Yo, Formula One returns to the United States!!

[SaintDean]

Id love the last few corners with the long straight. Would make an interesting race.

How about Laguna Seca with the quick left right thats so steep.

[billindenver]

The corkscrew.....in an F1 car.....I think I'm going to need a clean up...be right back.

[Fred_C_Dobbs]

...I want a US GP but I'm not sold on this Austin circuit and certainly not sold on it being ready for 2012. Things that involve major money and contracts stateside take an eternity to be built. Nine years after the World Trace Center attacks there is basically a big hole in the ground, while they are able to plant height record setting building Asia-Pac in a few years.

Unless local and state agencies are FULLY behind the circuit and the money is there and flowing (unlikely in this economy) I just don't see this happening.

I put Bernie Machiavellian enough that he'd coax someone into a binding contract to build a circuit with so ambitious a schedule that he knows they can't fulfill it just so he can A) use them to pressure other potential US venues (Monticello Motor Club, Indianapolis, etc.), or B) extract a heavy cash penalty from them when they fail to meet the deadline.

The corkscrew.....in an F1 car.....I think I'm going to need a clean up...be right back.

They did have a non-championship F1 race there once.

[What's Burning?]

It's very entertaining to watch GT cars mess up that corkscrew and basically go straight down the side of hill and get back on the race line. Albeit with 30 lbs of gravel, dirt and grass on board.

[Jabberwocky]

Does an F1 car have enough ride height?

[What's Burning?]

With ground effects GT and prototype cars don't have much more ride height but if they hit they'll just damage splitters and skirts not become a ski on track.

[Fred_C_Dobbs]

Does an F1 car have enough ride height?

With ground effects GT and prototype cars don't have much more ride height but if they hit they'll just damage splitters and skirts not become a ski on track.

If the other teams can't figure out how to jack up their suspensions, Adrian Newey can give them a few pointers.

[Fred_C_Dobbs]

Bernie is projecting the new USGP in Austin will be contested in June so it can be adjacent to the customary time frame for the GP du Canada.

A quick trip to Wikipedia tells me the average daily high temperature in Austin in June is 91°F or 33°C. Which gives me to wonder if Bernie plans to shore up low attendance with brisk sales of sunscreen and cold beverages.

After four years with no GP at all, now Bernie is keen on the US having two. He reportedly is still working with the Monticello Motor Club in upstate NY, probably trying to get them to cough up more front money for the project.

[The_Stig_Money]

I put Bernie Machiavellian enough that he'd coax someone into a binding contract to build a circuit with so ambitious a schedule that he knows they can't fulfill it just so he can A) use them to pressure other potential US venues (Monticello Motor Club, Indianapolis, etc.), or B) extract a heavy cash penalty from them when they fail to meet the deadline.

I think Bernie is going with "B", its a great way to bring in money to the FIA.

Red Mc Combs is going to be investing in it.

I live in San Antonio, Tx and he also owns the Spurs, Nuggets, Vikings, and ALOT of car dealerships

[kerc]

I put Bernie Machiavellian enough that he'd coax someone into a binding contract to build a circuit with so ambitious a schedule that he knows they can't fulfill it just so he can A) use them to pressure other potential US venues (Monticello Motor Club, Indianapolis, etc.), or B) extract a heavy cash penalty from them when they fail to meet the deadline.

I think Bernie is going with "B", its a great way to bring in money to the FIA.

Red Mc Combs is going to be investing in it.

I live in San Antonio, Tx and he also owns the Spurs, Nuggets, Vikings, and ALOT of car dealerships

Hey man, another guy from San Antonio here!

[What's Burning?]

I put Bernie Machiavellian enough that he'd coax someone into a binding contract to build a circuit with so ambitious a schedule that he knows they can't fulfill it just so he can A) use them to pressure other potential US venues (Monticello Motor Club, Indianapolis, etc.), or B) extract a heavy cash penalty from them when they fail to meet the deadline.

I think Bernie is going with "B", its a great way to bring in money to the FIA.

Red Mc Combs is going to be investing in it.

I live in San Antonio, Tx and he also owns the Spurs, Nuggets, Vikings, and ALOT of car dealerships

Hey man, another guy from San Antonio here!

Cue the violins!

[Fred_C_Dobbs]

This weekend I watched a TV interview with Tavo Hellmund on Speed TV in the US. Hellmund is the Texas circuit's chief promoter. The only two significant questions were how he planned to succeed financially where other American F1 promoters could not, and how would Austin avoid being another cookie cutter "Tilkedrome."

As to the first, Hellmund said he has a number of activities planned for the circuit apart from F1. It's good he has plans to use the circuit the other 51 weeks of the year but I hope those other pursuits don't prevent him giving F1 its due attention.

As to the other, the interviewer read verbatim from an E-mail submitted by a fan, who'd used term, "Tilkedrome." Hellmund's only defence was to mention the circuit's elevation change, which, granted, will be more than any other F1 circuit. Apart from that, it was all tap dancing.

Anyway, I hope Hellmund is a better promoter than pitch man because I found him rather unconvincing.

[What's Burning?]

Who asked the questions the SPEED hosts? I liked the no sugar coated line of questioning.

[Fred_C_Dobbs]

It was Dave Despain so it must've been on Wind Tunnel.

[Mr.Conte]

Although I'm not too into the American series racing I do like the typically American (I don't mean any disrespect at all by that btw) spectacle they make of their events and if they carry that over into new F1 facilities it would be fantastic. Lewis'll just have to keep a look out for Tex when he's leaving the circuit.

Texas has always been a country unto itself in some ways.
It is part of Americana so to speak.
When they; (Texans) decide to do something, they do it BIG.
Go back in time and remember Jim Hall's Chaparral cars, very innovative designs.
I have been there a number of times and can tell you the people are great and are true Americans.
I will disregard the Lewis comment as anyone of any color can feel safe there.
BTW, you have not lived until you have been present near a 6000 HP blown fuel dragster leaving the starting line.
THAT is something you will never see in Europe for the most part.
Texas is a good venue for the US Grand Prix as you will see.