Losing Australia would be a real shame
There is MOVEMENT!! Went by saturday- a bigger "road" was pushed out by a dozer, and several grade markers set up. A new path was cleared across the front of the site... Something is finally starting to happen!
Take a long hard look at the article posted about Melbourne. Its a nice look at the future of any city based race beyond Montreal and Monaco. $50 million underwriting required! Austin may have a race but its long term future is in doubt, even with new grading markers in place. Is 50 million available from the State and city today?? Who is funding the construction because it certainly isnt Tavo. Is the completion guaranteed in any way. Better yet how many of the Tilke staff are around. Is the office even occupied. I want to see a race back in the USA. I dont see how it will be in Austin on time. Maybe 2013?
The current issue of Autoweek states that the first timed lap of the Austin circuit was made by a rented 4 wheel drive truck the other day. ( 31 minutes ) It also states that "a formal ground breaking... should take place in 2011."
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/racing/entries/2011/01/24/f1_can_soon_start_moving_dirt.html?cxntfid=blogs_formula_austin Best line We may actually be a little ahead of schedule but not much."
But the Comments are GOLDEN!!! For the Record I'm not the "Bubba" that's on there, nor am I "Lance" ....LOL!
I see that ESPN has a story on Austin today with a picture of Hellmund out at the site on a piece of construction equipment. Do we know what's going on out there? About a month ago I suggested to one of the F1 websites that they have a section dedicated to keeping up on developments in Austin and the GP. I can't remember which one it was. Can anyone suggest which website would be the best for something like this so we can all bombard them with e-mails and hopefully get something like this done?
There is not much to keep up with. They are behind schedule. Thats about the only story there is. I have zero faith in this effort now. Its just not adding up to reality....yet. Maybe by summer.
FYI - the following was posted on the Austin American Statesman blog about F1 in Austin back on Jan 25th. Just got home from taking a look around at the site. Lots of activity. Ranger Excavation dump trucks, both the smaller ones and the large semi-truck type, are everywhere, coming and going from the site. Its only going to get busier from here on out.
have there been any artists renderings on what some of the structures and facilities may look like at the track?
Not that I am aware, Duck..... One part of the team has the track design pretty well baked, but HKS (from memory) has only recently come on board with the facilities work.
Excited to see this rolling, for what it is worth my finace's company bid for the earth and cable work on the site but lost on the bid. For about a week I had the plans for the track in my kitchen while she did some work on it.........
