Grand Prix Rejects

If the US needs a major sponsor to make the race viable; why not the US Governement? They are bailing out everything else...

I think what they really need is just a fantastic promoter. Think about it: Every year, the USGP was the third biggest draw to Indy, behind the IRL (which F1 will never be able to beat at the Brickyard) and NASCAR.

Sponsoring the US F1 GP would probably stir up quite much of anger among American sports people, since the typical Americans seem to prefer their own motor racing series to F1 or any European series any time given! The people would then ask why the government's giving money for a sport that has no native contact to the USA.

The USGP should move back to Long Beach. Street tracks are having a come back on the calendar, the Long Beach GP was always well organised, Bernie should realise he shouldn't charge the promoters for this race, as the series need an USGP more than any other new country. And with an US based team an USGP, he can sell the broadcasting rights in the US for a lot more money.

Alexander wrote:The USGP should move back to Long Beach.

They have a faithful sponsor in Toyota of America but I doubt they would get involved in paying Bernie's price, even if Toyota HQ picked up the rest of the tab. Other problems would include a lack of garages lined up on pit lane (modern F1 teams pushing their cars from paddock to pits? Ha!) and Grade 1 circuit safety issues. Long Beach is suitably safe, but I'm sure FOM would find a fault with the circuit or organisation. The current circuit layout provides for some great overtaking opportunities, though, and it has an atmosphere unlike certain circuits designed by a certain German guy.

Whatever happened to that circuit in Florida? Think it was called Homestead? There was a lot of talk about it in about 1998-99.

RejectSteve wrote:

Alexander wrote:The USGP should move back to Long Beach.

They have a faithful sponsor in Toyota of America but I doubt they would get involved in paying Bernie's price, even if Toyota HQ picked up the rest of the tab. Other problems would include a lack of garages lined up on pit lane (modern F1 teams pushing their cars from paddock to pits? Ha!) and Grade 1 circuit safety issues. Long Beach is suitably safe, but I'm sure FOM would find a fault with the circuit or organisation. The current circuit layout provides for some great overtaking opportunities, though, and it has an atmosphere unlike certain circuits designed by a certain German guy.

As I said, Bernie shouldn't charge them for the race. F1 needs a popular race in the US. I think Long Beach is the best place for the USGP.
I don't think any of the real street circuits has a Grade 1 safety, but F1 goes there anyway. Monaco managed to upgrade the pit facilities, Singapore built pit garages too, so Long Beach could manage that as well. And they have at least two weekends a year to justify such an investment.

PedroDiniz wrote:Whatever happened to that circuit in Florida? Think it was called Homestead? There was a lot of talk about it in about 1998-99.

They restructured the banking in the speedway corners a couple of years ago. Great for NASCAR races, but it would create the same problems that caused the Indy debacle... plus, it doesn't have the feel. The track there is so lifeless.

I really would campaign for them to do the race at Portland International Raceway, but that's just me.

I'd like to see a US street Formula One race around San Francisco.

Of course, the track would need to make use of Lombard Street.

Bort wrote:I'd like to see a US street Formula One race around San Francisco.

Of course, the track would need to make use of Lombard Street.

Not much overtaking there

Alexander wrote:Not much overtaking there

Never stopped Monaco.

thehemogoblin wrote:

PedroDiniz wrote:Whatever happened to that circuit in Florida? Think it was called Homestead? There was a lot of talk about it in about 1998-99.

They restructured the banking in the speedway corners a couple of years ago. Great for NASCAR races, but it would create the same problems that caused the Indy debacle... plus, it doesn't have the feel. The track there is so lifeless.

The infield sections are still intact so they could skip the banking. Most 'rovals' are completely lifeless though, even Indianapolis had more of an aura about it at 07.00 than during the on-track sessions. Homestead hosted the ninth round of the 1998 and 1999 FIA GT Championships and there were some F1 Reject links in those race:

1998
Ricardo Zonta won the race with Klaus Ludwig in the factory Merecedes.
Allan McNish and Yannick Dalmas took third place in second Porsche.
Pedro Lamy and Olivier Beretta won the GT2 class in a Viper GTS-R.
Gounon and Bartels finished their 1998 races.
Jan Lammers' car didn't finish due to a broken clutch.
Zakspeed entered two Porsche GT1 98's, one finished last in class while the other was written off in practice. Proper F1 Reject results.

