Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Montreal, Niagara Falls, New York City: F1 looks to return to North America]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/17/montreal-niagara-falls-new-york-city-f1-looks-to-return-to-no/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/17/montreal-niagara-falls-new-york-city-f1-looks-to-return-to-no/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/17/montreal-niagara-falls-new-york-city-f1-looks-to-return-to-no/#commentsFiled under:



Since the Canadian Grand Prix was canceled for this season, Formula One has been entirely absent from North America. But participating automakers, investors and organizers alike know that the North American market is vital and can't be overlooked, and to that end several new developments are said to be underway to bring F1 back over to the western shores of the Atlantic.

First up, and probably the most straightforward, would be the reinstatement of the Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. The event was long a mainstay of the F1 calendar and a prominent event both for locals and for racing fans from across Canada and the United States. Quebec provincial government minister Raymond Bachand confirmed in a recent radio interview that the local governments are motivated to bring the race back to Montreal, and that talks are ongoing with Bernie Ecclestone. A five-year deal at a more reasonable rate than what Ecclestone previously demanded is what local governments are seeking.

Meanwhile, reports are surfacing of several new circuits being built up the St. Lawrence River near Niagara Falls, Ontario. With the backing of Jeff Gordon and others, Kuwaiti investment firm Bayt Al Mal is reportedly building a new $200 million motorsports park in Niagara to include a one-mile oval track for NASCAR races and a 2.5-mile road course that could attract the Canadian Grand Prix to the site. The facility being built boasts seating capacity for 100,000, plus hotels and other accommodations on a 623 acre site. Several other projects are also reportedly under way in the region, close to upstate New York and not far from Detroit, including a 3.5-mile road course for the IRL.

Enough about Canada, what about the United States, you ask? Ecclestone's latest tirade precludes a return to Indy, while in his view none of the hundreds of existing race tracks in the United States would be suitable. Following his previous indications that a new track could be made near Las Vegas, Bernie's now suggesting that only New York would make a viable location for Formula One to return to the U.S. We wonder, meanwhile, what he'll come up with next.

[Sources: F1-Live and GrandPrix.com | Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons]

Montreal, Niagara Falls, New York City: F1 looks to return to North America originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canadian grand prixcanadian grand prix niagara fallsCanadianGrandPrixCanadianGrandPrixNiagaraFallscircuit gilles villeneuveCircuitGillesVilleneuvef1f1 nyf1 ontarioF1NyF1Ontarioformula 1formula oneFormula1FormulaOnegrand prixGrandPrixmontrealnew yorknew york cityNewYorkNewYorkCityniagara fallsNiagaraFallsontarioquebecunited states grand prixUnitedStatesGrandPrixusgpFri, 17 Apr 2009 09:32:00 EST<![CDATA[F1 teams push for return of the US Grand Prix for 2010]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/11/f1-teams-push-for-return-of-the-us-grand-prix-for-2010/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/11/f1-teams-push-for-return-of-the-us-grand-prix-for-2010/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/11/f1-teams-push-for-return-of-the-us-grand-prix-for-2010/#commentsFiled under:


Indianapolis Motor Speedway

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]

F1 teams push for return of the US Grand Prix for 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Sep 2008 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>american gpamerican grand prixAmericanGpAmericanGrandPrixf1formula 1formula 1 united statesformula 1 usformula oneformula one americaFormula1Formula1UnitedStatesFormula1UsFormulaOneFormulaOneAmericaunited states gpunited states grand prixUnitedStatesGpUnitedStatesGrandPrixus gpus grand prixUsGpUsGrandPrixThu, 11 Sep 2008 08:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Indy seeks return of U.S. Grand Prix for 2009]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/19/indy-seeks-return-of-u-s-grand-prix-for-2009/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/19/indy-seeks-return-of-u-s-grand-prix-for-2009/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/19/indy-seeks-return-of-u-s-grand-prix-for-2009/#commentsFiled under: , ,

American fans of Formula One, take heart: Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Tony George is pushing to bring the U.S. Grand Prix back to Indy for 2009.

The race was taken off the calendar after George and F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone failed to come to a financial agreement, but while other sites have been touted as alternative venues for the American round of grand prix racing, the speedway remains the only one ready to host without the need for any further modifications. All George needs at this point is the cash, and he's enlisted the services of local marcom firm Just Marketing to find a title sponsor for the race that would help raise the funds to secure the event for next year's calendar.

