BMW-F1-Fan
New Member
Please sign the petition if you want the USGP back.
http://gopetition.com/petitions/united-states-grand-prix-2009.html
http://gopetition.com/petitions/united-states-grand-prix-2009.html
2009 USGP Petition
- Thread starter BMW-F1-Fan
- Start date
Multiple choice:
a) Tony George and Bernie E. are such egoists, they will never "reach an agreement" ...
b) Tony George is unwilling to pay the shakedown fee to bring F1 back to Indy
c) US autoracing as a whole is so fragmented they cannot even keep most series going for more than a 10 year run before stiffing their creditors through bankruptcy
d) Even the financial leaders of third world countries are investing HUGE dollars into consolodated motorsports production and sponsorship
e) all of the above
a) Tony George and Bernie E. are such egoists, they will never "reach an agreement" ...
b) Tony George is unwilling to pay the shakedown fee to bring F1 back to Indy
c) US autoracing as a whole is so fragmented they cannot even keep most series going for more than a 10 year run before stiffing their creditors through bankruptcy
d) Even the financial leaders of third world countries are investing HUGE dollars into consolodated motorsports production and sponsorship
e) all of the above
US Grand Prix
After having gone to Indy for F1 for the past 3 years, we were "forced" to
go to Montreal this year. Although the tickets were almost twice as much and the hotels much more expensive than Indy, Montreal is arguably the best city in North America. I would like to see F1 back in the US (but not Vegas) but logistically it would have to be close to the Canadian GP in time and having gone to Montreal I would not go back to Indy (my budget can only afford one GP event per year).
Montreal - great food, great city, great course (better than Indy) and great crowd. Of course the 1-2 BMW finish didn't hurt (thanks Lewis - he probably would have won).
Just my 0.02 - the folks at Indy are the nicest on the planet and they go out of their way to be accomodating.
After having gone to Indy for F1 for the past 3 years, we were "forced" to
go to Montreal this year. Although the tickets were almost twice as much and the hotels much more expensive than Indy, Montreal is arguably the best city in North America. I would like to see F1 back in the US (but not Vegas) but logistically it would have to be close to the Canadian GP in time and having gone to Montreal I would not go back to Indy (my budget can only afford one GP event per year).
Montreal - great food, great city, great course (better than Indy) and great crowd. Of course the 1-2 BMW finish didn't hurt (thanks Lewis - he probably would have won).
Just my 0.02 - the folks at Indy are the nicest on the planet and they go out of their way to be accomodating.
Its a shame the USGP cannot be held in a venue like the City streets of San Francisco...easily the most-recognized and attractive tourist spot to the rest of the world, and let's face it killer potentials for the course, picturesque settings, and reasonable access from anywhere in the Bay Area. Could be a real jewel in the schedule.
Unfortunately, it's a lot less likely to happen with this boob "running things"
[Broken External Image]:http://www.politickerca.com/files/politickerca/images/NewsomGavin1.jpg
than even when they tried before with this guy brokering the big money local interests
[Broken External Image]:http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/columnists/oldschoolblues/blog/willie brown BROWN.jpg
Unfortunately, it's a lot less likely to happen with this boob "running things"
[Broken External Image]:http://www.politickerca.com/files/politickerca/images/NewsomGavin1.jpg
than even when they tried before with this guy brokering the big money local interests
[Broken External Image]:http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/columnists/oldschoolblues/blog/willie brown BROWN.jpg
pj
Well-Known Member
Why not Laguna Seca or Infinion,I know sound would be an issue at Laguna but the dollars the event would bring in should take care of that.
YBNormal
Active Member
No Street Circuits
Infineon or Laguna are both good choices, but I hope they do not consider a street circuit. As at Monaco, too little chance for passing and lousy visibility with the concrete barriers and buildings. Another good choice is Road America, though I don't know about spectator potential in that area.
Laguna Seca was lengthened in 1985 to 2.2 miles for the purpose of hosting an F1 race. But that never materialized when Bernie kept raising the ante, and we are stuck with the track in it's present form. Many, inlucing myself, prefer the original 1.9 mile layout, with the fast left hander just before the hill up to the cork screw. It was one of the best places ever to watch a road race as the hot shoes took it flat out. But that became risky business as ground effects got more sophisticated and cornering speeds went up. I especially don't like slow hairpin turns, at Laguna Seca or any other course, too much chance for meaningless contact when there's a large field.
Infineon or Laguna are both good choices, but I hope they do not consider a street circuit. As at Monaco, too little chance for passing and lousy visibility with the concrete barriers and buildings. Another good choice is Road America, though I don't know about spectator potential in that area.
Laguna Seca was lengthened in 1985 to 2.2 miles for the purpose of hosting an F1 race. But that never materialized when Bernie kept raising the ante, and we are stuck with the track in it's present form. Many, inlucing myself, prefer the original 1.9 mile layout, with the fast left hander just before the hill up to the cork screw. It was one of the best places ever to watch a road race as the hot shoes took it flat out. But that became risky business as ground effects got more sophisticated and cornering speeds went up. I especially don't like slow hairpin turns, at Laguna Seca or any other course, too much chance for meaningless contact when there's a large field.
duane_sword
Well-Known Member
I am a major F1 fan, having attended 34 GPs at 10 circuits, eager to get to the Japanese GP and to Imola for the San Marino GP.
