F1 teams push for return of the US Grand Prix for 2010
While most races feature a checkered flag at the end, the United States Grand Prix has had a checkered past. It was first ran in Savannah, Georgia in 1908 as the American Grand Prize and was held with few exceptions through 1917 before switching to Milwaukee and then California. The event then disappeared from motor racing from 1917 all the way through 1957 and reappeared at Riverside in '58, switching venues a few more times before landing at Watkins Glen through 1975. Dallas, Detroit and Phoenix held the race from 1984 to 1991 before it disappeared into obscurity (again) and was then revived at a modified Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2000 where it was held until it got cancelled again this year. It's too late to get the U.S. Grand Prix back on the F1 schedule for the 2009 season, but some are pushing for its return in 2010. Surprisingly, however, it isn't race organizers who are most interested. It's the teams.
With an eye towards the American market, which is vital for many of automakers like Toyota, Honda, BMW and Mercedes that power and own the half the teams on the grid, team owners have been encouraging F1 organizer Bernie Ecclestone to broker a deal to bring the Formula One circus back to American shores. Although Indianapolis Motor Speedway executives say their circuit is still an ideal location, Ecclestone is reportedly keen on setting up a race in Las Vegas. The teams and their sponsors, however, favor a race on either the East or West coast of the United States. One thing they can all agree on, however, is that heading back to the U.S. is vital for the sport and for its participants.
[Source: Autosport]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Allan 8:35AM (9/11/2008)
YES PLEASE!!
Watkins Glen FTW! Then I can just have a 20 min drive to go see an F1 race! I would totally be camping that weekend.
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beamer96 9:55AM (9/12/2008)
another vote for THE GLEN, i'm an hour away FTW, but i don't think they have the 15 million or whatever there BILL$$ is for showing up....it would be great though, love the IRL on that circut, flying up the hill onto the back straight at 185ish.
LBuzzer 8:48AM (9/11/2008)
Not at Indy - please!!!
I would love to see F1 @ Elkhart Lake, but I doubt they could find the money necessary to update the track to the hyper-elevated F1 standards.
And no parking lot tracks in Vegas either!!
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John Johnson 8:38AM (9/11/2008)
If it's on the east coast, I'll buy my ticket right now.
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shift_z 8:40AM (9/11/2008)
This may be the best news all day... US-based F1 fans are craving it....
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Brill 8:41AM (9/11/2008)
i went to the race at indy for the last 4 years it was held. i loved the race, though the tire thing sucked. They really do know how to host an event like this, i dont think that they'll get it back sadly, and i know not everyone probably see's it as i do. i think the Moto GP is there this weekend, hopefully they can get some other kinds of road racing there if F1 doesnt return.
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Lou 8:58AM (9/11/2008)
I attended F1 @Indy from 2000 thru 2004. I enjoyed it although I know it was not much of a course. Too bad I will not be able to make the Moto GP event. I have seen Moto GP @ Laguna, but @ Indy, the bikes will be able to stretch their legs...200mph plus on the straight! I hope a real natural terrain road course will eventually be able to host F1 stateside again. In the meantime, I have Moto GP!
inteller 8:42AM (9/11/2008)
Last time I checked, Indiana wasn't on the east or west coast....unless your definition of America is from the 1700s then Indiana might qualify as the west coast of the Mississippi River.
Las Vegas works for me. But the track there is rubbish.....er um horseraddish :) I say have it in Portland.
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Vexorg 1:05PM (9/11/2008)
If there was going to be an F1 race in Las Vegas, it would undoubtedly be run on a temporary street circuit. They actually did a Champ Car race in downtown Las Vegas last year on a temporary road course, although from what I saw the circuit didn't look all that interesting.
Personally, I'd like to see a race at Laguna Seca myself...
Pete 8:43AM (9/11/2008)
Went to the last US F1 race at Indy in 2007, and this year I went to Montreal...the drive isn't that terrible...
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Ryan 9:11AM (9/11/2008)
This could be the best news of the day. These are the people that we really want pushing for a return of the US Grand Prix. The venue doesn't matter to me... just bring it back and keep it alive and eventually I'll be able to make it to an F1 Grand Prix.
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PauloBecker 9:15AM (9/11/2008)
"One thing they can all agree on, however, is that heading back to the U.S. is vital for the sport and for its participants's wallets."
There, fixed that for you.
Jokes aside, I would love to see the return of a U.S. Grand Prix. Not sure if enough Americans care much about F1 though.
But then again, the U.S. is so big and its economy so powerful that there's always enough room for one more motorsport.
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RetardedSparks 9:18AM (9/11/2008)
In a related story, the FIA has already posted the results for the 2010 USGP:
1) Ferrarri
2) .......
3) .......
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John Johnson 9:25AM (9/11/2008)
This one got my +1
beaz 9:24AM (9/11/2008)
Vegas would be rad, but honestly, Indy is the only place with the facilities to handle this. Any other track/street-course would require a HUGE investment to bring the place up to F1 luxury and FIA safety standards.
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Analog Kid 10:42AM (9/11/2008)
I agree with the Watkins Glen comment, it's a great track. However, the F1 dictatorship would likely want to be closer to a big metro area.
Charlotte (maybe Daytona) are part of larger metro areas. But the fan base would be more oriented to NASCAR. Imagine the F1 cars at Dover though! Talk about a circus.
What about resurrecting the old CART road course at the Meadowlands?
- Right in the tri-state area (which is a target area for these manufacturers)
- all the parking, access and facilities the F1 crowd needs.
- Great international scene and nightlife across the river
- Daily flights to Europe and Asia from two major airports and plenty of nearby hotels. Ticket sales would be less dependent on US fans.
- It was a slow course but the racing was tight.
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John 9:30AM (9/11/2008)
It was in Long Beach in 1997.
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shyamg22 9:34AM (9/11/2008)
manhattan street course please!
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kanye001 8:29PM (9/11/2008)
That's what I've been saying.
Of course one near the water would be good or even on near where the towers were. (some good construction on the roads would be a must too)
Brett 9:37AM (9/11/2008)
Bring it to the best track in North America- Elkhart lake
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