[Source: GrandPrix.com]

Indy seeks return of U.S. Grand Prix for 2009 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Mar 2008 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>indianapolis formula oneindianapolis motor speedwayIndianapolisFormulaOneIndianapolisMotorSpeedwaytony george f1TonyGeorgeF1united states grand prixUnitedStatesGrandPrixusgpWed, 19 Mar 2008 18:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Autoblog Podcast #71]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/18/autoblog-podcast-71/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/18/autoblog-podcast-71/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/18/autoblog-podcast-71/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

We're shooting from the hip this week for Podcast #71. Rather than prepare, we're going with gut reactions. Starting it off, we mull over the loss of the USGP from Indianapolis, and postulate on where else F1 may pop up in the US. An F1 race on the Vegas strip would be the bomb. Staying with motorsports, we marvel at how Team SARD spanked everyone extremely hard at Tokachi with a hybridized Supra GT. We're sure that racing will improve the hybrid breed at a much steeper pace than conventional powerplants. In other racing news, Dale Junior has split from Budweiser, so he'll have new livery to plaster all over his left-turn machine.

Moving on from racing, we ponder the leakage and eventual announcement of the Porsche 911 GT2. It's as unassuming as a Porsche can get, but it packs 530 horsepower and uses the rear wheels to push top speed to the 200 MPH realm, while being a docile everyday car. While Porsches always make us giddy little schoolboys, Subaru's recent model line revisions have us alternating between cheers and jeers. The good: the Legacy SUS, or whatever the heck they call their Outback sedan is kaput. The bad: so is the straight Legacy wagon. We devolve into a styling review of Subaru's new corporate language for a while before surfacing again to discuss the inanity surrounding presidential candidates and hybrid vehicles. Idiocy, 'nuff said.

On a lighter note, we discuss the rumored sequel to Disney/Pixar's "Cars." Not surprising when you consider how lucrative the tie-ins usually are. Off entertainment and on to entertaining cars, we ogle the leaked pictures of the FPV Falcon, and discuss the future plans of that platform here in the US. It does look mean, so thanks to that janitor who picked these renderings out of the trash. Our pithy cavalcade keeps rolling along, and we chew over Bob Lutz's latest comments about the future of diesel powerplants in the US. It's odd that Bob is cool on diesel just as GM is poised to roll out new oil-burners. Wrapping up, we put out the call to action again for the Reader Ride - add your pix to the Flickr pool and include details! The hour duration of Podcast #71 will give you enjoyment to and from work, enjoy!

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Autoblog Podcast #71 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Jul 2007 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autoblog podcastAutoblogPodcastbudweisercandidateclintondale juniorDaleJuniordisneyearnhardtescapefalconfpvgt2hybridindianapolisindylegacymotogpobamaorionoutbackphotospixarpodcastporschepresidentsardsequelspy shotsSpyShotssubarutokachiusgpWed, 18 Jul 2007 15:20:00 ESTAutoblog Podcast #71Dan Roth55:11autoblog podcast, podcast, sard, toyota, supra, indy, indianapolis, usgp, motogp, lutz, diesel, gm, falcon, orion, australia, spy shots, subaru, styling, legacy, outback, earnhardt, nascar, budweiser, disney, sequel, pixar, cars, candidate, hybrid, obama<![CDATA[Indianapolis loses F1, gains MotoGP in 2008!]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/16/indianapolis-loses-f1-gains-motogp-in-2008/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/16/indianapolis-loses-f1-gains-motogp-in-2008/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/16/indianapolis-loses-f1-gains-motogp-in-2008/#commentsFiled under:



By now most have heard that F1 will not hold a race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2008, meaning that the fate of F1 in the U.S. is in question. Don't shed a tear for Indy, though, as it's just been announced that MotoGP will bring the new Red Bull indianapolis GP to the Brickyard on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2008. Incredibly, this will be the first time in almost 100 years that motorcycles have raced at Indy. The last time was August 14th, 1909, according to Indy.

For the event, Indy is constructing a new 16-turn, 2.601-mile motorcycle road course on which riders will travel counter-clockwise, which is rare for a road course event at Indy. The event organizers promise lots of passing and side-by-side racing, as well. Like any big motorsport event, the Red Bull Indianapolis GP will be a three-day affair with supporting races and qualifying that begin on Friday, Sept. 12, 2008.

Together with the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix that's held at Laguna Seca, MotoGP now hosts two big races in the U.S. The current defending champion, Nicky Hayden, is also from the U.S., Owensboro, KY to be specific, so MotoGP's arrival at Indy is both appropriate for the motorsport and extremely exciting. While losing F1's USGP was a hit to Indianapolis, the storied track has recovered nicely with the announcement of MotoGP's pending arrival, and we'll be eager to see how it goes.

Thanks for the tip, Thor!

[Source: IndianapolisMotorSpeedway.com]

Indianapolis loses F1, gains MotoGP in 2008! originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It looks like there won't be any United States Grand Prix (USGP) next year, at least not at Indy. According to all of the reports we've read, the 2008 Formula One schedule won't have a slot for a United States Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. After eight years of races at the Speedway, the FIA and Tony George apparently couldn't reach an agreement for future GPs at Indy. It seems F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone made some less-than-flattering comments about the event following the June race this year, and July 12 was the deadline IMS had set for a decision on future races. The two parties had been on a one-year extension of the prior contract, but it looks like there will be no extension this time around. There is still some remote hope that an agreement could come in the future, but even if Indy fails to secure a new race, Vegas and New York have been mentioned as possible future USGP locations. No info on those developments has surfaced yet.

