Excited for 2012 USGP and Circuit of the Americas

If everything goes according to plan, in little over a year F1 will make it's return to the United States after a 4 year absence; and I am sure it will make a big return where they do everything big, Texas. Currently there is a purpose-built circuit under construction outside of Austin, Texas and if you look at the design details, simulations, and some construction photos, it appears the track is going to be something to behold. The 3.4 mile circuit clearly pays respect and takes some cues from Silverstone's Maggotts-Becketts-Chapel sequence, Hockenheim's arena bends and Istanbul's multiple apex Turn 8. In addition, the uphill section into Turn 1 gives me some visions of the old Osterreichring. In addition to F1, the circuit will have international events like MotoGP (a real home grand prix for Colin Edwards and Ben Spies) and Australian V8 Supercars.

Although I have not gotten over the failure that was USF1, this has all the makings of a well organized and well supported grand prix and will go a long way in helping me forget USF1. The people involved from the American side of things are people of the right caliber, Founding Partners of the circuit, Red McCombs and Tavo Hellmund. Simply put these two are well positioned to help make the race a success for two reasons. One, McCombs's money and connections with media and two Hellmund's organizational experience and connections to F1 through the man himself, Bernie Ecclestone. Add it together you have money, exposure, leadership and passion for F1.

Moreover, Texas seems to be a very appropreiate venue as Austin is a youngish city with a growing economy with high technology sectors and very much into green construction; right in sync with the F1 and the FIA. Also, F1 is not short of latin drivers; according to US census info, 38% of people in Texas are of latino decent and Mexico is right next door. The Champcar/NASCAR races in the recent past in Mexico (Fundidora Park and Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez) were well supported races as was the Grand Prix of Houston in 2007 (Champcar) with a race weekend attendance of 168,000.

More than likely there will not be an American driver in F1 for 2012 but there is a Mexican, Sauber rookie Sergio Perez, who has impressed with his performances in which he has driven as if he has seen it all before; very poised, mature and quick. With Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim backing the Sauber team, there is no doubt much will be made of Perez racing just over the border in 2012.

In addition, if Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali is to be believed about his ideal line-up being an experienced driver paired with a talented young driver, it stands to reason that Perez (a member of Ferrari's driver development program) ends up with the legendary F1 team in 2013 when current "number 2" driver Felipe Massa's contract expires. The other Mexican F1 drivers to hold such distinction...you got it, Pedro and Ricardo Rodriguez.

Circuit of the Americas
2012 United States Grand Prix

Global Economy kills 2009 French Grand Prix

The French motorsports federation announced on Wednesday that it will not promote the race in 2009 due to financial difficulties.

"For reasons related to the financial situation, the Federation Francaise du Sport Automobile (FFSA) has decided to cancel the Grand Prix of France," said the FFSA in a statement.
"The FFSA would like to thank all customers who attended the Grand Prix of France and have supported this international event in recent years."

The French race was on the calendar announced earlier this month by the FIA for the 2009 season. The decision leaves the 2009 calendar with 17 races after the Canadian Grand Prix was also absent from the schedule.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/71421

In recent years there was always some financial questions around the French Grand Prix dealing with the financial guarantees set forth by FOM's Bernie Ecclestone. However, the race was always run. This time it seems that the global financial crisis is largely to blame for the axing of the 2009 French Grand Prix. If things remain unchanged, it will the first time since 1955 that there will not be a Formula One French Grand Prix. I wonder if there are other races that will suffer the same fate.

Fuji Speedway: It's been 'Tilked', but it's worthy

Fuji Speedway has played host to Formula One in 1976 and 1977. It did not return to the Formula One calendar until 2007 after it replaced the awesome Suzuka circuit as the home of the Japanese Grand Prix. Although the current GP circuit layout is bland in comparison to its super fast and dangerous younger days, the track is still a worthy challenge to Formula One drivers and sits in the picturesque foothills of Mount Fuji.

