US Grand Prix- Austin (USA)

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

I have just designed a track layout that Austin can use on that back of a used post-it note.

I will sell the design to them for £200 million.

Its a wonderful track, it uses aspects of Watkins Glen, Zandvoort and the old glorious Österreichring.

Good luck.

[Andy77]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

I have just designed a track layout that Austin can use on that back of a used post-it note.

I will sell the design to them for £200 million.

Its a wonderful track, it uses aspects of Watkins Glen, Zandvoort and the old glorious Österreichring.

One can only hope they don't think of the rebuilt Zandvoort or that they just think of the long straight, tarzanbocht & t2. In case of old glorious Österreich I only can hope they don't think of the chicane or the shortcut to remus corner of younger Zeltweg. And finally I only can hope that they don't think of the crumpled nascar version of Watkins Glen but the esses of old Glen.

[Quintin03]

Originally Posted by Andy77

One can only hope they don't think of the rebuilt Zandvoort or that they just think of the long straight, tarzanbocht & t2. In case of old glorious Österreich I only can hope they don't think of the chicane or the shortcut to remus corner of younger Zeltweg. And finally I only can hope that they don't think of the crumpled nascar version of Watkins Glen but the esses of old Glen.

How else would you expect Bernie to accept a design from anyone else than his big budy?
Oh, NASCAR's version of the Glen is closer to the very first version used by F1 a long time ago. That doesn't matter much but what does it even matter? The Glen hasn't changed much since it's last major extension in the seventies. One temporary chicane hasn't returned yet and another very fast one has been added, that's all.

[Andy77]

Originally Posted by Quintin03

How else would you expect Bernie to accept a design from anyone else than his big budy?
Oh, NASCAR's version of the Glen is closer to the very first version used by F1 a long time ago. That doesn't matter much but what does it even matter? The Glen hasn't changed much since it's last major extension in the seventies. One temporary chicane hasn't returned yet and another very fast one has been added, that's all.

Unfortunately, I expect to see another trunk lorry parking lot instead of a race circuit.

[bjohnsonsmith]

A map of the Glen.

[Flyin Ryan]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

A map of the Glen.

Couple notes on the track.

The Bus Stop Chicane was added in the early '90s after a couple wrecks. The first was Geoff Bodine in a NASCAR race in 1989 blew a tire and lost his brakes about where the chicane is before entering the turn marked "Inner Loop". He flew into the tire barrier and miraculously survived. Video here, crash about 4:30: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbNWk...eature=related Unfortunately, before the chicane was done, there was a similar wreck in 1991 where J.D. McDuffie broke a ball joint flying into the fence, flipped the car over, and he died. (there's a video on that on Youtube as well if you care to find it, but I don't endorse videos watching drivers die).

NASCAR does not use "the Boot". Indycar and Grand-Am though both do.

Other than that, track's not been changed.

[F1 Prospects]

Originally Posted by Spritle

I too am beginning to have my doubts this is going to happen. The points made in this story are EXTREMELY valid:

http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/story/18170.html

Yes I started to become concerned when I learned they hadn't bought the land to build on yet. But as with anything like this we are not privy to what was actually agreed upon so it's hard to make a definitive opinion one way or another.

Like I have said previously, I will wait until the flag is dropped for practice but I hope this works because Austin is a great place. And its not just the manufacturers (most of who have since gone) that wanted to race in the US but a lot of the current sponsors as well.

As far as F1 not being popular in the States, all I can say is that I have been to two Grands Prix at Indy and one at Detroit and most of the Canadian Grands Prix and the enthusiasm shown by the American fans has always been impressive from what I can see. Sometimes I wonder if half the people in the seats at the Canadian GP are American!

[Sodemo]

The Glen is a wonderful track. In fact, the US has some amazing road circuits which would never ever be allowed in F1 because they are "too unsafe"... Road America, Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen, Road Atlanta just to name a few.

[PabloTeK]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

The Glen is a wonderful track. In fact, the US has some amazing road circuits which would never ever be allowed in F1 because they are "too unsafe"... Road America, Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen, Road Atlanta just to name a few.

Actually I'd say the Glen would be much safer than quite a few current F1 tracks, the amount of runoff at turns 6 and 11 is incredible! The Esses and turn 12 could be fun in the wet though, one NASCAR race wrecked in the dry at 12 and blocked the whole pit road and main straight off!

The only reason IMO that Watkins Glen hasn't got the GP is because the area itself is rather small compared to other places and the facilities aren't shiny enough. Saying that we managed to turn up (completely by accident) in Watkins Glen village at the same time as the Sprint Cup and Nationwide circus and we still got around ok. Them massive motorhomes on the back of a Ford F350 tootled around happily too.

