Formula One: Indy US Grand Prix

GrindingGears · 06-19-2004, 10:52 AM

Does anyone know how many years this race is contracted at Indy?

I want to go next year if it is still going on.

Barrichello took pole, just beat out M Schumy.

Go Porsche! ... oh wait...

...

slope-nz · 06-19-2004, 11:07 AM

Seems that 5 years is what I remember. Might not be a USGP after next year,FIA is not happy with US turnout. Randy

GrindingGears · 06-19-2004, 11:10 AM

Major bummer

Neilk · 06-19-2004, 11:20 AM

When interviewed today, Bernie said that there were 2 years left on the contract. I don't care what the turn out is, I think the US market is a long term investment for F1.

motion · 06-19-2004, 12:38 PM

I'm hearing that they want to add a 2nd GP here in the states, possibly at Long Beach!!! Oh man, that would be nice.

Weaver · 06-19-2004, 01:35 PM

They signed an extension on Friday for two more years. Althought people have rumored that there might be a second GP on the West coast, Eccelstone and Mosley have both stated that there will only be one GP in United States in the near future.

http://www.indystar.com/articles/9/156080-3789-036.html

GrindingGears · 06-19-2004, 03:34 PM

Yay!

GrindingGears · 09:12 AM

What the hell just happened!!

JPM? Runs out of the car? Huh?

Report:

Couldnt start the engine...

... "You broke my head, you idiot!"

Zeke · 06-20-2004, 11:00 AM

Best race so far this year. Where are all the people that say these guys don't race close? for this knd of racing, it doesn't get any closer than this one was.

Hope Ralf is really OK, not them just saying so. The grandstands weren't very full.

dd74 · 06-20-2004, 11:43 AM

No, the grandstands weren't as full as I remember. FIA needs a course in driver safety: Ralf sat there a good five minutes before anyone came to get him.

As for Formula One's future in the U.S. - man, it's wide open. So many people are so sick of NASCAR and the otherwise amateurs (compared to F1) driving in the IRL, that I'm sure F1 would be very welcomed. I always thought a street race through Holmby Hills/Bel Air/Beverly Hills would be great: swoopy hills, great landscape, racing down Sunset Boulevard, etc...

I've also heard it's a bit cost prohibitive to get an F1 team out here. Bernie wants something like $1 million a team to get a race started.

Zeke · 06-20-2004, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dd74
Ralf sat there a good five minutes before anyone came to get him.

I've also heard it's a bit cost prohibitive to get an F1 team out here. Bernie wants something like $1 million a team to get a race started.

Ralf's deal was scary. He was no doubt unconcious for some of that time. Derek Daly was about to crap his pants over this lack of immediate medical response.

F1 was 4 million to come to Long Beach last time they raced here. No telling what it is now. OTOH, have you seen the stuff the teams take to the races now? 20 tons per team. They need a C-17 per team for chrissake.

They need to be limited to 2 cars per driver and one spare nose and one spare wing plus the extra wheels. And some tools. Enough of this 30+ computers for each team. These guys don't rebuild a car in the middle of a race like Nextel Cup. They miss one or two laps and it's game over. So why all the spares? You jack up 2 cars in one weekend, it's time to load and go home.

Eagle Keeper · Eagle Keeper's Garage

Ralph is going to be OK!! He has some brusing and they are going to keep him over night for opservation. Just got the info from the F1 home page.

F1 Page

Schrup · Schrup's Garage

Indy group better get it together, the commentators were shredding them every chance they got which seemed excessive.

Ed Bighi · Ed Bighi's Garage

Shredding them and rightly so. What amazes me about the USGP is how the FIA does everything they can to sanitize ever European track for safety resons, including the destruction of tumburello in San Marino, and then Bernie decides to run next to a concrete wall who could have easily taken the life of Ralph today if he had gone in front first. Maybe Tony George must be really good pleasing bernie when on his knees. While I like the idea of a USGP, I'll pass on Indiana. Now if it was in Laguna Seca, I would be there in a heartbeat. At least there would be something to do over there other than going to the track.

Best place for a race in the US? Something in Central Park or anywhere in the Manhattan if it were possible. Plenty of lodging, albeit expensive, but arguably the best and most varied cuisine in the country. Not to mention the extra activities. Definitely a more cosmopolitan environment which is more inline with the sophistication of F1. Hell, maybe even Vegas or back in Long Beach.

But right now, I would much rather go to Montreal than to Indy to watch an F1 race. Much better overall experience in my opinion.

trj911 · trj911's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Ed Bighi
But right now, I would much rather go to Montreal than to Indy to watch an F1 race. Much better overall experience in my opinion. [/B]

Have you been to Indy for the race? I had dinner with 3 guys who drove down from Montreal on Saturday night before the race and they didn't have a complaint. It was their 4th race and they planned on coming back next year. One of the problems with a lot of the F1 curcuits is lack of seats. You buy a ticket for $300+ per person and you sit in the same seat for everything from pracitce to quals to the race. Indy is big enough to allow you to sit anywhere you want for everything but the race. The front straight is empty for race day and the attendance was 120,000+ which is pretty good for F1 standards. Don't knock the race until you've had a chance to attend it and others. And if you make it out this way, I'd be happy to buy your ticket!

Ed Bighi · Ed Bighi's Garage

You don't live in Indiana by any chance do you? It's just my opinion, so please don't take offense. While I have been to a few F1 races down in Sao Paulo and one in Buenos Aires, it isn't because Sao Paulo, which is sort of my second home, that I don't firmly believe that the Brazilian GP would be better off back in Rio which offers a lot more to do and see than where it is now. I'm not knocking the USGP itself, but I sincerely feel there are better locations for it in the US. And not in Phoenix either, where it was for a while.

trj911 · trj911's Garage

How did you guess?

badcar · badcar's Garage

Indianapolis is a great venue and I am not saying this just because I live here....

The course offers many things other courses just can not. The longest stretch of full throttle speed, some of the toughest corner negotiations, and great viewing from multiple locations within the track. I sat at turn 8 on mound with a great view of the back straight and turn 9....simply awsome..

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

It was interesting to see the spin on the F1 site. They talked about the "quick medical attention" that Ralf got, and the reality was that the poor guy sat out there alone for what seemed like ages before *anyone* got there.

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

It was interesting to see the spin on the F1 site. They talked about the "quick medical attention" that Ralf got, and the reality was that the poor guy sat out there alone for what seemed like ages before *anyone* got there.