Formula 1 coming to Austin, Baby!

Oh yeah, there's no doubt that this could simply be more machinations on the part of F1 to mitigate some of the pressure from the teams.

But, it also just might work out. I think we've seen enough circumstantial evidence to know that it's been in the works for quite some time, and that it appears to be extremely well-funded. If Abu Dhabi truly is involved as I suspect they are, then it has all the backing it needs to become reality.
 
The money seems to be there, but it was there for the Dallas F1 race also. That race was killed, not by the heat (the race started at 10 in the morning), but by the tracking coming apart during the race.

A little history on the Dallas race (which I was fortunate enough to attend and be privy to some of the promoter decisions). The race was held at Fair Park and was a fairly interesting layout - not the most exciting on the circuit, but not the dullest either. From the time the first engine cranked, the neighborhood (yes the neighborhood around Fair Park) begin to yell about the noise. That turned out to be the expected shakedown since as soon as the promoters paid the people off, the complaints stopped.

The real issue is the track startred coming apart immediately during practice. Sems the physics of heavy race cars at speed was more than the asphalt track (without a proper base) at temperature could stand. They tried several patches throughout the weekend (including a "fast drying" concrete patch at the worse location) but really nothing helped.

Why this long explaination, the track construction will take what will seem like forever as the track itself will have to approach airport runway like specifications - especially in the corners. This in itself will take long enough - but then there has to be time for the concrete to cure. Some of you civil engineers out there probably can claculate the force on the pavement when a car weighing almost 800kgs but with at least double the effective weight due to downforce hits a 3g corner at 130+mph.

This is one of those situations where time is more valuable than money.
 
It will take time and money, but you've already stated the reason why the Austin race could make it while the Dallas race would not. A dedicated purpose-built track is the only way it's going to happen in Austin, and that is precisely the plan. Nobody is making the same mistakes as were made in Dallas. Really apples and oranges.
 
My fingers are crossed!
smile.gif
 
Interesting development Link
Either he is planning a second race or using this as pressure on the Austin race. Typical FOM.
 
This isn't surprising at all, nor is Bernie's sour, negative tone that comes through loud and clear. Definitely some politicking going on. I guess we'll find out soon enough what his end game is...
 
Hmmm...I posted weeks ago, I guess it was on the SPEED board...that I wouldn't be surprised in the least if we ended up with two GPs in the US.

He could be using these potential dates to hold over the heads of Turkey, Korea, and some others just as easily as holding Jersey over our heads.

In reply to:
Click to expand...
 
Of course I will, but in case I'm too slow, here's a link to that board...

The Link


Go to "Will B, checking in". Should be the top thread, in the stickies.
 
Thanks Mandingo. [Also, thanks for the link to the magazine (which is free.)]

I hope that I am not reading to much into this, but three weeks ago the announcement was to have been last week. Now it is this week.

The hopeful sign however, is that TH is now saying time is of the essence.
 
So of the tech companies in the Austin area, that makes AMD, Freescale, IBM, and Dell who are tied to F1 teams.

Right?

Am I missing anyone?
 
Good article linked above. Location to be released imminently.
Financing in place. No public subsidies. Great design to be unveiled in a few weeks, wow!
 
Interesting indeed, but Helmund needs a PR makeover. He needs to stop saying, "it's none of your business." This is guaranteed to irritate some people.
He said it about the location of the track, and he is totally wrong about that, because there will be neighbors and others along the way affected by noise and traffic. It is their business, and some of them will protest. These concerns will need addressing in a courteous and business-like way.
Even the investors' identities may be of concern to some, although this is more of a non-issue. He still could have stated the need for their privacy more tactfully.
Get it together, dude, this is big-time. Don't create a bunch of enemies right off the bat.
 
Agreed.

Every time he says that it stands out like a sore thumb and struck me exactly the same way.

Hell, it's irritating to me and nobody's more on his side than I am.
 
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