1999
Paul Belmondo won the race in a self-entered Viper.
Beretta returned and finished second in a factory-assisted Viper.

Nuppiz wrote:Sponsoring the US F1 GP would probably stir up quite much of anger among American sports people, since the typical Americans seem to prefer their own motor racing series to F1 or any European series any time given!

Yes, they are quite US-centric aren't they It always makes me chuckle how a US baseball team always wins the World Series

I think this could be where we see the golden arches in F1.

McDonald's? Sounds good. How about General Motors? Truly the "National Team", it should be nationalized by then!

runningboots wrote:

Nuppiz wrote:Sponsoring the US F1 GP would probably stir up quite much of anger among American sports people, since the typical Americans seem to prefer their own motor racing series to F1 or any European series any time given!

Yes, they are quite US-centric aren't they It always makes me chuckle how a US baseball team always wins the World Series

Not ALWAYS.

1992 and 1993, the Toronto Blue Jays won. Also, in 1994, the Montreal Expos had a commanding lead right before the strike, and there is pretty much a consensus that with the team that the Expos had, they would have been the favorites for the championship that year.

Tony George and Joey Chitwood of Indy Motor Speedway are two reasonable men for not having agreed to Bernie's fee increase for 2007. Unfortunately, F1 lost its only remaining banked corner in the process, but Bernie (still) has the final say in these matters. George and Chitwood are businessmen, and as such, wisely decided that it wouldn't be good business to pour that huge amount of money into CVC for risking another 6 car debacle and said "we can negotiate again next time around", which in fact, they did. Kudos to them. They are very well aware that the manufacturer teams want this race, and they are at the helm of the only track on US soil at the time that is sanctioned to hold such an event. As a replacement, the IMS got Moto GP, so the Speedway still have racing fans coming in anyway, just different ones.

If the US GP were to return, it is either at Indy or another track would have to be reconstructed to fulfil F1 requirements.
When talking about possible venues for a US GP, Bernie is often quoted that "Watkins Glen still owes us money."
That rules out the Glen. Riverside, where F1 used to run in the 80s for a while, is no more. Long Beach is an IRL race that Tony George is unlikely to give up. Of the different towns where the US GP was held as a street race, like Las Vegas, Dallas, Phoenix and Detroit, on a non-permanent circuit, only Las Vegas has some kind of a perspective in bidding for the race, but it hasn't got a track. And most of all, in that regional market, F1 wouldn't be the main attraction at the time.
So let's now take a look at other permanent road courses that could be refurbished for F1, should investors and sponsors be found for such an event.

-Sonoma / Sears Point / Inf. Raceway CA: Holding both an IRL race and a NASCAR event, this track is pretty busy and doesn't need F1 to thrive commercially. It would be attractive, though, because of its location at the Californian market.

-Road America /Elkhart Lake WI: This is one of the tracks that lost out on the merger of IRL and Champ Cars by not having its feature event anymore. But F1 is probably not too keen on hiding in the woods of Wisconsin. And at 6.5 kilometers, it's somewhat too long for Bernie's taste.

-Sebring FL: This is another track with F1 history, but it's also too long for Bernie's taste at 5.9 kilometers. They probably wouldn't want to call off their annual 12 hour sportscar race even once for the construction work required for F1.

-Daytona FL: This is another track that holds a world-renowned endurance race, and I'm including it here solely for the rather abstract thought of F1 racing on a roval, which won't happen again. Still, F1 in NASCARland would be a surprise. Team US GPE, do you hear me?

-Lexington, Mid-Ohio: Would Ohio be enough of a market for Bernie to go racing to? I don't think so. I guess the manufacturers would also prefer a coastal market to place their race in. But Mid-Ohio lost their Champ Car race and didn't find a replacement, so they might be more open towards reconstruction ideas.

