You know what Michelin really want? Michelin want to be the only tire supplier in F1 They want bridgestone and all bridgestone based teams to bow down and quit. Michelin don't care about the fans. All they care about is their bottom line. The 7 Michelin teams have put tremendous pressure on Michelin thus forcing them into giving refunds. Michelin is dragging their feet on the refunds because they can get interest while the money is still in the bank! So let me get this right.... First Michelin want to test at Indianapolis before THE SECOND FARCE USGP. PRAY TELL ME WHEN DOES THEY HAVE THE TIME TO DO THAT? July is packed August dates are set September dates are set October dates are set It is not easy to drag testing equipment and the cars accross the Atlantic to hold testing sessions with F1 GP race track format at Indianapolis. SAY NO TO THE SECOND FARCE USGP AND TO MICHELIN!
Hmm, I just realized that there are 20 GPs on this list. The teams always were against 20 races, although Bernie liked it. They always said the 19 of this year will remain an exception. So I guess some will come off this list.
That would be the Mexican GP in Cancun, but I hear the construction is falling behind. No idea whether that's the case though.
I hope they are constructing a peraltada corner like the old circuit, lol. I think If Tony George doesn't renew the contract there will be no USGP. Just my opinion.
Thank you addidas, my thoughts exactly. I don't think that they should ever hold it here again. I'd love to see it live, so I'll just go to Canada for theirs. Tony George is ******, he gave out email addresses to these angry, probably NASCAR inclined, fans for Michelin, the FIA, and F1 managment so they wouldn't bother him. What ******.
I honestly doubt that the Indy race will last much longer after what happened this year. Also with Bernie saying that TG does not do enough to promote the race. Add the fact that the attendance for the race has been dropping year after year and it does not make sense to keep running the race. Even though the Indy chamber of commerce states that the F1 race brings in $170 Million to the Indy area. The reality is the first couple of years you could not find a room in Indy the weekend of the GP, The past few years each motel i stayed at they had plenty of rooms avaliable yet they still tried charge a fortune. In fact where i stayed at i had a reservation made nearly 8 months ago and they still attempted to charge me a higher rate. On top of that the rent a car company attempted to jack up my rates. Talk about adding insult to injury first the race does not go off, The indy Star has an editorial stating "F1 dont let the door hit you on the A$$ on the way out!", and the attempted price gouging It is clear that Indy only thinks of the F1 race as a way to bilke millions from a more affluent race crowd.
I think Daytona is the only other track that could hold an F1 event with very little changes (maybe add larger stands in the infield). Other than that track, I can't think of another track that is turn-key. The track is basically the same as the IMS with the banked curves and flat infield so the drivers won't be having something incredibly different. Daytona's location is also good because it has their own international airport and only 50 minutes from Orlando International. Plus, there are already many hotels and beaches. I'm all for a GP at Daytona, only a 50 minute drive from my house.
The problem with Daytona is the banking is even steeper than Indy there is a good chance that F1 cars will go even faster thru that area. The AMA superbike's had a lot of blow out problems at daytona recently on the NASCAR oval part of the track and there was even a talk of a riders boycott of the Daytona 200 untill Dunlop stepped up and created stronger tires and payed for extra track time for testing there. I honestly dont think that Daytona is even close to FIA F1 safety standards as there is very little gravel traps on the infield, and they dont have pit straight garages. Baber motorsports park looks like a nice track but i dont even thing it has all of the requirements for F1. If there is a track that is close it would be Laguna Seca, The FIM had them move a lot of the walls and enlarge the runoff areas so that they can run Moto GP this weekend. Also the changes to the track did not cost Laguna much as Yamaha footed a quite large chunk of the bill for them. Laguna would more than likely have to add some more stands, build some more garages, and maybe add a little more runoff areas and they could meet FIA standards. Also just of note this is the first year for Moto GP and it is a sell out Laguna's largest event of the year. Indy was close to a sell out it's first year with a lot of locals comming out to see what all the hubbub was all about, for Laguna i think it is nothing put pure hard core Motorcycle racing fans in attendance.
Good discussion Rob. I didn't realize the banking problem in Daytona, but it makes sense. Maybe if they added a chicane...? Just kidding. Excellent point on the hotel situation in Indy in the first few years: I understand and can live with somewhat jacked up hotel prices. They do that everywhere. But in Indy they blacked out ALL the hotels for the entire city. Even if you wanted to pay $ 500 per night for a Motel 6 you couldn't, because the reservation systems wouldn't allow it. You could only buy "the package". It was absolutely ridiculous and nowhere else in the world have I ever seen that. Question regarding Laguna Seca: What about accomodation and access roads? Oh wait, there is Magny Cours and Silverstone, nevermind.
The Barber track would make a great F1 venue and it is close enough to Talladega/Birmingham that the area already know how to accommodate 100k+ of race fans at a time during the Talladega NASCAR race. I hope they are lobbying the FIA for a race and get it. www.barbermotorsports.com
At Laguna you have Salinas, Gilroy, Monterey, Carmel and Santa Cruz that all have motels from 1 to 4 star and i believe that the Monterey regional Airport is on the former Army Ft. Ord. that airfield could handle C-5's so they also have an airport nearby for the teams. I dont see how any of the cities near Laguna could not see the possibility expanding for an F1 race.
Not to rain on your parade, but the main reason I haven't been to the Pebble Beach FCA meeting in August is accomodation and traffic chaos. I can only imagine what a GP with 100k people would do to that area. Not pretty.
I have a bunch of Co-Workers at Laguna for MotoGP so i can see what they thought about the traffic on sunday with the estimated crowed of 150,000 It would not suprise me if Bernie and Max have there eyes on what happens there this weekend to gauge the possibility of a race there.
That would be a great excuse for a Florida vacation i need to take,lol. Seriously thought i think the banking would be a huge problem.
