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BREAKING: Formula 1 Coming To Austin
The U.S. Grand Prix is back. Austin, Texas will serve as the host city of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix from 2012 through 2021 in a purpose-built facility.News of the U.S. Grand Prix coming to Austin, Texas is a surprise to anyone following F1 and its attempt to find a racing home in the United States after a three-year absence. There's no race course in the Austin area up to specs, so one will be purpose-built just for Formula One.
Bernie Ecclestone, President and CEO of the Formula One Group, had this to say:
"For the first time in the history of Formula One in the United States, a world-class facility will be purpose-built to host the event. It was thirty years ago that the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ was last held on a purpose-built permanent road course circuit in Watkins Glen, NY (1961-1980), which enjoyed great success. Since then, Formula One has been hosted by Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas and Phoenix all on temporary street circuits. Indianapolis joined the ranks of host cities in 2000 when they added a road course inside the famed oval. Lewis Hamilton won the last Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ in 2007, signalling the end to eight years at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This however, will be the first time a facility is constructed from the ground up specifically for Formula One in the US."
Send an email to Matt Hardigree, the author of this post, at matt@jalopnik.com.
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F1 Revives US Grand Prix in 2012 in Austin, Texas
F1 revives US Grand Prix in 2012 with track built for it in Austin, Texas
By JIM VERTUNO
The Associated Press
AUSTIN, Texas
Formula One racing is coming back to the United States in 2012 with a long-term deal to race in Austin on a track built specifically for the event.
Formula One, city and Texas state officials announced the agreement Tuesday, saying Austin would host the U.S. Grand Prix until 2021.
The race was dropped after an eight-year run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 2000-07 with mixed results. The most notable blemish occurred in 2005 when 14 of 20 drivers pulled off the track just before the race started as a protest over concerns about tire safety.
Formula One president Bernie Ecclestone said the race in the Texas capital would mark the first time a course would be built specifically for an F1 race in the United States.
Before its run in Indianapolis, Formula One had been hosted by Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas and Phoenix on city street circuits. The race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was run on a road course built inside the oval track.
Tavo Hellmund, managing partner of race promoter Full Throttle Productions, said the Austin track and grandstand would be built "within 10 miles" of the Austin airport. Hellmund said the track will be at least 3 miles long. He declined to release further details, including the size of the grandstand and total cost.
Austin city officials and Texas Comptroller Susan Combs helped promoters pitch the location. Hellmund said the facility would be privately financed and will not use public money.
"The visibility and prestige of this event will spotlight our state on an international stage," Combs said in a statement.
Austin, with a metro area population of about 1.7 million, is a three-hour drive or less from Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. Hellmund said Austin had to compete with interest for the race "from New York to Miami."
"The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is proud of having been host to the United States Grand Prix from 2000 to 2007, and we were pleased to have some of the largest Formula One crowds in the world," speedway vice president for communications Fred Nation said in a statement.
"Since 2007, we have been asked many times about having Formula One return, and our answer has been the same each time: If the business deal is right, they are welcome back. If such a deal is in place in Austin, we wish both the city and Formula One success for a race in the United States."
Formula One has been hot and cold on the desire to even hold a race in the United States.
In 2007, Ecclestone made fans angry when he said Formula One didn't need an American race, even though the U.S. Grand Prix consistently drew one of the biggest crowds on the circuit, attracting about 125,000 fans each year.
In March, Ecclestone told Italian media he wanted a race in New York City.
Formula One officials who visited Austin were impressed with the city and the plan to build a Grand Prix-specific course, Hellmund said.
"You don't put Austin in same sentence as Monaco or Singapore, but everyone was blown away," Hellmund said. "Austin has grown up ... I think they fell in love with the city. It isn't a one-trick pony where we're going to set up a street course."
Formula One officials have not yet set a date for the 2012 race.