9 x Australian GP at Adelaide
6 x Australian GP at Melbourne
6 x Canadian GP at Montreal
5 x US GP at Indy
2 x British GP at Brands Hatch
2 x European GP at Nuremberg
1 x Italian GP at Imola
1 x French GP at Magny Cours
1 x Belgian GP at Spa
and the jewel in my F1 crown 1 x Monaco GP in Monte Carlo
I agree that Laguna Seca would be a blast, but could be a bit of a parade for the F1s, how about Road Atlanta?... I am not much of a CART/INDY fan but when I see them running at Road Atlanta or any of the SCCA racing I am keen to watch given it is such an impressive circuit.
I signed the petition, keen to get the GP back in the USA, but would be a lot more eager to see a race where there are some decent support activites... how about ALMS, or CART, or Star Mazda... I know that egos get knocked when they are a 'support' race but come on we need to see better on track activity than doctors and attorneys running about in Ferraris and Porsches.
9 x Australian GP at Adelaide
6 x Australian GP at Melbourne
6 x Canadian GP at Montreal
5 x US GP at Indy
2 x British GP at Brands Hatch
2 x European GP at Nuremberg
1 x Italian GP at Imola
1 x French GP at Magny Cours
1 x Belgian GP at Spa
and the jewel in my F1 crown 1 x Monaco GP in Monte Carlo
I agree that Laguna Seca would be a blast, but could be a bit of a parade for the F1s, how about Road Atlanta?... I am not much of a CART/INDY fan but when I see them running at Road Atlanta or any of the SCCA racing I am keen to watch given it is such an impressive circuit.
I signed the petition, keen to get the GP back in the USA, but would be a lot more eager to see a race where there are some decent support activites... how about ALMS, or CART, or Star Mazda... I know that egos get knocked when they are a 'support' race but come on we need to see better on track activity than doctors and attorneys running about in Ferraris and Porsches.
duane_sword said:
Bingo, and that's the rub from my perspective, organizers here just do not have the saavy to put together a "total package" the way the yank general market perspective "expects." I am all for club-ish racing, too, but lets face it there is NOT ONE track in the US that is engineered for the kind of racing at the elite F1 level that F1 fans stateside expect. I mean, a critique against a road circuit is "no passing"?? Get real, there is precious little passing in ANY F1 venue today, the cars have outstripped the current track opportunities. Even the brand new places in Japan or Turkey or Malaysia or China afford little opportunity for the kind of action most old farts remember and long for. That kind of driving is just not modern, not to slight modern F1 (really) or disparage the good old days, its just not the way it is anymore. At least a street venue in the states, like San Francisco would/could/might capture interest stateside that open wheel has lost over the past 20 years to bubba and the bootleggers.
As to the old Laguna hairpins and junk...no one liked them when they were new, and the only time I have ever seen cars three abreast at that track in the last 20 years was coming into the andretti hairpin (and an historic event at that....three CSLs!) Still, when people started flying off of that fast left hander in the 80's, it was ugly...and the people at Scramp even then were "just this close" to venerating wildlife and noise limits even then. Cars crashing at car racing events? Perish the thought. Even if they coughed up the money, we'll never see F1 at Monterey. THAT venue will be NASCAR (just like Sears Point) before it will be F1.
I dunno what the solution is, with all the difficulty w/broadcast rights I don't even bother to pay attention to F1 any more. The last time I was able to regularly watch F1 broadcast was 5 years ago when I was working in the UK. Never have even that in the States! Heck, even historic is out of reach for an old fat guy like me, and I already have two good vintage cars! :roll:
F1 at Laguna....unlikely.
My younger brother had the pleasure of "crewing' for the Toyota F1 team a couple years back when they came to Laguna for a demonstration & lap record attempt.
From what the techs and drivers told him was that Laguna is much to 'bumpy' for the current F1 cars, the Toyota F1 car was getting threashed doing demo laps and the driver could only go at 75% capability.
From what I hear, the Miller Motorsport Park in Salt Lake City is a real gem with all the facilities and track to support a 'big circus'..........only problem is...its in Utah :shock:
I think Infineon/Sears Point could work, great & classic track with lots of elevation change, good spectating vantage points (Turn 2 & 7 are great), and great views of the srrounding area.
I do hope F1 returns to the US, with BMW becoming more of a contender and the US being their largest market, who knows what might happen in a few years.......
oh well...just some arm chair racer's babble on a mellow Sunday afternoon...BTW who won Le Mans !?
Happy Father's Day fellow Coupers
-shanon
My younger brother had the pleasure of "crewing' for the Toyota F1 team a couple years back when they came to Laguna for a demonstration & lap record attempt.
From what the techs and drivers told him was that Laguna is much to 'bumpy' for the current F1 cars, the Toyota F1 car was getting threashed doing demo laps and the driver could only go at 75% capability.
From what I hear, the Miller Motorsport Park in Salt Lake City is a real gem with all the facilities and track to support a 'big circus'..........only problem is...its in Utah :shock:
I think Infineon/Sears Point could work, great & classic track with lots of elevation change, good spectating vantage points (Turn 2 & 7 are great), and great views of the srrounding area.
I do hope F1 returns to the US, with BMW becoming more of a contender and the US being their largest market, who knows what might happen in a few years.......
oh well...just some arm chair racer's babble on a mellow Sunday afternoon...BTW who won Le Mans !?
Happy Father's Day fellow Coupers
-shanon