USGP Good Possibility for 2010

The prospects for a return of a Formula One race in the United States have improved after Bernie Ecclestone held talks with team principals in Belgium about putting the event back on the calendar in 2010, autosport.com has learned.

The event at Indianapolis was dropped for this year after its circuit boss Tony George was unable to agree financial terms with Ecclestone to sort out a new contract at the end of 2007.

But with no prospects for a last-minute deal rescuing the event even for 2009, teams and Ecclestone discussed during a team principal's meeting at Spa-Francorchamps about ensuring the event does return - although not necessarily at Indianapolis.

It is understood a number of teams have made it clear to Ecclestone that it is vital, especially amid the world's current financial situation, for America to once again feature on the calendar.

Honda Racing CEO Nick Fry told autosport.com: "The American GP is key for two reasons. Firstly, this is supposed to be a world championship and a large part of it is made up of North America, so we should be going back there.

"Secondly, the North American market is absolutely vital to us, and for all the luxury car makers especially it is key. It is a market Honda is successful in, with Honda and Acura, and we would like to get back there as soon as possible."

BMW motorsport director Mario Theissen added: "It is important for BMW as a manufacturer but also for our sponsors. The USA is still the biggest market for BMW and we should be there. But we should be there successfully, so we have to find the right venue, the right setting and the right approach in order to make a point over there."

When asked by autosport.com if he felt that Indianapolis was the right venue, Theissen said: "If I look at where we sell our cars it is certainly on the east coast and the west coast, so from that perspective it (Indy) is not the ideal venue.

"I know Bernie is negotiating with several regions or cities in the US but apparently there is nothing confirmed or nothing ready to be announced."

Frank Williams said the event was vital even for independent teams like his.

"We all want it," he explained. "Many of our sponsors are very active in the US - and several American ones, like Thomson Reuters, AT&T, are looking to expand – Philips too."

Fry echoed Theissen's belief that a race located on either the Pacific or Atlantic coasts would be ideal – with sources suggesting that Ecclestone favours a race in Las Vegas.

"Ideally we would like a site on either coast, which is a key market for non-American brands. And from our point of view, the sooner the better.

"Bernie is very good at understanding the market and what the manufacturers want. He does realise the importance of this and we know he is doing his best to fix the problem, and we will give him all the support we can. We are all aligned on the importance of America."

Indianapolis spokesman Fred Nation said recently that his track was confident a deal could be put in place for them to return to the schedule.

"We are very optimistic for 2010," he said.

 

Aside from Indianapolis, where else could F1 be hosted in the usa? Is there another venue that has the demanded F1 facilities and safety standards? I have always felt that 1/4 full Grandstands at Indy always makes F1 look bad, and is also bad for for atmosphere ! Laguna Seca would make for much more interesting venue for me..

Whats the thoughts of your guys in the states ?

 

OH NO...Not the Las Vegas debate again. I, for one, have been to every USGP and it was magical. I have also been to Monza. Monza is very chopped up and you don't get a sense of the enormous crowds and the wild excitement like you do in Indy. It would be a shame to loose that venue.

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The only facility in the United States that would not require a total rebuild for an F1 event is Indianapolis. Additionally, it meets all the other requirements for convenient airports, accomodations, etc. Laguna Seca would never work.

The only other thought is some sort of street race, and personally I can only hope they do not consider Las Vegas.

At the end of the day, an F1 event is so expensive for a promoter, no one has the money to spend that Indianapolis has already spent.

 

When I heard the Varsha announcement I thought immediately of Indianapolis. Then a bit later they showed the interview with Bernie in which he was VERY evasive over the location. I'm thinking/hoping that was only to keep the pressure on Tony George because realistically there are no other venues in the States.

Regardless: Having the USGP back in our country is going to be a LOT less expensive to travel to than having to go overseas. So wherever it is, bring it on!

 

I have to think that, if a city hasn't been mentioned in any capacity by now, they're not in the running. That leaves Indy and New York. NYC has absolutely nothing in place, but is probably the only city that could whip up a street race this quickly. But logic would dictate a return to Indy, and I would like that very much.

 

Viva Las Vegas

 

IRL does it. Again. So that's a real possibility.

I wouldn't mind it one bit. Airport, hotels and restaurants nearby plus plenty of things to do for the Misses.

 

downtown manhattan street race,maybe across the Brooklyn or Manhattan bridges.OR,Staten Island Hillclimb.Actually Staten Island woud be the most controlable event.Go up Grymes Hill where all of the billionares are..

 

Well i do really hope you guys over the pond get your race back, these forums show that there is a real passion for F1 in the states, ... I for one hope that its not held on a mickey mouse street track, i think we have more then enough of them on the calender now.

 

Although it would be my preference to have any proposed USGP back at Indy, (puhleeze, oh, puhleeze bring back the USGP!!) I can see how a street race in Vegas could work, if the track were designed properly, the location was near enough to the strip to capitalize on the Vegas venue, and the sponsorship did not depend on the city of Las Vegas.
Having said that, it will require focus on the most crucial of elements which will be strong, positive ownership by the locale, and excellent, world-class promotion of the event.
When the USGP was here in Phoenix, they dropped these balls so many times, it was embarrasing. Starting with a title sponsor (Iceberg) that most locally had not even heard of, to a po-dunk, countrified, coyote-wearing a bandana, image for the advertising, what could have been a nice event, with a descent street course, (albeit in what is not exactly a world-class city destination) was sumarily executed by a date set for the middle of average 100 degree temps here. It was all completely small-potatoes in that world that all F1 fans know has to be of the highest calibre.

