Martin Whitmarsh has recently said that F1 needs more than one race in America to really "conquer" it. I have to say that I agree with him, I think that America should eventually have at least two races. One reason I think this is because America is potentially a gold mine for sponsorship/money, fan base and also new drivers and teams for F1 if it can break through and become popular in America then it could provide an absolutely massive boost for F1, just look at how big and commercially successful baseball is in America and that is the most boring sport ever. Another reason is the sheer size of America, it is bigger that Europe, so at the moment with the one in Texas for people living in Seattle then it would be like us having to go to Turkey to see a GP. I also think that the decision for having the GP in Texas is a little baffling because I was thinking when they said they were going to have a GP in America it would be on either the west or east coast and like Martin Whitmarsh said in either New York or California because that is where the biggest and richest population is and also where it would be easier to get America interested in F1. I think if I were to choose currently I would first put another one in California because at the moment Montreal is not that far away for the east coast population and even Texas is closer to it than the west coast, however I think ideally there should be one on both coasts in order to truly export F1 to America, and in fact, calendar issues aside, if you were able to get a F1 race on both coasts along with Texas and the Canadian GP then you have got pretty much the whole of North America covered which could be very lucrative for Formula 1. So I really hope Formula 1 has a proper and all in effort at breaking F1 into America, it is not easy, football has at the moment failed at it, but I think that if F1 does go for it and not like their previous half-hearted attempts then F1 could be big in America and could bring a whole new aspect and era to F1.
We selfishly should work on the holiday locations - San Franciso, San Diego, Boston, Washington DC, Seattle etc Austin and Los Angeles to be avoided - IMO.
Yeah I would love one in San Francisco, could you imagine the F1 cars roaring over and down the hills there or even down Lombard Street. If I could choose I would have one in San Fran and another in Manhattan. I think most people would not mind seeing the back of Valencia, as well as Hungary and Bahrain.
Yeah it's ok, but lets look at the races history since 2008. 2008 - Bore at Valencia. 2/10 2008 - Drama at Hungary 6/10 2009 - Better from Valencia 6/10 2009 - Lewis's Favourite Track Now! 8/10 2010 - Even Better from Valencia 7/10 2010 - Safety Car Changed the whole race in Hungary 8.5/10 Hungary has been opn the calendar for a long time I think maybe 20 years?? That is another reason for it to stay, but even more so the fact that it just is a nice track.(Second Sector is amazing!)
US fans don't understand real motorsport. It would be a waste to have more than 1 race in the US, the fans will be thinking "whats up with all these corners?" Better to have another race in europe, maybe the french gp at paul ricard, instead of a country where fat men drive lorries around an oval.
are we proposing a straight swap of Valencia for another American race? I'm for it, although tbh, most F1 fans are based in Europe, so it makes sense to have more races at the real hotspot of the sport. That would be the UK. I will put in a vote for 2 British GP's, one at Silverstone and one at Donington. Reason 1) Most F1 fans live in the UK. Reason 2) Most F1 teams are based in the UK. Reason 3) It would be cool wouldn't it...
It is not like Americans are incapable of understanding F1 but it is F1's job to capture their interest and then Americans will embrace it. Yes Europe have more F1 fans now but my point was that if F1 can open up the American market so there will be a big following in America then it would be great for F1 and for that to happen you would probably need more than one F1 race there and if F1 can break into America then they would deserve at least two races.
We can't afford another race. I would love to have one, but it's not financially possible, thats why i suggested france.
I'd like to see F1 on a oval track, just imagine Ferrari , Mclaren , Red Bull , Mercedes and the rest in a 100% burn up where only the brave would prevail.
An interesting thread Mifune but I agree with Cowboy that the priority is to make sure F1 puts on a good show before getting too ambitious for the population. Recent history Indianapolis was a complete joke. It made a mockery of Grand Prix cars since the average American first looks at statistics and said, "Hey, our cars go around here faster". Of course this is complete nonsense, since such a statement is reference to top speed with cars which don't need to go round corners, but these subtleties are often missed over the water. F1 should never have gone to Indianapolis and made a Mickey Mouse mockery of itself, complete with synchronised swimming from F1's all-important showpiece team, further trivialised by Schumacher falling short to Barrichello at the finish, which underlined the complete irrelevance of attempting it in the first place! And then, adding insult to injury, they shot themselves in the head with the most ridiculous and insulting six car race, which guaranteed the revolt of any would-be die-hards running out of accommodating forgiveness. Basic essentials Having made fools of the fan-base, fools of Ferrari and fools of F1, I cannot overstate the importance of Grand Prix racing getting it absolutely right this time. The approach angle must be just right. Too steep and it'll burn up on re-entry; too shallow and it'll bounce off a resistant atmosphere. I am associated with various establishments in the USA and I know that many still dream of showcasing 'the pinnacle' in their home country. This is very much a positive and it must not be thrown away again. F1 needs to focus on one venue and to make every effort for it to be perceived as the best show on earth. Get it right. Build on the success. Keep getting it right. Let people absorb it into their blood-stream. Then, and only then, it might be worth thinking of a second venue…
I don't mind to be honest, but why spend, no sorry it's a Tilje track, waste so much money on building new tracks? Why not use the infield tracks at daytona and indianapollis? Why not go back to Long Beach? Or even (optimistic thanks to the corkscrew) go to Laguna Seca? Or Watkins Glen? The US does have some great race tracks that have more than 2 corners, so why not use them?
Apart from the embarrassing Mickey Mousanapolis which is useless for F1 (as explained above), they're not up to the job and all of them have their own agenda without wishing to spend many many millions revamping their sites. They simply don't have the appetite for it. On the other hand, Texas has money but no existing venue - and they see real potential in a Grand Prix to more than recoup the outlay in a relatively short time. F1 needs to do it big and the Texans are a proud bunch of people who should do a proper job.
Well if its going to be Austin (how exciting!) the major claim to fame would be music (and semiconductors). Another spectacle I've witnessed is the evening outpouring of bats from under the Congress Ave Bridge.... However when you've seen them once......
Sorry if the timescale of the question was a bit vague, I was thinking more in the long-term such as in the next 10 years, not straight away. I think if they can get Austin right then in maybe a few years expand out and have another GP in California of something and then if they get that right and support for F1 continues to rise then maybe in another few years add another one in New York.
