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Author Topic: US Grand Prix shock: Race to be held in Texas in 2012  (Read 7112 times)

Offline Scott

Re: US Grand Prix shock: Race to be held in Texas in 2012
« Reply #15 on: May 26, 2010, 03:12:53 PM »
Ooh! That's a low blow to us Brits Jeri. :o  As far as I'm aware it is other companies contracting to BP that have caused the problem, but as the well owners they get stuck with all the grief and costs. I also believe they have not ducked the responsibility even as it's set to become a huge black hole in their finances.

No question it was the contractors, but I've read that the pressure to proceed regardless of safety issues that were brought up came from on high (NPR's all over it).  I guess BP's going to have to re-think their marketing campaign...maybe change their colour?   :DntKnw:
The Honey Badger doesn't give a...

Offline cosworth151

Re: US Grand Prix shock: Race to be held in Texas in 2012
« Reply #16 on: May 26, 2010, 05:08:55 PM »
BP also had a huge explosion at one of their refineries in Texas a few years ago. 15 dead & 175 injured. It was traced to negligence on their part.
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Online John S

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Re: US Grand Prix shock: Race to be held in Texas in 2012
« Reply #17 on: May 26, 2010, 05:38:44 PM »

Perhaps BP are going to fund the US GP project as a way of regaining hearts & minds in Texas then, I seem to remember Shell putting money behind Schumi & Ferrari to try to improve their image in Germany after Green activists forced a climbdown by them about a giant oil platform they were going to scuttle.

Bringing the thread back on topic I found this quote, giving more substance and approval to the choice of Austin, in the public responses to "The Editors view" on ESPN F1.com, today :-

 Austin, while way off the radar of F1, is actually an excellent choice. I live nearby and know the area, and it is perfect. There is a very robust trasnportation infrastructure, and it is within a 3 hour drive of 4 MAJOR metropolitain areas, all with at least one major international airport and lots of hotels.

Austin itself, as well as the surrounding area, is a fantasic tourist destination. This if nothing else will help it be more succesful than Indy. Why else would you go there besides racing? With this you can take the whole family and everyone will have something there they are happy with, great shopping, world-class nightlife, lots of scenic areas, wine tasting, etc.

As for the location, I can gaurantee that it will be somewhere around the south-east of the airport. First, it is close to the airport, and second it is all farmland that can be bought fairly easily (or at least easier than anything already developed.) As for Tilke, I will be amazed if he isn't designing it.  - posted by Chris, Today


Racing is Life - everything else is just....waiting. (Steve McQueen)

Offline cosworth151

Re: US Grand Prix shock: Race to be held in Texas in 2012
« Reply #18 on: May 26, 2010, 05:51:17 PM »
One of the problems with Austin would be the road network. It is one of the few major cities in the country that doesn't have an outer belt. I've spent many hours stuck in traffic on I-95 in downtown Austin.

This report from AutoWeek makes the whole deal sound even murkier.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20100525/F1/100529832
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline Jericoke

Re: US Grand Prix shock: Race to be held in Texas in 2012
« Reply #19 on: May 26, 2010, 06:02:59 PM »

Bringing the thread back on topic I found this quote, giving more substance and approval to the choice of Austin, in the public responses to "The Editors view" on ESPN F1.com, today :-

 Austin, while way off the radar of F1, is actually an excellent choice. I live nearby and know the area, and it is perfect. There is a very robust trasnportation infrastructure, and it is within a 3 hour drive of 4 MAJOR metropolitain areas, all with at least one major international airport and lots of hotels.

Austin itself, as well as the surrounding area, is a fantasic tourist destination. This if nothing else will help it be more succesful than Indy. Why else would you go there besides racing? With this you can take the whole family and everyone will have something there they are happy with, great shopping, world-class nightlife, lots of scenic areas, wine tasting, etc.

As for the location, I can gaurantee that it will be somewhere around the south-east of the airport. First, it is close to the airport, and second it is all farmland that can be bought fairly easily (or at least easier than anything already developed.) As for Tilke, I will be amazed if he isn't designing it.  - posted by Chris, Today



So what tracks 'work' and which ones don't?

I think it's safe to say Turkey doesn't work.  Is it the nightlife?  The shopping?

How about Silverstone?  I don't actually know where Silverstone is, does it have a jumping nightlife?  Is there plenty of shopping?  I don't think that's what makes Silverstone a great place to race.

As for the 'three hour drive to major metropolitan centres', I'm not going to a GP anywhere so I can drive 6 hours to buy a fancy purse and an expensive drink.

I think Austin's main attributes are the cheap land, and corporate sponsorship.  A lot of people willing to put down money to entertain their guests means a lot of tickets sold, even if they're not race fans.  In this context, I'm picturing something like Shanghai... new and exciting sellouts give way to empty stands that still don't care about open wheel racing.

As for Tilke... I'm going to guess he's booked solid for at least 18 months, they can't wait for his firm to make a track.  They'll probably subcontract whoever builds the ovals for NASCAR/IRL.  Hopefully they can get it right.


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Re: US Grand Prix shock: Race to be held in Texas in 2012
« Reply #20 on: May 26, 2010, 07:28:59 PM »

How about Silverstone?  I don't actually know where Silverstone is, does it have a jumping nightlife?  Is there plenty of shopping?  I don't think that's what makes Silverstone a great place to race.