-Laguna Seca /Monterey CA: Yet another track that lost the Champ Car race AND the Moto GP, too. They are located in the lucrative Westcoast market, and at 3.6 kilometers in length, sponsors will be seen as often on TV as Bernie likes it. Plus, it includes the legendary Cork Screw as its main characteristical feature, that provides a bit of history. Basically, it fulfils all requirements that Bernie might have, besides being FIA Grade 1 and finances, but the latter two are lacking at all the others as well. But if there is an existing track which would be worth for the manufacturers to rebuild(and I'm looking into the direction of FOTA here), it would be this one. One problem is still left, though, besides the all-important money issue: a while ago, the track sold its name rights to a manufacturer that is not in F1: it's also called Mazda Raceway.

Do you think it is more likely that F1 will set its feet onto Canadian shores again before going back to the US of A?

Yannick wrote:-Road America /Elkhart Lake WI: This is one of the tracks that lost out on the merger of IRL and Champ Cars by not having its feature event anymore. But F1 is probably not too keen on hiding in the woods of Wisconsin. And at 6.5 kilometers, it's somewhat too long for Bernie's taste.

RA is a beautiful track and a lot of fun to watch races at. Perhaps I'm biased since I grew up being able to hear the cars racing there!

-Lexington, Mid-Ohio: Would Ohio be enough of a market for Bernie to go racing to? I don't think so. I guess the manufacturers would also prefer a coastal market to place their race in. But Mid-Ohio lost their Champ Car race and didn't find a replacement, so they might be more open towards reconstruction ideas.

Mid-Ohio has the IndyCar race replacing the Champ Car race - last time I checked on it attendance was pretty good overall.

Yannick wrote:-Laguna Seca /Monterey CA: Yet another track that lost the Champ Car race AND the Moto GP, too. They are located in the lucrative Westcoast market, and at 3.6 kilometers in length, sponsors will be seen as often on TV as Bernie likes it. Plus, it includes the legendary Cork Screw as its main characteristical feature, that provides a bit of history. Basically, it fulfils all requirements that Bernie might have, besides being FIA Grade 1 and finances, but the latter two are lacking at all the others as well. But if there is an existing track which would be worth for the manufacturers to rebuild(and I'm looking into the direction of FOTA here), it would be this one. One problem is still left, though, besides the all-important money issue: a while ago, the track sold its name rights to a manufacturer that is not in F1: it's also called Mazda Raceway.

Laguna Seca would be a fantastic place, though it is probably a bit too narrow for F1 standards. I believe they tried to get the USGP after Detroit for 1989 but for some reason F1 went to Phoenix instead.

Yannick wrote:Do you think it is more likely that F1 will set its feet onto Canadian shores again before going back to the US of A?

Absolutely, and why not Mexico too? Mexican race fans flock to any decent level event, the WTCC has no problems getting good crowds in Puebla, and Monterrey and Mexico City both had great atmosphere for A1GP and Champ Cars. Monterrey would be a pleasure for F1, but again, Bernie wouldn't be too keen on some of those delapidated buildings in view of the TV cameras.

RejectSteve wrote:Laguna Seca would be a fantastic place, though it is probably a bit too narrow for F1 standards. I believe they tried to get the USGP after Detroit for 1989 but for some reason F1 went to Phoenix instead.

I think, unfortunately, you could level that criticism at most US road racing tracks. Most are from a past era and haven't been updated in many years, by the look of them. The probably need to be looking at a street circuit or a brand new one.

I think the Detroit GP was supposed to move to Belle Isle but I guess it didn't happen for some reason and ended up becoming an Indycar track a few years later.

Bort wrote:I'd like to see a US street Formula One race around San Francisco.

Of course, the track would need to make use of Lombard Street.

Would make a nice pit-lane entry ...

I for one would love to see a US GP at Elkhart Lake.

And as for a USGP sponsor ... ING and RBS are pulling out of F1, it's time another financial powerhouse filled the breach. AIG anyone?

eytl wrote:And as for a USGP sponsor ... ING and RBS are pulling out of F1, it's time another financial powerhouse filled the breach. AIG anyone?

In the middle of an economic recession that was started by American-based financiers? Not to mention their liquidity crisis, the need for federal government bailouts and recording record losses. And did I mention the way they were caught up in the controversy surrounding their paying over two hundred million dollars in bonuses despite your average American facing potential bankruptcy?