Just as the Suzuka circuit, if you have played the video game Pole Position, you know the old Fuji circuit very well as it is the first circuit to be featured in a video game. The circuit has been owed by Toyota since 2000, but interestingly it started life in 1963 as Japan NASCAR Corporation. The circuit was originally intended to be a 2.5 mile high-banked superspeedway in the mold of Daytona and Monza but there was not enough money to complete the project and only one of the dramatic high banks was ever built. Similarly to Monza, the remains of the banking is still visible. In 1965 under new management the Fuji circuit was converted to a road course and began to hold races. Fuji proved to be somewhat dangerous with the banked turn regularly resulting in major accidents. A new section of track was built that bypassed the high banking which provided improved safety; although the circuit was still very fast.

The 2 Formula One races staged at Fuji prior to 2007 proved to be dramatic and tragic. In 1976, James Hunt beat Niki Lauda to the title after Lauda withdrew due to dangerous rainy conditions and in 1977 2 spectators were killed during the race when Gilles Villeneuve crashed. Formula One returned to this scenic venue for the 2007 Japanese Grand Prix and it continues to pose many a technical challenge although its speeds are no longer what they could be on the old circuit.

In a phrase, it has been "Tilked". In other words, the circuit was reconfigured by German architect Hermann Tilke whose general style of circuit re-design has drawn many criticisms ranging from neutering great tracks like Hockenheim to designing glorified karting circuits like Bahrain. There are plenty of people that would consider the current Fuji layout to be one of those instances of a circuit being neutered, especially in light of some of Tilke's recent designs in Istanbul and Valencia.

In its current layout, Fuji is a mix of slow corners with the ever inviting super long main straight where cars will top out around 200mph. Although drivers will be full throttle for only 53% of the lap, it is be a test of reliability given the extremes that the engine will face in the rev range from the afore mentioned long straight to the complex of hairpins and chicanes.

Given the location of the track, weather is always a factor and should be on the teams' minds especially given the championship implications. This old circuit even with its modern face lift, will still provide quality racing.

Canadian Grand Prix dropped for 2009

In a move that seemed unexpected, Formula One is not coming to Canada in 2009 thus leaving North America with no F1 races after having dropped the United States Grand Prix several seasons ago. The trend in Formula One has been one of cost cutting and standardizing the series with spec tires and essentially spec engines is the byproduct. Given that North America already has multiple standardized or "spec" series (the American LeMans Series being the notable exception) I suppose that transforming into another spec series simply makes Formula One just part of the landscape.

However, the move to axe Canada should be of no surprise to anyone. All sorts of grand prix have been dumped, shuffled, added or re-added over the years: Spa, Mexico, Imola, United States, Suzuka, etc.; Canada is just another causality in the quest for less expense and more profit in a game in which F1 clearly articulated they were willing to engage in dumping traditional markets for new ones (i.e. Middle East and Asia). Maybe Canada or the United States will end up back on that re-add list when the powers that be eventually take a race from Italy or from France for whatever reason.

I am sure we will get numerous explanations and rationalizations as to why this was done, but simply put, Formula One quit on North America and chose not to compete with NASCAR and other domestic series......cowards.

http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/wmsc/wmsc08/Pages/wmsc_071008.aspx

Marina Bay Circuit: F1 finally has a night race

This weekend Formula One will enter the world of night racing by hosting its first ever night race at the Marina Bay Circuit in Singapore, and it is about time. In the United States, night racing has been a staple particularly in oval racing and at local race events. On a national level, NASCAR, Indy Racing League (IRL), American LeMans Series (ALMS), and Rolex Sportscar Series (GRAND-AM) all have night races and all seem to be very popular with the fans.

Night racing certainly gives a different sensory experience; you get to really see the exhaust flames, you see the sparks and you see lights shimmering off the cars which makes them look like 200 mph jewels; even the infield atmosphere with the crowd changes. Still, it is not like you do not see night races in Europe but you need to look to endurance races like the LeMans 24 hours, 24 Hours Nurburgring, 24 hours of Spa, etc. where the night aspects are unavoidable due to the obvious length of the races. Having been to endurance races in the US, I can imagine the atmosphere and experience would be rather similar in Europe.

