Formula 1 racing to Austin?

Just don't let Aggies design the track!
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It's a done deal! This is amazing. There is a thread on the Other Sports board but the more the merrier. When tix are available in Austin for locals, grab them because they will go quick.

If you look at the top money earners in sports you will see Soccer and F1 drivers dominate the list. Very few, hardly any, U.S. athletes or sports are there. This is a global sport and not some trailer park pickup driving stereotype race.
 
Any idea when these tickets would go on sale? Like l00p said, I want to get my hands on some before they sell out. This is one even I don't want to miss and I'm not even a racing fan.
 
Not yet you're not. Let's revisit this topic as it draws near or just after you see one.
 
My first major question is how are they going to build purpose built track that fast? Have they acquired land? Planned the circuit? This is indeed amazingly exciting news!!! I just don't see how they are going to get this thing built from design to race in about 24 months.
 
I agree, M'dingo. The major networks are up on this to include Sky, etc... Worldwide it has hit. This would be an epic deception. There are not other cities that make sense per the info in the initial article.

Yet part of me still thinks this is a dream and that something will happen along the way, something unforeseen and unseemly.
 
Yeah...just saw it on SI, too.

I'm paranoid, too, though. Hard to believe is right.

I've told my wife for years how awesome just having a road course around here would be. I even fantasized a little about being able to pull an F1 event here. Never in a million years thought we'd even get a mention for something like this though.
 
You are way, way deeper into it all than I am but I am learning. Nowhere in my wildest fantasies would I have ever thought we'd get a race here in Austin let alone an annual one on a long term deal. Dallas, Houston, not even. NYC, LA, sure.

Hi world, meet Austin.
 
Great choice. Within 3 hrs of Houston, SA, Dallas... granted the events usually last several days, but count me in for tix as soon as they are released!
 
F1 looks to meet major finanical obligations extremely early for all new races, so there's no doubt in my mind that the site has already been picked, probably acquired, and that the course plans are well underway. The only reason it will seem to be a quick process, is because the world just found out about something that has been underway for years.

But I know that F1 has been disappointed in the market penetration in the USA for the various USGP that have occurred over the past couple of decades, and I know they believe one reason they haven't achieved the success here they are seeking is because they don't have a competitive American team in the sport.

So, I will be very surprised if we don't see an announcement this year of a new, extremely well-funded American team to join the series within the next couple of years. F1 is focused on penetrating this market, and they know that having a consistent American team is crucial to achieve success here.
 
This is amazing. More people will know about Austin in one weekend than have heard of Austin throughout its entire history. Six hundred million people around the world follow F1. That's twice the population of the U.S.
Fi is either the second or third most-viewed sport in the world, following soccer, and around the same as cricket. Yes, cricket (one billion live in India, and they love cricket).
One site mentioned is where the toll road meets 290E. That's right where the Manor High School is, I believe. The site requires 600-1100 acres, and the track is said to cost a minimum of $250 million to construct. Apparently two other sites are under consideration (per AAS).
This is big, this is superbowl big on an annual basis.
People spend big bucks to fly in from all over the world for these races.
Tickets are very expensive.
 
Not knowing anything about F1 other than it being a racing circuit, I spent some time on Wikipedia last night. Each race every year draws 600 million TV viewers internationally. Holy crap.

Could someone explain to the uninitiated (me) what is so cool about F1 compared to Nascar, and why someone who doesn't like auto racing (me) should be interested in it?
 
The level of sophistication, glamor, engineering, and driving skill of F1 versus NASCAR are like comparing a 1972 Chevy Cavalier to a Ferrari Testa Rosa. The fans are like Gomer Pyle versus James Bond. There is no comparison, except they both have four wheels.
It cost $100 to $500 million per year for one team to campaign in F1. Top drivers are among or at the top for world athletes' salary, Schumacher made $80 million per year before retiring. This is a big-time sport.
 
I put it down to one thing for me: Performance. You've simply never seen a car change direction or accelerate so fast. Not to mention brake so quickly. Its like watching Barry Sanders vs Darren Hambrick when comparing to other race cars. Technology also moves so fast. One team will figure out something, and implement it. If it works, within two races any team that can afford it, will have the same thing with a little improvement.

And don't forget the sound. I must hear this in person. 18,000 rpmThe Link

The real coup to me would be getting MotoGP(the F1 of motorcycle racing) and WSBK there. As much as I love IndyCar and F1, MotoGP and WSBK have some crazy races.
The Link
 
What's truly amazing is they keep changing the rules to try and slow these guys down and the engineers just keep making the cars faster and faster.
 
Those engineers feel the need, the need for speed.

Waldo, there was a thread in Other Sports earlier this year about F1 and somebody wanting to learn more. There were some great posts and links of information as well as discussion over a couple of races in it. I suggest finding it as it will likely answer much of what you ask in one place. We have some guru's here.
 
Those tree huggers are very involved in getting this deal done, general35. The mayor has been quoted on the deal, and I'm sure the city will have to extend some services to the track one way or another. Kirk Watson apparently has been instrumental as well, former mayor of Austin.
It is true the track may be outside the city limits, but since it requires 600-1100 acres of undeveloped land, there may be a good reason it is not in the city limits. Most condo, apartment and single family home dwellers might find the place a little noisy and congested at times, don't you think?
This deal didn't happen on its own. The governor's office, the legislature, or at least the local members, the city council and the private sector investors and partners all had to play active roles.
 
Wow! This is freaking unbelievable. The economic impact on Austin will be enormous. Imagine hosting 12 consecutive Super Bowls or 12 consecutive Final Fours, except these fans/tourist will be from all over the world and loaded.
 
The eve greaer personal perk that I am looking forward to, is that most F1 courses have driving schools there in when there are no races... That means that potentially you are looking at the chance to spend a little money, but not have to travel to do some time on the track.... THAT is more fun to me than even having the race here.

Mandino, you know infinitely more than I do about F1, but I just had never even heard rumours. I guess that they are well along the way with this tightly held secret until now, but it is great and exciting news indeed!

Also, for those busting the chops of NASCAR... NASCAR was 'stock' cars. That is what the 's' stands for. It was originally guys who bought cars at a reguar dealership and raced them. It didn't start out as even having purpose built track cars of any type. This is actually a fairly recent invention within the sport. They handle like bricks on wheels.. which is why they are always on the verge of losing control. It is an entirely different animal, but there is no reason to try to belittle it while loving F1 etc... I don't know why people can't just be race fans...
 
Those tree huggers are very involved in getting this deal done, general35. The mayor has been quoted on the deal, and I'm sure the city will have to extend some services to the track one way or another. Kirk Watson apparently has been instrumental as well, former mayor of Austin.
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this shocks me since when i last lived in austin, i had a hard as hell time trying to get a permit to cut a tree down in my yard...a dead tree...of course mayor watson was nothing more than a money ***** anyway, plaintiff's attorney...he is a lot like john edwards...pretended to be something he wasnt.
 
For those of you who aren't fans...YET...start getting F1 pumped into your blood tomorrow a.m.

Set your dvrs to SPEED:

Turkish Grand Prix Practice 2: Friday, 6 a.m.
Turkish Grand Prix Qualifying: 6 a.m.
Turkish Grand Prix: 7 a.m.

You can bet Austin will be a hot topic.
 
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