OT: Formula 1 in New Jersey announcement, 2 PM!

[rice rocket]

http://stream.speedtv.com/breaking-news

[AngryScientist]

cant see it at work, cliff notes?

[ergott]

Omfg

[echappist]

weehawken and WNY will host F1 race in 2013. Bill to be footed entirely by private entities.

[zap]

Hmmmm, Austin next year then NJ in '13.

I wonder if Austin is having problems attracting private monies to complete the track. Might explain why Ernie signed a '13 Jersey deal.

[oliver1850]

What's the status of construction in Austin? Last pic I saw didn't show much progess, at least relative to a 2012 race date.

I thought the Austin promoters have a 10 year contract. Does today's announcement mean 2 US GPs, like the good old days?

[rice rocket]

They showed some shots during the broadcast of the progress in Austin. They're still moving dirt around.

[zap]

Not much info other than work started again earlier this month.

http://circuitoftheamericas.com/

[rounder]

I do not know anything about Formula I in NJ, but they held the Baltimore Grand Prix around Baltimore Harbor a few weeks ago. They estimated that there were 200+ thousand people ther over the weekend. They raced the Le Mans cars on Saturday and Indy cars on Sunday. The cars and sounds were insane.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkA2Ve7EHI4

and also...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL22IYfR_RM

[fiamme red]

I ride these roads regularly, and I can't imagine a Formula One race held there, especially on Boulevard East, next to residential buildings.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/06/formula_1_champ_races_through.html

The course, running through both Weehawken and West New York, includes stretches of River Road past the Port Imperial ferry terminal, where the race garage and pit area are now under construction, and part of Boulevard East atop the Palisades.

The roads haven’t been properly surfaced yet for F1 race speeds of more than 200 mph, and the two drivers barely broke 80 mph. Still, Vettel and Coulthard left plenty of rubber on the pavement, entertaining race fans who got wind of the event via Formula One blogs.

Noting its waterfront setting, varied elevation, and steep, winding city streets, Vettel likened the New Jersey course to the famous Circuit de Monaco, home to Formula One’s most storied grand prix.

[binxnyrwarrsoul]

omfg

+1!!

[rice rocket]

I ride these roads regularly, and I can't imagine a Formula One race held there, especially on Boulevard East, next to residential buildings.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/06/formula_1_champ_races_through.html

That's what makes it awesome.

[goonster]

Almost every place, New Jersey included, is a more sensible location for an F1 race than Monte Carlo.

[dd74]

Austin is supposed to happen this November, at least according to the Speed Channel.

Long Beach makes a fortune off its GP each year, so I think N.J. is possible. Long Beach, in fact, used to host F1.

Of course, much depends on Ecclestone, the grand poobah of F1.

[handsomerob]

Almost every place, New Jersey included, is a more sensible location for an F1 race than Monte Carlo.

Well, I see your point... But if I could only go to one, it would be Monaco.

[handsomerob]

I ride these roads regularly, and I can't imagine a Formula One race held there, especially on Boulevard East, next to residential buildings.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/06/formula_1_champ_races_through.html

They could afford to make the roads right... Hell, they just about turned night into day in Singapore.

[Jaq]

Omfg

If it's in Jersey, wouldn't it be AMFGNFNBDIGBSFRKWIS?

As in "Ah mah f----n' gawd. Naht fer nutin' but dis is gonna be sum f----n' race, know wha' I'm sayin'?"

[fiamme red]

Race was postponed to 2014, but looks unlikely next year too:

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/11/on-formula-ones-non-calendar-new-jersey-is-nowhere-to-be-seen/?hpw

[cfox]

oh, well. As this season seems over already, I'm already looking forward to turbos next year. These V8's have become too reliable/interchangeable. We need some exploding French turbos to liven things up (I don't want anyone hurt, of course).

[MattTuck]

I hope no one has an itchy arm.

[Charles M]

They could afford to make the roads right... Hell, they just about turned night into day in Singapore.


Of course it can be done, but the price tag is pretty simply insane. I honestly don't know if the public will support spending the cash to try and prop up weehawken as the next Monaco...

[rice rocket]

Of course it can be done, but the price tag is pretty simply insane. I honestly don't know if the public will support spending the cash to try and prop up weehawken as the next Monaco...

Exactly. The "they" handsomerob is referring to is nobody in Formula1. "They" is your local municipality and taxpayers. In Singapore, the local government made the improvements so that the race could happen.

All F1 does is run the show, charge 10s of millions of dollars to tracks (or Weehawken in this case), and sell TV rights. The money is made back through tickets and money from tourism, which may or may not balance in the end.

[Charles M]

It's not balanced for Singapor or China or Germany (Nurberg) or Turkey or Indi or Korea... It's a big loser for Bahrain but they don't want to lose "face". Russia will probably pull it off because a few people want to have a platform to pose from...

It works at some of the classic venues that have properly developed around the event, but the rest is down to a circle jerk of billionaires trying to one up each other (which explains Texas landing it, though they knocked the ball out of the park with the track dev)...

I'm a BIG fan of the racing and technology, but the ego parade that goes with selling it to hosts is a joke.

But I'd rather the joke go on because it's part of what allow the teams to create the insanity on 4 wheels that are the cars...