I never really understood the lack of night racing in Europe in general for major series like Formula One, German Touring Car Masters (DTM), World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) and MotoGP. I always wondered if it was just a matter of tradition, a lack of desire or if there were real safety concerns around night races. For example, one of the primary concerns for the Singapore Grand Prix is what happens if it rains; will drivers be able to see with the combination of no lights on the cars, rain spray, and reflection from the lights used to illuminate the track on the spray. It is one of the unknowns even with all the simulator technology that F1 teams have at their disposal. It certainly is another challenge that the drivers and team have to potentially face.

The consensus is that a night race will be a benefit to the spectators as well as a boost to the visibility of Formula One. There were commerical concerns that the races in Asia and Australia made it more difficult for the traditional European fan base to watch on TV given the time difference. Bernie Ecclestone of Formula One Management (FOM) worked hard and continues to work to get more night races on schedule. Singapore came to F1 as a night race and in 2009 the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne as well as the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang might be night races as well.

In any case, the Singapore Grand Prix should be very exciting, not only because of the night aspects of the event and the unknown variables, but because we have another street circuit that looks rather interesting and challenging. Still, there is nothing like driver feedback after the first practice session. The scenery looks very appealing with a combination of historic and modern architecture as well as several bridges. The circuit is based in an area that is apart of a development plan for the area as a business and financial hub. So, it is truly in an urban center comparable if there was a grand prix in Times Sqaure, New York. As for the track layout itself, it is a 23-turn, 3.15 miles street circuit. It will keep the drivers very busy with a good combination of slow and fast corners with several opportunities to overtake with also some interesting features. In addition to the bridges, at Turn 19 the circuit actually runs under the main grandstand, a feature reminiscent of the tunnel at Monaco. If you wish to see a simulation of the new Marina Bay Circuit in Singapore, check out this simulation and track report from Red Bull-Renault driver Mark Webber as well as Scuderia Toro Rosso driver Sebastian Vettel.

http://www.redbullracing.com/4th-Sector/Webber-Singapore/

http://www.tororosso.com/4th-Sector/Vettel-Singapore/

Monza: Formula One Soul

The historic Autodromo Nazionale Monza is nestled in the Parco di Monza just outside of Monza, Italy. It is a true relic of race tracks with the memories of an old sage. The site has three tracks, 3.6 mile Grand Prix circuit, the 1.5 mile Junior track and a decaying and defunct 2.6 mile high speed oval with steep bankings.

Built in 1922, Monza was only the 3rd permanent race track in the world at the time with the others being the famed Brooklands (no longer in racing use) and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The track has been renovated and re-profiled several times in its history but the basic layout of the Grand Prix circuit is essentially the same.

It has been home to many memorable F1 moments, both tragic and joy-filled. In 1961, Wolfgang von Trips died as well as 13 others after cartwheeling into the crowd after clashing with Jim Clark. In 1976, Niki Lauda returned to racing just a few weeks after his near fatal accident that left him disfigured by burns at the glorious but notorious Nurburgring. In 1988, a few weeks after Enzo Ferrari's death, Ferrari pulled off a magical 1-2 finish after McLaren's Ayrton Senna misjudged a pass on a back marker with only a few laps to go and ended up in the sand trap. It was McLaren's only loss of the 1988 season. In 2006, Monza was the place that it was announced that 7 times F1 World Champion Michael Schumacher was retiring, after another virtuoso win. His eventual heir-apparent, Kimi Raikkonen stood next to Schumacher on podium.

Monza has a simple layout but it is a difficult and very fast circuit. It puts a premium on engine performance and aerodynamic efficiency. Drivers are on the throttle 75% of the time but this is countered by some slow chicanes which will give engines and brakes a workout, so reliability is also a must. Coming to Monza is always a highlight, especially when the you see the sea of Tifosi, a common reference to the scores of Ferrari fans with their customary red attire and prancing horse flags. Teams recently completed a test, so data for teams should be very reliable and effective. (http://formulaoneamerica.blogspot.com/2008/08/formula-one-testing-monza-summary.html)

Spa-Francorchamps: One of the Best

This weekend, the Formula One circus will make its way to truly one of the great circuits of all time, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. In addition to its status as the place to go for hydrotherapy and is the namesake for getaways to relax and drink the waters, Spa brings visions of wet, variable weather conditions, circuit topography that is second to none and corner names that feel like destinations onto themselves, Les Combes, Malmedy, Slaveot, Pouhon, Blanchimont, La Source and of course, Eau Rouge.