EDIT: Road America would be brilliant, there's about 12 miles of runoff ater most of the turns but it is a rather long lap...

[roachy101]

it really is a bit mind boggling to build a new track in Austin. texas is probably the least likely place in the US to be interested in F1. surely they could go somewhere like Laguna or Watkins Glen instead......

[Marbot]

Rumour has it, that the circuit is to be built on the site of an old toaster factory........

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

The Glen is a wonderful track. In fact, the US has some amazing road circuits which would never ever be allowed in F1 because they are "too unsafe"... Road America, Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen, Road Atlanta just to name a few.

I've never been to any of those tracks unfortunately but I've been to Laguna Seca many times; no chance of a GP there.

[Flyin Ryan]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I've never been to any of those tracks unfortunately but I've been to Laguna Seca many times; no chance of a GP there.

Laguna Seca at one point in the '90s thought they had a Grand Prix.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Flyin Ryan

Laguna Seca at one point in the '90s thought they had a Grand Prix.

A GP there would be great but Bernie would ruin it, though ALMS race there quite happily. It's a shame as it's great track and some great races have been held there.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

The Glen is a wonderful track. In fact, the US has some amazing road circuits which would never ever be allowed in F1 because they are "too unsafe"... Road America, Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen, Road Atlanta just to name a few.

we do have an abundance of some awesome and fast natural terrain road courses that are perfect for fendered cars but just not suitable at all for the faster OW cars.

every single purpose built American road course, with the exception of Salt Lake City (and maybe, possibly, but probably not Barber Motorsports Park) are not even close to being safe enough for an F1 race without a tremendous amount of upgrading (per FIA standards anyway). and i'd rather not watch F1 cars drive on the surface of the moon, i mean Salt Lake, either.

and let's not get started on the actual facilities themselves.

[Purist]

It's a perception thing. F1 would run just fine, and perfectly safely, at any of the major US road courses; Bernie just likes dictating terms to people.

If fact, Indy and ALMS cars might actually be more hazardous. Why do I say this? Their cornering and terminal velocities are NOT hugely different than in F1. F1 cars just speed up and slow down much more quickly. However, LMPs, GTs, and Indy Cars weigh quite a bit more, so the energy to be absorbed in an impact with those cars is likely, actually higher than is often the case with F1 cars.

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

we do have an abundance of some awesome and fast natural terrain road courses that are perfect for fendered cars but just not suitable at all for the faster OW cars.

every single purpose built American road course, with the exception of Salt Lake City (and maybe, possibly, but probably not Barber Motorsports Park) are not even close to being safe enough for an F1 race without a tremendous amount of upgrading (per FIA standards anyway). and i'd rather not watch F1 cars drive on the surface of the moon, i mean Salt Lake, either.

and let's not get started on the actual facilities themselves.

Oh, I forgot Sebring!

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Purist

It's a perception thing. F1 would run just fine, and perfectly safely, at any of the major US road courses; Bernie just likes dictating terms to people.

He just like making money out of people.

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by Marbot

At least a certain Jeremy Smith will be pleased.

Autosport has it now.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/83873

I would love this of course, and so would another 200,000 people...

[JeremySmith]

We can do this in Austin...If the chap is really serious and has a bank vault full of gold ingots..By the way it is a stunning place to live..

[JeremySmith]

The overall response is poor to this thread ? come on speak it up!!

[Birddog07]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor...19290455_x.htm

To be developed by Tilke.

Well atleast Abu Dhabi is a pretty good track I think, apart from the silly pit exit, should have have a bridge, or just a normal exit at turn 1. Silverstone arena section isn't bad either. I always enjoy Maylasia.

That is about it though.

[fieldodreams79]

if this is accomplished, we will have a new "world class" road course in the states and a long term commitment of a USGP in a town i've always wanted to go to. i can see myself heading West in the near future.

i really hope this purpose built track will have a little more "character" than the other new tracks.

[Dutton]

What is the Austin area topography? Is there any hope of having a layout, at least to some extent, dictated by the landscape? If it is all flat, then I can only assume we are going to get a tremendously uninspiring tarmac-fest.

[Tall Chris]

Whilst we all bemoan another Tilke track, the vast majority of the time and expense of a new track is ironically not the track itself. From access roads to grandstands to hospitality suites via car park space sizes to the number of permanent food vendors there's a hell of a lot to do apart from the design of the track itself.
We all think we could do better than the Tilke Group circuit wise, but we just might not know how many toilets etc, a crowd of 100,000 people need