I think that with all that has already been invested at Indy, and the world-class event they have shown they are capable of putting on, it really makes the most sense. Again, they just need a large, identifiable title sponsor that is willing to do the necessary local and nation-wide promotion to put the hoopla back into what is a great event.

Just my $.02

 

If they're going to whip together a street race, it will have to look like a real F1 circuit, too. The current IRL course in Vegas blows. As usual, it's set off in a part of the city where they can afford to shut the roads for a week or so, but nowhere near the all-important strip. Bernie won't go for a street course that resembles Detroit & Phoenix of yore--it will have to stand out.

 

I agree, but he won't admit that to Tony George during contract negotiations.

 

silverstone 08 95,000 attendance
Indianapolis 07 est 125,000 attendance


whatever.....


we get more than 95,000 people to show up when walmart has a 10% off sale.

 

I agree, although I dont think its nearly as important from a promotional standpoint, that the course looks good as it is located well. I agree that the location of the IRL course just wouldnt even be in the ballpark. The F1 race needs to be in the middle of it so to speak. The only alternative to that, is to bring it all to the course, which would be ridiculous in Vegas. Why bother going to Vegas if you cant be on the strip?
I can imagine a really amazing, and maybe even groundbreaking event in Vegas where the course was adjacent to most of the strip, and the participating casinos offered access, and/or viewing to the race via a blocked off area in the casino where you could pay a ticket price to have VIP viewing. They could offer this up to their high-rollers as a perc/comp. In that event, the ticket price would be paid, and in some cases where high-rollers just wanted to hang out for awhile and watch the race, but not stay necessarily for the whole thing, the casino could double-sell these seats. It would be a benefit to the casino, and the race from a business standpoint. In addition, and much like in Monaco, this would just add to the spectacle and attraction of the race itself. When all was said and done, even the people who were at the casinos and not attending the race, would add to the spectacle due to the sheer numbers. The event would appear twice as popular as it actually were. In spite of this, (all other things like track design, schedule during the season, etc) it could be a really popular race. Lets face it, in order for it to make commercial sense, any race has to attract a good number of average to cursory fans looking for something interesting to see, in addition to the die-hards like us.
Also, I cant think of another venue that would right out of the box, lend itself supremely to a night race. A flood-lit track with the lights of the Vegas strip right alongside would look pretty spectacular!

 

Sliverstone can only hold 95'000 people, it was sold out for months before the race (it sold out for qually on Sat too)!! Indy with an est 125'000, as i said, is around 1/4 full. Plus you have the cheapest F1 tickets of all the races !

I was not having a dig at Indy for not having full grandstands. All i was saying is that cause Indy is so huge, all the empty seats look bad on TV..

If you read a few posts up, you will read that I'm all for a race in the US, there is a lot of passion for F1 there, and only good can come from there being a race there.

But please don't try to compare the popularity of F1 in the USA compared to Europe, your just not going to win that one.




P.S. I would also just like to say, I was at Indy for the 2003 race!

 

My head's starting to hurt again. The casino owners would not want the strip and entrances blocked. It would limit their weekend traffic. You can't see. Since Jeff Krosnoff was killed in Detroit, current street courses use double steel barriers. Not just chain link. It's like a super max prison. I went to the first Champ Car race in Old Town, I was just glad I was in Vegas or it would have been a wasted trip. It was not remembered as a race weekend. The highlight of that trip was Vintage F1 cars in the air conditioned pits. Street courses are great on TV, but not in person. I would go because I can stay at the Wynn, Bellagio, anywhere, for $50 or less and fly for almost nothing. But I would park myself at a patio with big screens so I could hear the cars. I would not go with the intentions of attending a real race weekend.

 

Nice view?
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Indy and the people there are fantastic. Its a great venue. Practice and Qualy its open seating unlike alot of European venues and Montreal. I love coming over to Indy.

 

They have been here before and the city knows how to do it.

But they killed F1 today so the point is moot.
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There is no doubt that the casino owners would not want the strip blocked. However, if you have been to Vegas rescently, you would agree that auto traffic on the strip is already a problem. The city is looking at many ways of lessening traffic on the strip proper, and this would include various ways of making the strip more pedestrian-friendly. They already have pedestrian bridges at some junctions. An event, that actually did shut down traffic to a portion of the strip, but allowed for pedestrians to enter and exit as needed, (with bridges, trollies, ets) would not lessen access to the casinos one bit. In fact, for many people, it would be an attraction to not have to deal with auto traffic in an area, while walking the strip. We are only talking about small sections that could have access provided during the course of the event by pedestrian bridges and such. I have seen some scribbled up plans doing just this type of thing. The initial investment would be pretty big, but the end-result event would be pretty amazing, and could likely provide a real jump-start for Vegas. The local economy has been hit pretty hard lately, and attendance at casinos is down. I would think that a world-class attraction that was not just another "snobby furrin car race" would provide some new zeal to what has rescently become a bit staid, same ol' sam ol'.
In regards to street races in general, yeah I would agree that they are not the equal of a permanent circuit. However, even here in Phoenix, with the temps over 100 degrees and drivers with cool suits collapsing out of their cars in the middle of the race, (and even the fences) I still enjoyed much more the experience of seeing and hearing the cars in real-life, vs. watching on a big-screen, movie-screen, or anything other than the real thing.
My point here is that if it came down to Vegas or nothing, I would prefer Vegas, and it could work. Unlike Laguna Seca, or Long Beach, etc which dont have all the necessary infrastucture and ammenities.
Having said all that, I'd still rather return to Indy!