USGP under threat

[Scott]

I love it - "...to use a technical term, we're screwed"

Cos will be jumping for joy to hear this one.  Bernie will start a US Tour to see which city he can now fleece for a few hundred million to build a track and pay his fees up front.

http://www.pitpass.com/55149/US-GP-under-threat

[Monty]

I remember feelings from those of you that know better than me suggested COTA is 'wrong' on many levels but you have to feel sorry for the organisers. The track and the Austin GP have not had enough time to become really established and this year's weather must have had a massive negative effect financially.
Now Austin exists surely it would be better to try to make it more successful?
I was really surprised that the track did not use more of the razzmatazz the USA is famed for. Even during the rain interrupted practice and qualifying periods I was thinking surely they cold put out some motor-based  entertainment. A few growling V8's doing spins and doughnuts could have kept those hardy fans entertained.
Although I would have preferred to see a US GP based at one of the heritage tracks I still hope Austin survives.

[Scott]

The gap between Bernie's fees and the state subsidy will decide its fate, and I suspect neither will budge toward the other's direction.

[F1fanaticBD]

The organizers should have seen this coming, an race funded by the state for that amount of time was never going to be happening. I have a feeling, like many other before it will fall of the cliff. And it will be shame because it was a great track to start with, it had a breath of fresh air, both from the spectators and the organizers, and I think if they could have continued for a few years with this much vigor they could have made it another racing home in the map of America. Alas after doing all the hard work, they will not be able to reap the benefit.

[Jericoke]

I have to ask the question:  what is the goal of the FOM?

Ostensibly their original goal was to make the teams as much money as possible.  If that's the case, building races where there are few fans, and few possibility of fans doesn't make sense.  If every Azerbajani shows up for every race, and watches every race, and buys a hat for every driver, how much money does that put in the pocket of the FOM?

FOM should be PAYING Germany and USA (and China and India) to put on races and build a fan base of people who will pay to be fans of the sport.

Honestly, I do support putting races in 'non traditional markets', that is a great way to grow the sport, but surrendering markets like Germany, the USA and China doesn't sound like an organization that is serious about making money.  I can't wait for Azerbaijan to become an instant classic, but I just don't get it.

[lkjohnson1950]

Chances of Azerbaijan becoming instant classic: slim and none. Mercedes and Ferrari want a USGP. Bernie will make a deal with the organizers to keep the race in Austin. After what happened in NJ no one else will take a flier on hosting a race. Means Bernie's only other option is Indy and they won't agree to his terms. They want to make a profit (silly people).

[Jericoke]

Chances of Azerbaijan becoming instant classic: slim and none. Mercedes and Ferrari want a USGP. Bernie will make a deal with the organizers to keep the race in Austin. After what happened in NJ no one else will take a flier on hosting a race. Means Bernie's only other option is Indy and they won't agree to his terms. They want to make a profit (silly people).

My point is that there have been classic races in markets the FOM doesn't 'need'.  Canada, Luxembourg and Monaco aren't critical markets for race fans, but have managed to weave themselves into being a key part of modern F1 racing.

I agree that Azerbaijan is unlikely to follow, but I'll always give a new event the benefit of the doubt.

[lkjohnson1950]

Luxembourg?

[cosworth151]

I doubted that the huge taxpayer funding would survive the departure of former Texas governor Rick Perry. To put it into perspective, the U.S.G.P. got $25 million. The NASCAR Cup race at Ft. Worth gets $1 million. The X-Games in Austin get $1.5 million.

[Jericoke]

Luxembourg?

I mean Belgium.

I'm geographically challenged.  All those little French countries look the same to me. 

[Alianora La Canta]

Luxembourg?

I mean Belgium.

I'm geographically challenged.  All those little French countries look the same to me.

In fairness, the Luxembourg Grand Prix also produced a couple of good races back in the mid-1990s. (The track was actually in Germany, because the European Grand Prix title had been given to Jerez at that point in F1 history).

[Irisado]

I mean Belgium.

I'm geographically challenged.  All those little French countries look the same to me.

You really wouldn't want to call the Belgians French, you'd be in a lot of trouble Jeri .

In fairness, the Luxembourg Grand Prix also produced a couple of good races back in the mid-1990s. (The track was actually in Germany, because the European Grand Prix title had been given to Jerez at that point in F1 history).

Interesting, I'd forgotten that the Nurburgring held on to the title of the Luxembourg Grand Prix in 1998, after it was first used in 1997.  The 1997 race was remarkable for the Schumacher brothers colliding at the first corner, along with a host of other cars, the McLarens losing a 1-2 finish after engine failures within a lap of each other, and Villeneuve scoring one of a number of very lucky wins that season as a result.

I'm not surprised that the US Grand Prix is in financial trouble.  Anything which is funded by the state in the US strikes me as being unlikely to meet Ecclestone's financial demands.  This year's weather will not have helped at all, but the facts are that Ecclestone demands far too much money from the venues, and that is what should be stopped before anything else is considered.

[Alianora La Canta]

Interesting, I'd forgotten that the Nurburgring held on to the title of the Luxembourg Grand Prix in 1998, after it was first used in 1997.  The 1997 race was remarkable for the Schumacher brothers colliding at the first corner, along with a host of other cars.

I will always remember Ralf Schumacher attempting to pass off colliding with his team-mate and brother simultaneously as "not all that special". As Martin Brundle replied, "That's about as special as it gets..."

[cosworth151]

It turns out that COTA has never had a written contract with the State of Texas for the subsidies. I guess it was just a wink-and-a-smile deal between Emperor Governor Perry and and the organizers. Well, Perry is gone now.

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/opinion/circuit-of-the-americas-with-no-contract-f1-is-a-r/npR66/

[Alianora La Canta]

It turns out that COTA has never had a written contract with the State of Texas for the subsidies. I guess it was just a wink-and-a-smile deal between Emperor Governor Perry and and the organizers. Well, Perry is gone now.

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/opinion/circuit-of-the-americas-with-no-contract-f1-is-a-r/npR66/

 

This comes from the same school of business that made EJ think that basing a £150 million contract with Vodafone on a four-word text (without a backup written document spelling out the terms) was a good idea.

[further : f o o l : smilies omitted out of respect for avoiding infinite recursives]