawken Dueling Grounds, which I found kind of cool.

I liked the layout of the track, and obviously liked the idea of a Grand Prix I could either attend in person or at least watch on TV in my time zone. So I won't go as far as to say it's a good thing, but it certainly is for the teams and drivers who won't have to smell Northeast Jersey.

By the way, despite being different target demographics, racing fans are racing fans and I know a few people who planned to attend Weehawken but were deterred by it being in the same month as NASCAR at Pocono and Dover, two races that people from that area typically travel to attend. The most expensive ticket is around F1's cheapest, and it's a much longer, more hands-on experience if you pay enough to get that access ($250 per at Pocono, compare to a $360 weekend at Weehawken of staring into catch-fencing). I'd choose F1, personally, because it's new, but still, one wonders if that would have left something on the table attendance-wise.

Having started marshalling for F1 and only recently getting involved with American marshalling, I can agree with some of the statements above.

I think the biggest difference with the F1 GP and NASCAR at Poconos is that besides the "race fans are race fans" the F1 would attract a lot bigger crowd of new fans that aren't race fans but would want to be part of the experience that is F1 circus.

The existing race fans would definitely prefer Pocono because they can camp there and enjoy an experience they are more used to. Whereas for F1 most of those fans would need to be bussed in and hearded around.


I'm pretty sure many of the existing race fans wouldn't approve of the ways F1 does things... though I'm sure it depends on the organizer, in Singapore for example we did not only go through bag check when entering the circuit, but when exiting as well :/ it was weird.

[gregtummer]

This is slightly off topic, but does F1 let you bring in video cameras to the races?

I'm not talking iPhones or video cameras on phones, but sole-purpose video cameras.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Haha, now that I would like to see but it will never happen.

agreed it would be great to see but Purist has the right of it. that race location would never work for too many reasons.

Originally Posted by Purist

Uh-huh... I've got a bridge I'd like to sell you.

only if it really is in London!

[Jacques Rabbit]

I guess it's easier for the FIA. At 19 Grands Prix, you need a stewards' office, but in Jersey, you need a stords' office.

(This probably went over a lot of heads like a bride goes over wooder )

(And yes I have the accent).

[TrueBlueFlyer]

Originally Posted by gregtummer

This is slightly off topic, but does F1 let you bring in video cameras to the races?

I'm not talking iPhones or video cameras on phones, but sole-purpose video cameras.

they do make announcements that pictures/videos taken at the race are solely for personal use only, commercial use prohibited.... at both Singapore and Korea everyone it seems had a DSLR. However from what I read about USGP cameras with removable lenses will be forbidden... seems ridiculous!

[AngusJ]

Already been said. Never gonna happen.

[wolfhound]

I found this report on Pit pass about work done for New Jersey GP. Is there something strange going on. Is there any body local to the venue that might be able to shed some light on it?

http://www.pitpass.com/49278-A-New-Jersey-fairytale

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

I found this report on Pit pass about work done for New Jersey GP. Is there something strange going on. Is there any body local to the venue that might be able to shed some light on it?

http://www.pitpass.com/49278-A-New-Jersey-fairytale

Bernie?

[wolfhound]

Another article on New Jersey, this one saying that Bernie has come to the rescue of the GP by helping to pay for it ????!!!!!

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/192271/...race_deal.html

I have known Bernie to be generous in this way in recent times what is happening????

[Bononi]

Certainly money is coming his way...

[BobHWS]

I agree with Mr. Heath about the prospects of a race in New Jersey. i.e., not very good.

Darren Heath Race Blog
New Jersey? No Chance!

12th June 2013

Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur, New Delhi, Abu Dhabi, Austin, Montreal, Melbourne and Mokpo; the Formula 1 caravan sure does get about and some unlikely places host glamorous races.

Weehawken probably won’t be joining that list anytime soon...

...The scale of what’s being proposed by the Grand Prix of America promoter, media multi-millionaire Leo Hindery, is simply immense.

Widening the roads and flattening their sizeable crowns; ripping up pavements, light stands and landscaped areas; rerouting drainage pipes; constructing new (moveable) walkways; building sizeable platforms in the Hudson River; repaving the circuit length with expensive F1-standard Tarmac; building pit garages, hospitality and media areas; getting the notorious US unions (to say nothing of New Jersey crime gangs) on side – I could go on...

...You may have seen pictures of construction captioned as F1-related sites. They’re not. New condominiums, shops, offices and a multi-level car park are actually what’s been photographed...


Politically the road doesn’t appear too smooth, either...

In this age of overly keen, superficial newsgathering, many people who should know better blindly believe everything they’re told...

Just think back to the fantastically effective London Grand Prix story of 12 months ago...

[BobHWS]

I'm still not convinced that the New Jersey race will really happen, but the guy who started the idea, Leo Hindery, is.

Q&A: Leo Hindery on Grand Prix of America progress

...Is the course is the same as the original plan?

Yes, no change at all. There have been some changes in the pit area. About half of it in the original design was going to be temporary, more analogous to Canada. But we decided that putting up and taking down the pits and paddock area doesn't work over the long term. Now the entire pit and paddock structure is permanent. It really should give us a leg up in terms of quality of the hospitality.

We have done some modest changes around the ferry terminal that will make egress and ingress somewhat easier but the course is exactly the same as three years ago.

Do you have the full support of the local authorities?

They are thrilled. Primarily, we are paying them! That helps. There is nobody that lives in the circumference of the course. Because of the way the Palisades work, we race along the river and then across the top of the cliffs, so there is no disruption – unlike Singapore or St. Pete or Long Beach, there is nobody disrupted in the middle of the course, so that's easier on the municipal authorities. So 100,000 people will come and bring a couple of hundred million dollars of taxable revenue to these communities. And then we are paying them regardless for the privilege...

[bjohnsonsmith]

According to Gordon Kirby's interview with Leo Hendry, everything is hey ho, pip and dandy for 2014.

http://www.gordonkirby.com/categorie..._is_no388.html

[BobHWS]

A New Jersey newspaper reports that the promoters of the NJ race have signed an agreement with two of the towns where the race will be held. One wonders why was it done in secret? And why at the Elks Club, of all places?

Political Insider: Weehawken and West New York sign new 15-year contract with F1 race promoters
By Agustin C. Torres/The Jersey Journal
June 22, 2013 at 1:25 PM

WEEHAWKEN -- With no fanfare, township and West New York officials signed a new deal with Formula 1 promoters that will bring the popular international motor sport to local waterfront streets starting next June, sources told the Political Insider.

The contracts were signed in the Weehawken Elks Club building on Boulevard East. Representing the two municipalities were Mayors Richard Turner of Weehawken and Dr. Felix Roque of West New York, said Insider sources...

The grand prix will be held on North Hudson [county] public streets. Sources said road engineers for the F1 race have already started measuring and inspecting the Port Imperial Boulevard section of the 3.2-mile, Hermann Tilke-designed circuit. Work on the roads, including parts of Ferry Boulevard, Pershing Road, Boulevard East,and Anthony DeFino Way (60th Street) will follow the inspections...

It is not known yet what Weehawken and West New York will earn but it was slated to receive -- and did get one year's payment -- $1 million a year in the dissolved contract...

[Bononi]

So it's going to happen...

[BobHWS]

Originally Posted by Bononi

So it's going to happen...

It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings.