What about Miami? Homestead has a road course. Is it anywhere near F1 standards?
The San Francisco Grand Prix...hmmm, nice ring to it. What the course maps of Sears don't show it the huge elevation changes. Ah, just dreamin'...it is unforgiving in places.
Long Beach has great appeal, wonderful atmosphere, and is Nostalgic to the F1 circus. The ALMS and Champ Cars are very popular and F1 would only be MORE so. I have been saying this for years, its a fun, exciting track with much more passing opportunities than Monaco. Also, if you have ever been to the track, the way it is set up is GREAT for spectators. But still, if you go to a race live for anything other then the experience, just watch it on TV. You cant go to a live race, sit in the grandstands and expect to see SPEED-style coverage of every second of the race. Live races are for the experience! Also, I have supported the notion of a Las Vegas GP. It would be the Monaco of USA. Atmosphere, money, historical draw. Make a good road course (though most of the city is on a grid system), or modify the LVMS with a nice infield. Or, IMHO, get private investors and hire a European track designer, and build a track on the outskirts of town. I'm thinking like a team of investors who may also have their ties with a major casino. Then they can use that course for CART and ALMS, D1GP, SPEED WC, etc. All major sanctions, I mean if its up to the FiA approval, those others will be rather impressed to say the least. Not to mention club races (holding a race of he F430 Challege there) and other events like Super GT from Japan (GT Live over here). How can we forget the Bikes? AMA, MotoGP. The draw of Vegas is that EVERYONE enjoys going there. Its a landmark of rebellion, fun, attitude and wealth in the USA. They embrace racing and events like that with open arms, encourage it, support it, and fund it. Its really a great idea. Too bad that would take quite a few years to finalize. For the meantime, draw up some contracts with Long Beach GP and do a test event there like what they did in Valencia (right?) to guage people's interest and the course's ability/condition. Or get some people's asses in gear and hold a Las Vegas GP on a brand new track in '09 like what India is doing? What are your guys thoughts on that?
I've never been a big fan of street circuits, and I'd love to see an F1 race at Laguna or Sears (Infineon), but I think the venue that makes the most sense is Long Beach. They've proven they can do it, it's just a matter of reaching financial agreement. Gary
when i read that the first thing that popped into my head was "The New York GP"..........imagine a racetrack built in Central park(it's big enough) in the middle of the city, all the yatchs lined up on the Hudson, alongside all the cruise ships and USS Entrepid, NYC certainly has enough hotels, there's lots to do in the local area...........not too many cities in this country have as much history as NYC.... I think an NYGP would be more like the Monaco of the USA........ man i have a vivid imagination Image Unavailable, Please Login
As great as a track built on Central Park would be, think of it from an outsider's view of motorsports. That would be the equivalent of knocking down Alcatraz just b/c someone figured you can ride dirtbikes out there. Its idealistic, naive, and totally awesome. However far-fetched it would be, an NYC GP would be amazing! Too bad. *sigh*
The other thing is that it would be so frickin loud!!! Car horns in NYC are loud. Ive been to the USGP 5 times. I know how loud the cars are. NY would bust your ear drums. Great idea though!
hey, we have to rebuild New Orleans? Why not there? During Mardi Gras! Wahooo! I like Central Park! or Wash DC (with all the monuments, what a nice backdrop for TV) [the problem is, Bernie is going to screw whoever has the track, and if he doesn't build it, it isn't going to happen. and what is a purpose built F1 track going to be the rest of the year? a Six Flags? ] Who cares if there is a USGP, go to Montreal, its on the East Coast. Might as well start calling the Canada GP the 'American GP' like the British press does.
Good idea but there aren't enough people in power in Manhattan who would want to endure the eight week process of building the temporary circuit. Shutting down one side of the city for four days would be impossible. Even 9/11 couldn't keep half the city shut down for four days.
Laguna Seca is the perfect track. If the USA really want F1 then spend the money on (temporary) stands (like Australia) and sort out the run off area (will only benefit the track anyway). Perfect location, etc. Pete
Sears Point is way too far from civilization, relatively speaking. Even Mid-Ohio is better, but still would not work.
Far from civilization? You can get there in 20-30 minutes from San Francisco in the morning. I've made the trip several times, and I think San Francisco has a better world renowned reputation compared to Indianapolis and whatever city is neast to Mid-Ohio, Cincinati or Columbus etc. The major downside to Infineon from my perspectice, is that the straights aren't long enough. F1 cars would fly through the main straight and up into turn 1 in a flash. Part of the spectacle of F1 is seeing and hearing those cars blast by at well above 150mph.
Not close. About 15 years ago, I was hired by an investoment group to do a study for a new road course that met FIA standards and could potentially hold an F1 event. By far, Orlando, Florida, won over any other location in the USA. Especially if this new facility was built on or very near DisneyWorld. Major airport with direct flights to Europe and South America, beaucoup reasonable hotel rooms, places for families of F1 crews and drivers to go, reasonable land prices, etc. Second was the Miami area. Similar amenities. The difference was that land was more costly in Miami. None of the exisiting facilities metioned in this thead would work for an F1 event.
I agree that there is no US track even close to current F1 standards (other than Indy) but how do you justify construction costs for a new facility to hold a race that will almost certainly lose money for the promoters? Casino money behind a Las Vegas street race might work but then any western time zone event is going to be a problem for European TV.
They can live with tape delay just like we have or they better wake their ass up early if they care enough.
Money was from South America. At one time, Michael Eisner, along with Tony George and A.J. Foyt discussed building an F1 approved facility at DisneyWorld in Orlando. It didn't happen, but it was not because of money.
Like when, at 3 AM in the morning? As for reputation, no city comes close to Indianapolis as the center of motor sports in the world. That is why F1 agreed to that venue to begin with. Also prefernce is given to a facility closer to European and South american time zones.
MIAMI It has plenty of South and Central Americans and a worldly feel unlike Indy. It's also a place alot of people would travel to. Indy is just so not F1. It's a nice clean all-American place but Miami seems to me to be the pick. Either a street race or Homestead.
I think Florida and Vegas would be nice, but I am not sure you could get the media exposure that F1 is looking for. I am sure plenty of people will come, but will the race get that much more attention. with Disney's help an Orlando race could work, but Disney would be at the center of attention not F1, some of the F1 higher ups might not like that. maybe a street race that rotates from city to city each year lik the super bowl would work to. City's will work to get it, then they will work to promote, because they will get millions in revenue. Most importantly you will have cities begging F1, and they like that. the down side, the race would likely be a street race and not a track race.
Well, I was pulling for Texas, but I think he has some good logic on his side. There is also the point that much tourism infrastructure exists there...and, if it were held early in the season, the weather might not be a big factor. I cannot imagine what Las Vegas would be like in the heat of the summer. I have just one simple question - how come Brazil and Canada are not having all this constenation over THEIR races? The last such contraversy that I can remember was in the old days of the Japanese GP, where you could not get near the track and it rained like the days of Noah's flood. Surely we could find a way to create a world-class facility ourselves.
They should have done a better job designing the Indy circuit. We wouldn't need to have these discussions had that been the case. It's got the cool element of using the oval, but the infield section is Mickey Mouse stuff.
Texas (Dallas) could be a good location. top 5 media market city very large international airport several fancy hotels there is a track, but due to the banking might not work (remember CART had to cancel a race because of the Gs in the corners) a downtown street race could work if the city would cooperate, I know they have done it in the past.
