Tony George declines F1 October race

What makes everyone so certain that Michelin can come up with safe tires this around!?

Or DOES MICHELIN STILL WANT A CHICANE ON TURN 13 FOR THE PROPOSED FARCE USGP?

 

What kind of show would you really expect at the end of the year, for no points, with no point? What team would risk anything of value (including first-line drivers) ??? You would probably see more "attrition" for phony reasons than you did at the Michelin debacle...and it wouldn't be just tires getting blamed.

 

The biggest issue at Indy now has to be safety and whilst Ralf caught the safer barrier this time, he just missed it last year going back first into the concrete barrier.

The course layout is Mickey Mouse and simply isnt suited to F-1.

Now that it sounds as though Tony George has his nose out of shape, the likelyhood of the continued relationship between he and Bernie looks less and less likely.

F-1 simply must have a different venue in the US.

BHW

 

You're probably right on the money with b, c, and d.

I can't imagine where he could run an East Coast event that would be interesting but if he was thinking of reviving Long Beach, that might just work. There is always talk about a GP in NYC; and I would love to see it since I could almost walk there from home. But there isn't anyplace that would offer a challenging, interesting course unless we want to see another Monaco on the calendar. To me, street circuits don't offer the features that allow an F1 pilot/car combination show what they can do. NYC offers accessibility to the world stage, with its ability to draw tens of thousands at outrageous ticket prices, and its long list of potential corporate sponsors. But for me, it gets back to the racing; and I don't see any NY area venue offering that.

 

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option A please. Er... B... er... no wait, C.... how about YES?

 

What makes you think there will be another one in the states at all? We just got this GP and it took what, about 12 years or so to get it after they stopped running Phoenix? The fact that Tony George is mad enough not to allow them to run the non WC race bodes very badly for F1 in the states.

 

Bob Varsha's comments on the tv broadcast about the morons and total lack of class shown by throwing items onto the track and Webber's comment about that kind of thing to be expected from folks in the US certainly don't set well for F1 in the US. IMO the idea of a non-point race in October is simply absurd for a variety of reasons. I could say that we certainly wouldn't make the 15+ hour drive to Indy nor spend the $$ on airfare, hotel (you know the locals will jack the prices up again) and meals, nor take time off work to see a play race. For the money to see a play race you best believe that we'll be in Europe for a real race at a real circuit. I see that the only way to really make F1 in the US happen again is to not screw the spectators out of their money by jacking up hotel rooms ($150 per night for a Days Inn - absurd), having it at an easily accessible location (wipes out Watkins Glen - I was there in the late 60's - surely it has improved since then), in general make it affordable for everyone. It's been said that there will be three races in North America next year - guess time will tell. Cancun could prove to be interesting in many ways. When the Busch cars went to Mexico not too long ago, some of them gathered in Laredo and went over in small groups with armed escorts. Next year will definitely prove to be an interesting year in F1 - Texas schools will start after Labor Day so that knocks out our fourth GP in Spa unless the date changes. Time will tell . . . .

Carol

To Imperial - thanks for the PM, back to you soon!

 

We will welcome F1, with WIDE OPEN ARMS, back to the best coast in Long Beach. Come on boys bring it back to the LBC.

 

I will have to agree with this one also. They already have some garages in place and they can add more they have the room to do it. They have made lots of improvements to the runoff areas for the Moto GP race this weekend.

And Ferrari proved that F1 cars can run there at the 04 Historics race. Also the sound of a V10 blasting thru that valley in one word

"Beautiful"

 

NO the area around the LBGP track is way to over developed. It is a pain in the butt to park. and the view of the track sucks at best.

BTW here is the proposed schedule for 06 Start booking your rooms now.

March 12, Bahrain
March 19, Malaysia
April 2, Australia
April 16, San Marino
April 30, Spain or France
May 14, Spain or France
May 28, Monaco
June 4, Nurburgring
June 18, Canada
June 25 Indianapolis
July 2, unknown
July 16, Britain
July 30, Germany
August 6, Hungary
August 27, Turkey
September 10, Belgium
September 17, Italy
October 1,Brazil
October 15, Japan
October 22, China

Notice the 3 back to back races with July 2nd for a possible Cancun Race

 

I am thinking of going back to the "Fatherland" next year....... Nurburgring.

 

They block off the street for every other stupid parade or whatever, i don't see why they wouldn't block it for an F1 race. I'd love it, but i don't think it would ever happen.

 

Bernie changes his mind more than he changes his underwear. If he can't make money off of it he won't do it. Other than Indy who else can realisticaly hold the event. Any track would have to undergo many millions of dollars in renovations to come up to FIA spec. With the debacle at Indy this year who would trust Bernie enough to make that sort of investment with no guarantee of the event even happening. I don't see the bright side of any of this.

 

Impy that is the most lucid thing you've ever said. Bravo....

 

Tony has bigger problems on his mind since the IRL has no engine for 2006

With Toyota and Honda out in 2006..., the IRL appears to have two bad choices:

an update of either of the existing engines: But Cosworth is now owned by Champ Car series owners Gerald Forsythe and Kevin Kalkhoven ( now you're screwed)

and Ilmor Engineering in Plymouth, Michigan, was recently separated from its parent company in England, which was absorbed by Mercedes-Benz. Ilmor’s Michigan shop is essentially a rebuild facility, and does not have the capacity for major castings such as cylinder heads and engine blocks.

 

Unless Bernie was going to foot the entire expense of such an event, I would have made the same decision that TG made: No thanks.

Very likely this event would lose money, makes no sense as a promoter.

The venue at Indy was very nice. No matter how you cut it, it still has the ambience of being the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. No other facility in the USA has such international appeal. No other major US facility has all the conveniences like abundant hotel rooms, airport, etc.

 

A NC race would have been a flop and would have a very weak showing giv ing the pundits more ammo that F1 is dead in America. They will have the race next year, and if they step up with the other 80K tickets, I can say as one who attended this year, will go next year.

 

I guess Michelin wants a tire testing session of their own -- Bridgestone got one where the GP was supposed to be.

 

If Michelin wants to have a tire test then i say fine talk to TG about renting out the track like the IRL teams already do.

Heck he could even charge admission to the test like they do in Barcelona and Silverstone at some of the test days. But for myself prsonally i would not want to go to nothing more than a tire test. They are boring nothing more than a parade of cars going around and around.

 

Hopefully they won't come back. I don't want them here...ever. SpeedTV is good enough for me.