(from autosport) Indianapolis president Joie Chitwood has admitted that he wants Formula One to return to the track in the future, as he made it clear Grand Prix racing should be back in the United States. Just a few weeks after Tony George said that F1 would only return to the circuit if the track could find the right sponsors to support it, Chitwood has said that the track has gone out of its way to ensure there were no other hurdles for a return. And that meant getting an F1 sign-off for the track reconfiguration that has been necessary for the inaugural MotoGP event, and ensuring a mid-season calendar slot has been left open. At a press conference discussing the events at Indy this year, Chitwood made it clear that F1 remained very much on Indy's agenda for the future. "One thing I want to make sure is clear, motorcycles didn't replace F1," said Chitwood. "If you look at the way we scheduled our calendar, we had hoped that F1 would come back and it would have maintained that June date after the Montreal event, and that's why you saw the motorcycle event in September. "Now, if we had that four-race schedule, we would have been hard after it. We would have been oval, road course, oval, road course. So right now we've got two oval events and the road course. So the timing is a little bit better, there's not as much pressure and stress." Chitwood said that the revisions made to the Indianapolis road course for MotoGP have already been approved for F1 use. "One of the things that we did do with the design of this motorcycle course, which they will run the same direction as the oval, is that every change we made was also inspected and approved by the FIA," he explained. "Should F1 come back, they can run this course, they can run it the same direction, they can run it the other direction, they can run the four-turn chicane in Turn One or not. "We did not want to make any changes that would preclude us in the future from hosting F1. I know that Tony (George) has said it, I've said it: The door is open. "We think that (F1) is a phenomenal racing series; we think it should be back in America. So the door is open. Maybe it can come back some day."
I think the changes made to the track are great. I hope it comes back. Image Unavailable, Please Login
+1 I'm glad they got rid of the two hairpins. If it were up to me, I would run the course clockwise and run the oval section instead of T1-4 in the map above. Any which way, I would be glad that F1 is back in the US and not at stupid Vegas or some other street circuit.
If it's any indication of the success of the Moto GP event the rooms downtown are still all full. I'm sure some will free up 30 days before. Yes to the track layout though. The only thing the Mickey Mouse was good for was photos. When you stood there you could tell the cars struggled to go that slow.
I was at the Speedway last weekend. They are making good progress on the new track configuration. I tried to get pics, but noting shot from the ground really showed it. Sorry! Spoke with an insider and was told that F1 has reviewed the new configuration and they liked what they saw. Talks are supposedly on for possible return in 2009. I was told IRL has also tested on the road course. The news showed one of the MotoGP guys taking a few laps on the road course. First run was on the 1919 Indiana that first raced on the oval so many decades ago. Leather helmet, whole nine yards. Pretty cool to see and hear. Is my dream for 2009 maybe coming true? 1) Indy 500 2) USGP returns 3) IRL runs road course 4) MotoGP 5) Brickyard 400
That's a great track layout. Got my blood pumping just looking at it. Love the way the set up the first 4 turns.
I do not care where, except I do not like the idea of a temp course in Vegas, I do not care when although I would prefer not on Father's Day, I just want a United States Grand Prix run with F1 cars, not IRL, not tennis, not golf. F1 cars. Is that too much to ask?
+1 Turns 1-4 need to go as well. They might me good for Moto GP but they'll be too slow for F-1 cars.
I believe there is a fear of too high of a speed into a hypothetical first turn if they run counterclockwise as do the IRL and NASCAR cars. Even with the safer barrier, there is no run-off, likely stopping the race in the event of a first turn accident. The clockwise direction is still the safest.
+1 ! In Europe here they could learn alot about hosting F1 like Indy. Great viewing and accessability. My most frustrating moments have been in Montreal, great track, not so good off the track. Very tight walking areas and chokepoints at bridges(slow moving crowds very not fun). Indy you can sit or view from anywhere except race day. Montreal you must use your assigned seat no matter. Stupid as practice and qual are never too crowded. Indy is a great place for F1. Great they improved the track but I had no complaints at all anyway. Fun times!!!
I don't think they will run the oval turn one counterclockwise, I think they will use the MotoGP turn one, which wouldn't be a problem.
I respectfully disagree based on what I have seen and heard. Here's the logic: They removed a number of walls and added a ton of kitty litter for the MotoGP guys. MotoGP has to have room for a body wrapped in leather to roll and slide to a stop...no cage protects them from hitting a wall and no safer barrier is going to do squat for a body without a cage. If its safe for MotoGP, its safe for F1. This from a motorcycle guy that has lapped the new layout. - Traditional USGP 1st Turn (clockwise) is a long straight into a 90 degree turn. Exciting to watch, but bad for taking cars out = less excitement later when the field is reduced to 6 or so cars becuase the rest crashed out in the first lap or three. - MotoGP 1st Turn (counter clockwise) is a long straight into a smaller radius degree turn to the left followed by a tighter turn to the right with more run off room and opportunity to bring speed down "gradually" vs immediate of the traditional USGP Turn 1. Looks safer, still a possibility for some aggressive passing. Hope I explained that well enough. See the place live and I think you might come around to liking the idea of running the USGP in the same direction as the MotoGP. Sure screws up with where I like to sit though. I might need to move seats.
As much as it pains me to say, I don't think we will ever hear the wail of F1 cars at the Brickyard again as long as Bernie is in charge.
From the looks of the new configuration, I would agree with you. They have eliminated, should I say modified the first turn as used by the Indy and NASCAR cars with a chicane of sorts. If they had not, that first turn as used in the 500 would not have been safe for F1 cars. So running in a counterclockwise direction should now not be a problem.
Go to your happy place and think positive thoughts. At least they have supposedly looked at the new configuration and liked what they saw and they are still in talks about 2009. I do agree with you about Bernie. It seems to be more a pi$$ing match between too huge egos. Maybe if they get the dollars worked out, the "greed" of money will override their need to win the "greed" of ego.
I should have mentioned earlier. MotoGP T1-T4 are flat as a pancake. Whole course is flat outside of the banking where they really hit on the Oval. I also see MotoGP T4 could be a difficult turn if run clockwise. Too much opportunity to build up a ton of speed before what looks to be a nasty hairpin to the right. Much easier to take counterclockwise since speed has already been scrubbed by T2-T3. Then hammer down out of T4 through T5. Sure helps having the map posted above to get a better visual on this discussion.
Checked with my Transcendental Meditation teacher, got a new mantra, maybe this will work: OmmmmmmmmmUSGPat09Indy OmmmmmmmmmUSGPat09Indy OmmmmmmmmmUSGPat09Indy
Laguna Seca is the perfect track for F1 in 2009, IMVHO. The motogp is already here, so why not the F1?
Well Said!!!! I would love to see the IRL do 2 events at Indy....Hopefully using the road course for 1 event.