This circuit is truly admired by driver, team and fan alike. Spa-Francorchamps is one of the last true road racing circuits that still gives you the feeling that the drivers are truly going somewhere. The circuit used to be laid out on public roads and if you look hard enough, you can still see where the old circuit diverges from the current circuit at Les Combes, and goes off into the Belgian countryside. In 1979, the track was shortened to its current distance of 4.3 miles from the original, daunting and frightening 9.3 miles that snaked its way through the Ardenne forest and several Belgian towns. This old circuit included rather deadly sections of road, such as Masta Kink. The old circuit was so dangerous, F1 abandoned Spa until the circuit was shortened.

Take a tour with 2 times F1 World Champion, Fernando Alonso.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26snvONnLZU

Valencia Circuit: The Suzuka of the Streets

The Suzuka International Circuit was the first international speedway in Japan and has been widely heralded since it was completed in 1962 and served as a test track for Honda Motor Company. Suzuka still evokes many dramatic images from the past. One can look back to the legendary clashes of bitter rivals Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in 1989 and 1990; the title clinching performances of Damon Hill in 1996 and Mika Hakkinen in 1998 and 1999; and mostly recently Michael Schumacher's improbable engine failure that all but gift-wrapped the 2006 Driver's Championship to Fernando Alonso. If you played the Pole Position series of games back in the day, you surely have driven this amazing track with great corners such as 130R and 'S' curve.

Suzuka is a true driver's circuit that is universally loved. In the words of Fernando Alonso, "it's a very trying track for drivers and very technical: you have to have a car that is stable in the front for the changes of direction, and a stable rear so you can have the confidence to attack the high speed corners. The other thing about Suzuka though, is that you have to take risks in the corners — and all drivers like that." It was a true shame to see this circuit axed from the Formula One schedule.

However, having looked at a collection of photos, simulations and now some actually video of the new Valencia Street Circuit in Spain, it appears that we may have a true gem in our hands. The Valencia Street Circuit, new for the 2008 F1 season, is the host for this year's F1 European Grand Prix. Although already celebrated for the great urban scenery the circuit itself appears to be quite the eye catcher and a technical challenge to drive. First, it is a street circuit. This in and of itself presents a real test of courage with concrete barriers lining the track and projected speeds of about 200 mph. Second, the number of corners will keep the drivers attention and will present a physical challenge. Moreover, there are a number of these corners that appear to be very quick and have a good sequence and flow to them that should be a real joy to watch in a Formula One car. In other sections, a driver's right foot will be tested by the slow corners as there is no traction control; a driver will have to have good rhythm to maximize the lap time. It is this mix of high speeds, technical corners, sweeps and physical demand which makes it similar to Suzuka.


In the words of Panasonic Toyota driver Jarno Trulli, "the track looks amazing. I have seen the lay-out and the location but the best way to prepare for racing on a new track is to get there as soon as possible to spot the small details on the track. The best way to understand a circuit is to drive it and I can not wait!" According to McLaren Mercedes driver, Lewis Hamilton, "it looks like an amazing track".

Still, a driver needs a team of engineers that also understand the challenge. Honda F1 Team Principal, Ross Brawn says, "it is going to be a medium to low downforce track with a couple of quick corners which will present a very challenging circuit in an exciting environment. The Valencia weekend is going to be a fascinating engineering challenge for the team and we are all looking forward to it." If there ever was a street circuit that would be a real driver's circuit my initial impressions would be that this is the one. Again, this track is going to be a blast to watch a Formula One race on. However, the proof is going to be when 1st Friday practice begins. For some comparsion, check out the onboard laps of each circuit. However, the onboard lap of Valencia is that of a lower formula race. Now imagine the speed generated that will be generated by an F1 car.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0MvA1tE0ZU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG-7tj9U2mQ