Thanks for the numerous tips, everybody!

[Source: Autoweek]

USGP may be cancelled in 2008: F1 not coming back to Indy originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Jul 2007 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>expire-images:2008-7-11F1Formula 1Formula OneFormula1FormulaOneIndianapolisUSGPThu, 12 Jul 2007 14:29:00 EST<![CDATA[US Grand Prix could go into reverse]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/09/us-grand-prix-could-go-into-reverse/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/09/us-grand-prix-could-go-into-reverse/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/09/us-grand-prix-could-go-into-reverse/#commentsFiled under:



If the US Grand Prix remains at Indianapolis beyond 2007, which is by no means a foregone conclusion, it could switch to running counter-clockwise, the way IndyCars do. That's because Indy is trying to get a MotoGP race and having the bikes run clockwise through the banked turn 1 (turn 13 when running the road course) could prove to be too dangerous when accelerating out of the turn onto the front straight.

The banked turn has always been controversial even for F1 cars because no other modern day F1 track has a similar type of corner, and the cars and their tires aren't really designed for the stresses they face there. After six years of running at Indy you would think that teams and tire makers would have learned and compensated by now, but apparently they prefer to whine about it, then address the problem in their designs.

[Source: SpeedTV]

US Grand Prix could go into reverse originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Mar 2007 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>IndianapolisIndyUnited States Grand PrixUnitedStatesGrandPrixUSGPFri, 09 Mar 2007 15:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Good Ol' Boys Grand Prix? Alabama site interested in F1]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/14/good-ol-boys-grand-prix-alabama-site-interested-in-f1/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/14/good-ol-boys-grand-prix-alabama-site-interested-in-f1/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/14/good-ol-boys-grand-prix-alabama-site-interested-in-f1/#commentsFiled under:



Alabama's deep-south image may to some seem better suited to NASCAR moonshine-runnin' than the globe-trotting, jet-setting world of Formula 1, but a new motorsport complex in the southern state is keen to change that.

Alabama Motorsports Park is a $350 million project to be built in Mobile on the Gulf coast and will feature four tracks: a road course, a drag strip, a high-speed oval and a dirt track, giving it the ability to host numerous races for a variety of series around the year.

The project's investors expressed initial interest in hosting a second US Grand Prix, alongside the race currently held in Indianapolis. Given the elimination of Italy's and Germany's second races, this seems like an unlikely scheduling move for F1. The Alabama site is not set to be completed before 2009, though, and if the race continues to fail as it has at Indy, it may be up for grabs.

The last time the United States hosted two grands prix in one season was in 1984 in Detroit and Dallas.

[Source: F1i and the Mobile Press-Register]

Good Ol' Boys Grand Prix? Alabama site interested in F1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Sep 2006 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alabamaconfederatedixief1formula 1Formula1grand prixGrandPrixindianapolismotorsportracingsouthunited statesUnitedStatesusgpThu, 14 Sep 2006 17:35:00 EST<![CDATA[2007 U.S. Grand Prix gets the green flag]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/17/2007-u-s-grand-prix-gets-the-green-flag/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/17/2007-u-s-grand-prix-gets-the-green-flag/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/17/2007-u-s-grand-prix-gets-the-green-flag/#commentsFiled under:

Formula 1 is returning to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2007. A one-year extension to the current deal with Formula One Management was signed Thursday by the Speedway's CEO, Tony George (shown at this year's GP at right).

The current contract between the Speedway and Bernie Ecclestone's FOM expired in July after this year's race, and George chose to cut a one year extension to the deal rather than negotiate a longer-term contract, saying that he wanted to wait and see how the sport developed after the expiration of the current Concorde Agreement at the end of 2007. There is no doubt that there will be big changes to the sport in 2008, and it's not surprising that George has adopted a wait-and-see attitude. George took pains to point out that he fully expects to be with Formula 1 for the long term, which makes sense given the enormous investment he made in modifying the track to accomodate the USGP.

Speedway president Joie Chitwood made clear the track's long-term interest saying, "Though this contract is for only one year, it is still our goal to make the Speedway the longtime home of the United States Grand Prix."

An interesting fact: The Indianapolis Star reports that of the three races at the Brickyard (the Indy 500, the NASCAR Allstate 400, and the USGP), the GP has the biggest impact on the local economy, because a larger percentage of F1 fans come from out of town (and spend more), and because the F1 circus itself is a high-rolling group. The total value of the GP to the economy is estimated to be more than $100 million.

The 2007 USGP is scheduled for June 17. Ticket information will be announced soon.

[Sources: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, The Indianapolis Star]

2007 U.S. Grand Prix gets the green flag originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Aug 2006 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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