please log in to view this image Today the circuit formerly known as the A1-Ring reopens. Now formally known as the Red Bull Ring its owners are throwing a two-day bash to celebrate its refurbishment. It has passed F1 homologation and Bernie Ecclestone, visiting yesterday, said he likes it: Eager to get the circuit back on the F1 calendar? Maybe not but then Bernie's not going give any quarter to a circuit owner by gushing with enthusiasm. Circuit owner Dietrich Mateschitz is playing it equally coy, saying he thinks the chances of hosting an F1 race are limited: As former world champion and fellow Austrian Niki Lauda said: A long time or a lot of money and some serious negotiating. The other factor is the F1 teams' desire to increase the number of European races on the calendar. Hmm... The first event at the circuit will be the DTM race on 2-4 June. I enjoyed races at the A1-ring. It wasn't the circuit's fault that Ferrari domination rendered some events boring (and others unpalatable). I'd love to see it return at the expense of a Persian Gulf or Iberian event. I'd especially like to see just a drinks company play host to their fiercest rivals - I understand RBR know how to throw a party. What do you think? Would you want it back? What circuit would you sacrifice to have it back? When might a realistic return be possible?
To be honest. I couldn`t really care less about going back to Austria. What is important is keeping Turkey, Spa and other races on the calender before we start adding new ones/ or putting back old ones.
I'm sure he's been well disabused by now of any notion his ill-advised comments indicated, if he really felt that way at all. Red Bull may be a drinks company but Red Bull Racing is a racing team and its values and ideals are akin to those of Stewart Grand Prix or, for that matter, McLaren Motor Racing - that is, to go racing. In truth, though, my title isn't meant to be a snipe at Hamilton - if anything I'm trying to imply that RBR is more faithful to F1 than the motor manufacturers, who treat it at best like a mistress and sometimes like a whore. The A-1 Ring may not have been legendary but I think it would be fascinating to have a circuit owner team in comparison with a manufacturer team.
It would be good to have it back on the calendar provided it did not knock off a good track, however the track I would most like to be put on the F1 calendar (besides Nordschleife) would be the Circuito Potrero de los Funes in Argentina which is stunning. please log in to view this image please log in to view this image I also wish that they swap Circuit de Catalunya with Montjuïc circuit which would be pretty epic and much more exciting.
Red Bull Ring? Horrible name. But I would love to see A1-Ring back in F1. Loved that circuit. It could replace some of the less interesting circuits. I honestly can't see Valencia having it's contract renewed, so it might be a good idea to move the "European Grand Prix" to Austria, or ditching a Europe GP and replacing it with Austria.
Bernie does respect Dietrich and Red Bull helping the F1 name as a whole. Unlike McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari who want to dictate as much money as possible by threaterning a breakaway series every year because of a buisness they have no actual control of.
This sounds quite a bit stupid, to be honest. You dont like the name? But you like the name A1-Ring? A1 was just a sponsor back in the days. And Red Bull sounds ten times better than A1, which is just a mobile phone provider in Austria. The circuit has the same layout as the former A1-Ring. I love the old Ãâsterreichring layout far, far more but i guess this wont ever happen like Nordschleife.
I prefer A1-Ring. I wouldnt really want to go back because Red Bull own it. And Red Bull would probably get about 3s faster than anyone else as theres only downforce needed and a few medium length straights.
Mr. T. beautiful looking circuit. I'm not familiar with it. It certainly beats the circuit they raced at in Buenos Aires in the early 90s. That was the most featureless, barren, depressing piece of wasteground I can imagine. I think you should take those pictures and suggestions and GTF off my thread - by which I mean start a new thread about inspiring descriptions and images of circuits some of us might not be familiar with. It would make a good topic, IMO. Señor Lorca - yes, if they'd called it "The Bull Ring" everyone would know what they were talking about and it'd sound a lot cooler (and more Spanish). European GPs have sometimes vaguely follow world champions - Nürburgring for Schumacher, Valencia for Alonso - so it could make sense to have the European GP at Red Bull's own gaff. SilverArrow - manufacturers in general are in it for reasons other than the racing. I think Mercedes deserve praise for sticking round long after everyone else bailed, and Ferrari are Ferrari, but most of them are tricksy scheisters IMO. I'd be very impressed with a team like RBR getting further into F1 and, even if they don't, I think taking the circuit, overhauling it and hopefully turning it into a going concern through other series deserves applause. Abs I think Bernie was just an invited guest, wasn't he? tomcat - Jose didn't say he liked the name 'A1-Ring', just that he liked the circuit. I deliberately left the original incarnation of the circuit out of the discussion just because there's really no going back to those days. It's nice to compare them, though: please log in to view this image
I know, but I when I started watching F1 it was called A1-Ring and that's how I've always recognized the circuit, even though it was originally called Ãâsterreichring
Mateschitz did far more than just to buy the old circuit. He invested a lot of money to get life into the whole thing. Its called Projekt Spielberg: http://www.projekt-spielberg.at/wp/category/news-en/?lang=en
Thanks for the link, tomcat. I'll have a browse around that site later. I read somewhere that Mateschitz had invested hundreds of millions of euros. It's that kind of commitment (and I'm sure he intends to make a profit on it - it's not completely altruistic) that made me want to start this thread.
Yes, this is only his money, not Red Bulls money as company because there is not much "return of investment". You can read here about it (in german): http://www.kleinezeitung.at/steierm...teschitz-man-kann-bei-uns-alles-spielen.story
Is there any limit to the amount of money one can make from cans of 'PoP', what a brilliant idea, not even any alchohol it it, just water and chemicals, simple.
It always perplexed me, since 2004, how a drinks company with a single product could make enough money to enable its owner to compete in F1. At that time, to my knowledge, Red Bull wasn't widely known in the UK. They'd sponsored Sauber for years but I had no idea where to buy the stuff. My assumption is that it's a European phenomenon and whatever the company earned it invested (wisely or luckily) in other business deals. These days Red Bull is everywhere and it has that kind of oblique kudos that the iPhone has in the world of smartphones, or Sony has in the world of high-end TVs. There are alternatives (such as the Mercedes sponsor) that are just as good, if not better, but Red Bull got in there first. I know people in work who drink a can of Red Bull every lunchtime just to get them through the day.
A great circuit Mifune but unfortunately they literally have to move a mountain to make it safe enough to contain the cornering speeds of modern day F1! Here is a link which helps give a feel of the place: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq0A-PbKcxM&feature=related - not a bad bit of driving either… Genji: if they'd called it "The Bull Ring", people woould be flocking to Birmingham (UK)!