And you think they should sponsor a Formula One team ...

Captain Hammer wrote:

eytl wrote:And as for a USGP sponsor ... ING and RBS are pulling out of F1, it's time another financial powerhouse filled the breach. AIG anyone?

In the middle of an economic recession that was started by American-based financiers? Not to mention their liquidity crisis, the need for federal government bailouts and recording record losses. And did I mention the way they were caught up in the controversy surrounding their paying over two hundred million dollars in bonuses despite your average American facing potential bankruptcy?

And you think they should sponsor a Formula One team ...

Sure! May I suggest Lehman's as well?

Humour, Captain. This is a rejects' forum, after all.

Obviously it should be the Peoples Republic of China, only people left with any money.

Ross Prawn wrote:Obviously it should be the Peoples Republic of China, only people left with any money.

Or Kim Jong-Il.

Captain Hammer wrote:

Ross Prawn wrote:Obviously it should be the Peoples Republic of China, only people left with any money.

Or Kim Jong-Il.

The Taepodong-2 Grand Prix of Let's Blow South Korea Off The Map

Ross Prawn wrote:Obviously it should be the Peoples Republic of China, only people left with any money.

Considering the fact that China basically owns the United States, why not just cut out the middleman and have it be PRC Racing?

LionZoo wrote:

Ross Prawn wrote:Obviously it should be the Peoples Republic of China, only people left with any money.

Considering the fact that China basically owns the United States, why not just cut out the middleman and have it be PRC Racing?

Middlemen are fun... right Asiatech? What about you, Mechachrome?

what about cleavland??
they could have it at the airport like the CHAMP Cars
they could land at the airport and unpack right there... no driving to the track
now thats got to save some money for the F1 teams

Maybe should be funded by the CIA and painted matt black like a stealth fighter.

StoneColdSpider wrote:what about cleavland??
they could have it at the airport like the CHAMP Cars
they could land at the airport and unpack right there... no driving to the track
now thats got to save some money for the F1 teams

Yes but knowing Max Mosley he'll propose that the planes will have to be powered by cold fusion and the development for those planes will cost way more than whatever is being saved.

Ross Prawn wrote:Maybe should be funded by the CIA and painted matt black like a stealth fighter.

I like that. Bouncers in shades outside the Hospitality...

The USGP should be at none other than WATKINS GLEN! Think about it, we could have a spectacular failures as this!

That's a good juxtaposition of amusingly-contradictory advertising slogan and car crash in that photo.

What about Laguna Seca ???
How many would spin off / bottom out at the corkscrew .

noshpit wrote:What about Laguna Seca ???
How many would spin off / bottom out at the corkscrew .

Interestingly, Toyota would be safe since they have experience there. Zonta did some demonstation laps there in 2005 or 2006 for Toyota during the Monterey historic races. Why interesting? It was Toyota who were running their ride heights low with low tyre pressures at Indianapolis during Michelingate which probably accelerated F1's departure from the states.

Ross Prawn wrote:Maybe should be funded by the CIA and painted matt black like a stealth fighter.

The telemetry data wouldn't show up on any of the monitors though...could be a problem.

Captain Hammer wrote:

eytl wrote:And as for a USGP sponsor ... ING and RBS are pulling out of F1, it's time another financial powerhouse filled the breach. AIG anyone?

In the middle of an economic recession that was started by American-based financiers? Not to mention their liquidity crisis, the need for federal government bailouts and recording record losses. And did I mention the way they were caught up in the controversy surrounding their paying over two hundred million dollars in bonuses despite your average American facing potential bankruptcy?

And you think they should sponsor a Formula One team ...

CitiFinancial already sponsors a few NASCAR teams, certainly if you pooled that money together you'd have enough for a bit of F1 sponsorship?



Interestingly enough, the car with the H on the hood (for Haas CNC Automation) was driven by F1 Reject Max Papis.

They should get full sponsorship from Microsoft, thats a Big US company, do you imagine Billy Gates in the pitlane chatting around with Bernie?

They should be sponsored by as many fast food chains as possible and then put the old Toyota slogan on the rear wing- "The car in front is a Toyota" just to mess with people's minds.