****2014 USGP Thread****

Watched the Challenge cars early this morning, then F1 practice, then went to watch Live give their concert. Sad that I used my earplugs for the concert but not for the racing.

The cars sound like crap.

I did get to see Lewis spin out right in front of us. Great seats, top row on the aisle so LOTS of legroom.

 

It's like giving a small child a box of matches.

 

Wow, horrible driving standard! We get reprimanded for much much less than that at all F1 Carrera Cup events.

 

Good evening everybody! Too much work to do this Sunday evening, so it's nice to have the race running in parallel...

 

GREAT pictures! Thank you!

 

Mr Spirot you are on SKY as we speak. Ted's Qualy notebook caught you on camera as they walked through the Mercedes cafe as you were standing at the table as Toto walked up! (replay from yesterday)

 

Cool.
Did he ask for your autograph?

Enjoy.

 

Ted was just to the left of us... that is not me - its my friend Kurt, I was taking the picture - Blue button down shirt jeans.. Hublot Hat. lost track of him after that. only had my iphone with me... I got confimation of my Saturday paddock pass on Thursday night.

 

No autographs, but Rob showed us his meat....
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Impressive.

 

Young lady is a bit camera shy?

 

Great to see Fchat's own Big Tex on Friday, Also saw Tillman at the turn 5 bridge. I got a few shots from T1, T5, & T15. Not bad for an old camera.

2014 F1 USGP Photos by wjhmh | Photobucket
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On TV it looked like the crowd on Sunday was pretty decent. Was that in fact the case?

 

I read today that just under 108,000 were there Sunday. Doesn't appear NASCAR hurt them that much.

 

The wide open track of Austin really showed just how quiet the 2014 cars are. Without the roar of a familiar sound of F1 it was like a damn ghost town.

 

We were in T12 as well. It was pretty packed, but just a fraction less than last year. Top of the hill T1 GA looked to be shoulder to shoulder mayhem!
I'm concerned COTA will take a real hit next year with Mexico City back to back. A lot of Mexicans in attendance.

 

This is so sad.

 

I bet it was a bliss for those not interested in motor racing ...

 

I actually had a nice conversation with the pretty girl next to me. No ear plugs needed and never had trouble hearing her.

Now if I only had her name....

 

That is a significant concern. But I expected Montreal attendance to take a hit with a U.S. GP back on the schedule, and that hasn't seemed to have happened.

 

According to this, it was NASCAR that was hurt... and that jives with what I saw when I tuned in for the last part of the Texas 500. It was noticeably empty.

Racing roundup: NASCAR loses attendance race in Texas and Bernie's crocodile tears | Toronto Star

I really did enjoy the race itself this year. Despite 2/3 of the podium being already known, lame sound (although that meant you could hear the PA race broadcast) and only 18 cars on the grid... the racing was MUCH better to me. Past 2 years, there was a much more processional feel -- not as bad as some, but certainly living up to the stereotype of F1 races here in the states. This year, because of the tire choices, or maybe just the aging of the track surface, the drivers seemed much more comfortable and looked like they were just enjoying it and racing more. There were even overtakes on T1, where they've been conservative before. Or maybe it was the stars on the track, that for some reason Bernie didn't force CoTA to paint over this year...

Or perhaps when the number of cars dropped to 15, points were in reach for everyone, and no driver wanted the embarrassment of being one of only a few not getting any...