No more F1 in Austin, Texas

[suffolk009]

Just reading about the Texas state funding being withdrawn from F1 racing at COTA. Unlikely, the race will continue without the state help towards the race fees.

One day, maybe, F1 will get it's st together, and come up with a sustainable business plan.

[Daston]

And they wonder why F1 struggles to get a fan base in the US. Get US team involved, cancel their home race.

[Vocal Minority]

In fairness F1 aren't cancelling it. Granted the sky high race fees probably help no one outside of the recipients of said fees....but they aren't actively binning the race - the local govt is

[RVVUNM]

High fee's to keep the poisonous dwarf in the life of luxury.

[hornetrider]

How much does the state pay? How was the circuit itself funded?

[THUNDER STORM]

New World Order in action?

Ade

[ukaskew]

It won't have helped that a significant portion of their crowd base have just got their own circuit.

[Chrisgr31]

The state funding is not, as I read the articles, being removed entirely, but is being reduced, however that reducution is sufficient to make the race unprofitable.

[anonymous-user]

ukaskew said:

It won't have helped that a significant portion of their crowd base have just got their own circuit.

In fact, they've had the circuit for decades.

Wouldn't surprise me if the re emerged Mexican GP and the possible demise of the Austin one aren't quite closely connected.

[RGambo]

Very sad if it goes. Politics aside, it's a great track and has produced some cracking races.
That'll be two tilke tracks, which are great tracks, turkey being the other, which have been built and discarded.
And we are stuck with keeping , Hungary and Singapore .
Hey ho.

[Vaud]

RGambo said:

And we are stuck with keeping , Hungary and Singapore .

Whats wrong with Hungary?

[Derek Smith]

It might be contract renewal time. The owners/managers of the circuit might not want to sign anything long term with the change of ownership of CVC proably iminent. The new owners might be more interested in breaking into the USA than someone, for instance, whose only interest is in sales.

[davepoth]

CVC don't give a st about the tracks - it's all about the TV revenue. The very fact that we're over 20 tracks for next year tells you that whichever circuits drop out, there will be plenty waiting in line to take their place.

[GreigM]

If true that is a real shame, was turning into one of my favourite tracks - always produces great racing. Compared to the horrendous sochi it really does show that F1 isn't about the sport in any way.

[Smollet]

Vaud said:

Whats wrong with Hungary?

Providing it rains nothing. A bit like Monaco

[andyps]

Derek Smith said:

It might be contract renewal time. The owners/managers of the circuit might not want to sign anything long term with the change of ownership of CVC proably iminent. The new owners might be more interested in breaking into the USA than someone, for instance, whose only interest is in sales.

That could very well be true, a valid point that hopefully is true.

In terms of F1 getting rid of a venue, under the current ownership that would be the case. Austin will be able to afford a certain fee and if that isn't as much as CVC (through Bernie) demand it will be spun as being the fault of the circuit/promoter. But ultimately it is the greed without long term consideration of CVC.

[Europa1]

So it appears that after years of trying to get a foothold in America, involving racing around casino carparks and half an oval, Formula 1 finally finds a track that the fans (both attending in person and watching on TV), the drivers and the teams all like, which could disappear just as it starts to establish itself, apparently because the hosting fees are unsustainable without local government support.

Once again, FOM scores an own goal.

[Vaud]

Europa1 said:

So it appears that after years of trying to get a foothold in America, involving racing around casino carparks and half an oval, Formula 1 finally finds a track that the fans (both attending in person and watching on TV), the drivers and the teams all like, which could disappear just as it starts to establish itself, apparently because the hosting fees are unsustainable without local government support.

Once again, FOM scores an own goal.

And with a new US team... idiots (FOM/CVC).

[Norfolkit]

Smollet said:

Vaud said:

Whats wrong with Hungary?

Providing it rains nothing. A bit like Monaco

It didn't rain this year and that was one of the best F1 races I've ever seen.

[Vaud]

Norfolkit said:

Smollet said:

Vaud said:

Whats wrong with Hungary?

Providing it rains nothing. A bit like Monaco

It didn't rain this year and that was one of the best F1 races I've ever seen.

It's historically been a bit of a procession but I think recent races have been better.