Silverstone itself is a village that gets swamped for the F1 race. It's not the frills that British fans come for, some would be nice though - one day eh, as we have a long history of supporting F1 so we suffer anything just to be there. Because of the huge audience for motor/motor cycle racing and F1 in particular if a new track was built in Britain and it is a better class of track, especially if spectators are offered a view of over half the track because of the topography, then I'm sure the tickets would sell out even faster wherever it might be located. Silverstone can be a bit restrictive and like a lot of tracks you can usually only get a quarter or less of the track in view from your seat and there are no great elevation changes for variety.

With new venues and especially in areas like the US where razzamataz and plenty going on is a prerequisite for any sporting occassion other factors come into play so an exciting destination city may help shift the tickets to first time F1 racegoers. With the history at Indy itself nothing else is required as racegoers trust the Indy speedway brand, but Indy ruled itself out a couple of years ago so the circus moves on.


Racing is Life - everything else is just....waiting. (Steve McQueen)

Offline Scott

Re: US Grand Prix shock: Race to be held in Texas in 2012
« Reply #21 on: May 26, 2010, 07:39:54 PM »
This report from AutoWeek makes the whole deal sound even murkier.
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20100525/F1/100529832

Yikes...that does sound murky.  Sounds like Bernie trying to get his hands on the race fees before anyone's thought it through.  Just like Donnington.
The Honey Badger doesn't give a...

Offline Jericoke

Re: US Grand Prix shock: Race to be held in Texas in 2012
« Reply #22 on: May 26, 2010, 09:29:27 PM »
This report from AutoWeek makes the whole deal sound even murkier.
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20100525/F1/100529832

Yikes...that does sound murky.  Sounds like Bernie trying to get his hands on the race fees before anyone's thought it through.  Just like Donnington.

The right amount of money to pay for people and equipment, and anything can be built on any time table.  The Empire State Building was built in 18 months, and unlike a race track, you can't work on the whole thing at once.

So the question is where the money will really come from.

Even if people in Austin fall in love with F1, you've still got to convince $300 million that it's going to happen.  It's a lot easier to convince me that there are fans in Indy or Detroit.

How much of that 'stimulus money' is still available in Texas?  If there is enough, the project could easily be fast tracked, and funded.  The Public Works Grand Prix!

Offline cosworth151

Re: US Grand Prix shock: Race to be held in Texas in 2012
« Reply #23 on: May 26, 2010, 09:43:00 PM »
Unlike when The Empire State Building was built in 1929, the permitting and environmental impact phase can now take longer than 24 months. The governor of Texas turned the stimulus money down.
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline lkjohnson1950

Re: US Grand Prix shock: Race to be held in Texas in 2012
« Reply #24 on: May 27, 2010, 12:36:30 AM »
I will make a small wager right now that this becomes another Donnington. 18 months from now there will be the bare outline of a track, and a lot of people wanting to know what the h*%? happened.  This project looks like 1/2 a billion dollars, and who has that kind of money? I would be glad to eat these words, but I doubt I will have to do so.

Lonny
Lonny

Offline Scott

Re: US Grand Prix shock: Race to be held in Texas in 2012
« Reply #25 on: May 27, 2010, 10:41:44 AM »
My money's on you, Lonny.
The Honey Badger doesn't give a...

Offline cosworth151

Re: US Grand Prix shock: Race to be held in Texas in 2012
« Reply #26 on: May 27, 2010, 12:11:18 PM »
There's a bright side to the Donnington comparison, Lonny. When it all sorted out, the British GP ended up back at Silverstone. I hope this will end with the USGP back where it belongs.....Indy!
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline Scott

Re: US Grand Prix shock: Race to be held in Texas in 2012
« Reply #27 on: May 27, 2010, 12:31:27 PM »
There's a bright side to the Donnington comparison, Lonny. When it all sorted out, the British GP ended up back at Silverstone. I hope this will end with the USGP back where it belongs.....Indy!

Absolutely!!  I really don't understand why anyone would want it anyplace else (Bernie's wallet aside).   :good: :good: :good:
The Honey Badger doesn't give a...

Offline lkjohnson1950

Re: US Grand Prix shock: Race to be held in Texas in 2012
« Reply #28 on: May 27, 2010, 05:17:54 PM »
Indy's great, but the Sisters and the Bull Rider don't seem to be interested. I wish someone with bags full on money would throw some of it at The Glen or Road America.

Lonny
Lonny

Offline Jericoke

Re: US Grand Prix shock: Race to be held in Texas in 2012
« Reply #29 on: May 27, 2010, 08:13:28 PM »
So here's a little more about our friend Tavo Hellmund, the man behind Austin's F1 bid.  (Keep in mind, the article is from an interview with the head of Monticello Motor Club, that is, the New York track which was rumoured to be getting the USGP.)

Hellmund ran out of money once trying to win an F3 championship.

His recent experience has been in staging NASCAR Nationwide races (basically the GP2 of NASCAR... but the top drivers sometimes race in Nationwide as practise)

He's supposedly friends with Bernie Eccelstone.

http://jalopnik.com/5548584/how-new-york-got-screwed-by-formula-1?skyline=true&s=i

 


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