Austin GP - not going to happen ...

[woof]

I was real doubter of Austin - the location, the clashes with the major US motosport events, clashes with the "local" NFL games and the whole thing stank of the Donington debacle.

Added to this New Jersey suddenly appears on the calendar for 2013 - 2 races in the USA, where you couldn't find enough support for one ?!!

Seems that the teams have now been told Austin is in doubt, as is Korea and Bahrain.

Seeing the track a few weeks ago, there had only done some earth works - no building, nor tarmac and the promoter admitting there were behind (eg no money in the kitty)

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/95834

I'd actually love the race to be Austin - it's a great town - but no way it can support an F1 race.

[EDLT]

Austin's track looked exactly like India's did a year ago.

[skeggysteve]

I have a horrible felling that the Austin track will turn into another 'toaster' fiasco.
It's almost like the US doesn't want to be any part of F1.

[marcgti6]

Why would they get so far with the project if they've no intention of actually putting on a GP?

I would be disappointed if this race didn't happen as I'm considering going. Heard good things about Austin and, if Tilke gets it right and the Americans take to F1 properly, it should be a decent addition to the calendar. In my opinion, of course.

[williamp]

Americans have never really got F1. EDven when they had US world champions/drivers. They had several races in the early 80s- one in a car park of a las vegas casino.

Then there was Indinapolis. They drove the wrong way didnt give a damn about the heritage of americas greatest track, then we have the awful race where most of the cars couldnt race.

When they have Nascar, IRL, ALMS and others, why would they need F1??

[woof]

They haven't done anything but move a few tonnes of dirt around.

The potential date is Nov 18 2012 - so they would need a circuit a facilities in place in 10months or thereabouts to get the licence.

Looks like work was going well till this summer but very little has happened since. We'll see. But my money is on it being cancelled before the 2012 calendar is finally approved.

[airportparking]

It look like the guy was talking it down to DC but then again there have been other tracks that were in doubt but some how manage it, I hope this one does as F1 need to get into the US for the sports long term future

[hornet]

williamp said:

When they have Nascar, IRL, ALMS and others, why would they need F1??

To be honest, I'm not sure anyone cares about Indycar over there these days either, which is pretty sad.

[Eric Mc]

Parts of the US were very keen on F1 - once upon a time. Upstate New York in particular. But Bernie was lured by the bright lights of Long Beach and Dallas and Detroit and Phoenix and the old circuit at Watkins Glen was abandoned by the circus, never to return.

[VX Foxy]

marcgti6 said:

if Tilke gets it right

I don't know why, but I thought it wasn't a tilke circuit...

[woof]

VX Foxy said:

marcgti6 said:

if Tilke gets it right

I don't know why, but I thought it wasn't a tilke circuit...

That's what the guy said on Sunday, well hinted as much. But on their website Tilkes the Lead Engineering and Track Designer
http://www.formula1unitedstates.com/about.html

Tilke must do pretty well for themselves !
http://www.tilke.de/en/3_0/3_1/1_0.php?category=1

Edited by woof on Tuesday 1st November 23:42

[marcgti6]

woof said:

That's what the guy said on Sunday, well hinted as much. But on their website Tilkes the Lead Engineering and Track Designer
http://www.formula1unitedstates.com/about.html

Tilke must do pretty well for themselves !
http://www.tilke.de/en/3_0/3_1/1_0.php?category=1

Edited by woof on Tuesday 1st November 23:42

The guy must be seriously skilled at sucking Bernie off - the majority of his tracks have been crap. How he still manages to be involved in the design of these new tracks, I'll never know.

[Alfa numeric]

airportparking said:

...F1 need to get into the US for the sports long term future

Not sure I agree with that, Europe, Asia and Japan are all large markets. But I agree it would be good for the sport to get a foothold in the US.

[woof]

marcgti6 said:

woof said:

That's what the guy said on Sunday, well hinted as much. But on their website Tilkes the Lead Engineering and Track Designer
http://www.formula1unitedstates.com/about.html

Tilke must do pretty well for themselves !
http://www.tilke.de/en/3_0/3_1/1_0.php?category=1

Edited by woof on Tuesday 1st November 23:42

The guy must be seriously skilled at sucking Bernie off - the majority of his tracks have been crap. How he still manages to be involved in the design of these new tracks, I'll never know.

Massive backhanders - but that's not really unusual is it ?
I give 10% to friends that recommend my agency, of course we're good at what we do and Tilke, not so much

[El Guapo]

The News section on their website was last updated in August

My $10 says it won't happen.

[VladD]

Alfa numeric said:

airportparking said:

...F1 need to get into the US for the sports long term future

Not sure I agree with that, Europe, Asia and Japan are all large markets. But I agree it would be good for the sport to get a foothold in the US.

I agree. The US would be nice, but if purely done for marketing purposes, then China, Russia and India would be more important in my opinion.

[anonymous-user]

hornet said:

To be honest, I'm not sure anyone cares about Indycar over there these days either, which is pretty sad.

Yep. Just compare the coverage on the all important TV. NASCAR is almost at saturation level and you have you try hard to find the IRL races.

I can imagine that the NASCAR fraternity are none too happy about Austin (Texas is BIG on NASCAR). I wouldn't be surprised if some fairly sizeable blocks have been thrown into the approval process* to slow all of this down.

• I built a large fabrication facility in Texas a few years ago and I know first hand that getting approvals is not what you know, etc. If they don't want you to proceed then you simply don't.

[marcgti6]

woof said:

Massive backhanders - but that's not really unusual is it ?
I give 10% to friends that recommend my agency, of course we're good at what we do and Tilke, not so much

Yep, sounds about right does that!

[marcgti6]

http://www.statesman.com/sports/formula1/major-con...

Work is continuing by the sounds of things but there's certainly a lot of work ahead of them. Well, if they want to finish on time anyway!

[woof]

marcgti6 said:

http://www.statesman.com/sports/formula1/major-con...

Work is continuing by the sounds of things but there's certainly a lot of work ahead of them. Well, if they want to finish on time anyway!

Bahrain took 14months to complete - which I think was the fastest turnaround there's been for a track. So there's no doubt it's going to be tight. I guess they'll know by January whether it's possible or not. But I don't think time is the real issue - it's lack of money.