Ecclestone targeting New York City again for USGP?

[garyshell]

http://www.racer.com/ecclestone-targeting-new-york-city-again-for-usgp/article/166502/

Hmmm. Bernie must be about ready to restart negotiations with Indianapolis. I can see no other reason why this "rumor" (aka planted story by Bernie) would resurface. There isn't a snowball's chance in hell of a race in NYC. That is a total non-starter. The entire notion is laughable.

Gary

[UltimateDanGTR]

New York? oh blimey, if only he could look at watkins glen or road america without dollar signs in his eyes or thinking 'these pit garages aren't good enough'......

[ArrowsFA1]

NY has been talked about as a venue for decades. Hasn't happened yet :p

[jens]

Oh no, yet another street circuit? Looks like after Bahrain Bernie sees street circuits as the only solution for exciting racing, because barriers are close and with crashes and safety cars something is bound to happen. :p :

[Sonic]

I wonder why, when its so clear to all of us that these claims that pop out of Bernies mouth from time to time are total BS, he is seen as this business genius?

He's totally out of touch if he thinks this kind of posturing will sway anyone.

[UltimateDanGTR]

I wonder why, when its so clear to all of us that these claims that pop out of Bernies mouth from time to time are total BS, he is seen as this business genius?

He's totally out of touch if he thinks this kind of posturing will sway anyone.

he's a genius because he's managed to take over the commercial running of this sport and makes sure his pocket benefits first and foremost over fans, teams and drivers. ;) (although technically its now CVC's pockets as well)

unfortunatly.

[Sonic]

he's a genius because he's managed to take over the commercial running of this sport and makes sure his pocket benefits first and foremost over fans, teams and drivers. ;) (although technically its now CVC's pockets as well)

unfortunatly.

Was a genius. There is no room for crass Bernie style "negotiations" in F1 anymore.

[truefan72]

I;m not interested unless it is an actual circuit and not a city street circuit. Also I doubt that anyone in NYC is willing to be held ransom by bernie and his outrageous demands and fee's. The stature of NYC is such that they don't need F1 and would only do so if they please. Besides I also doubt NYC would be willing to build permanent pits and garages in the city for a race to be held once a year in one of the most expensive real estate markets in the world.

My guess, this is just tactics to entice Indy to up their offer. Fat chance on that Happening too. If Montreal, Germany & Spa can reduce their fees and host an F1 race then Indy will follow suit.

[Easy Drifter]

It is a for sure done deal in New Jersey except for a couple of teeny details.

1. No promoter.
2. No track.
3. No interest.
4. No money.

Now what could possibly stop it from happening?

[Placid]

It is a for sure done deal in New Jersey except for a couple of teeny details.

1. No promoter.
2. No track.
3. No interest.
4. No money.

Now what could possibly stop it from happening?
A US team. Other than that no race.

[gloomyDAY]

(nuturing mother's voice) uh oh...someone pooped their pants and is having a teenie weenie fit!

[christophulus]

He should stop trying to force the issue. If someone thinks it makes financial sense, they'll approach Bernie with a big wad of cash. Something tells me that isn't going to happen.

[turismo6]

Rather it be Vagas at nigth (not sure what will happen to the time zones with that) or around Mulholland Dr.



Rome coming with the supposed Russia and India knocking at the f1 door can't see f1 going to U.S before then, unless there was a American driver in f1 or some sort of United States Formula 1 team.

[I am evil Homer]

Vegas hosts a street race in IRL doesn't it? Couldn't that be used for F1? I mean the city has the number of hotel rooms required at least!

[AndyL]

... or around Mulholland Dr.

Jay Leno would vote for that one!
http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/at-the-garage/super-cars/the-fast-and-the-famous-in-search-of-hollywoods-hidden-street-circuit/

[garyshell]

Vegas hosts a street race in IRL doesn't it? Couldn't that be used for F1? I mean the city has the number of hotel rooms required at least!


Hosted. Past tense. And it was CCWS not the IRL. The local sheriff was (and is) a real piece of work, making life very difficult for the organizers.

Gary

[billiaml]

I love NYC, but I wouldn't want to drive those streets in anything but a rental car or a taxi cab. So, unless someone comes up with the $$ for a MAJOR re-paving job, I don't see it happening there.

There are, of course, other locations -- many of which are closer to my house ;) -- I'd rather see them race. :D

[Dr. Krogshöj]

Hosted. Past tense. And it was CCWS not the IRL. The local sheriff was (and is) a real piece of work, making life very difficult for the organizers.

Gary

I thought that was Phoenix? Sheriff Joe Arpaio?

On the subject I think both New York and Las Vegas are bad ideas to hold any kind of auto race. Every attempt from CART to NASCAR to crack the New York market failed. I just don't see it as a racing town... As for Vegas, it is a fun place but it doesn't need another attraction and people don't go to Vegas to watch races.

[UltimateDanGTR]

Was a genius. There is no room for crass Bernie style "negotiations" in F1 anymore.

but he will keep on cheating race tracks and the fans until he dies. unfortunatly, though some of his latest ideas have been INSANE (for F1 at least). shortcuts, medals, and the endless tilke-drome fetish he has, it will never end until he does.

[racefanfromnj]

as i am from newjersey id absolutely support this but sadly it wont happen only pipe dream is thunderbolt raceway in south jersey but no way that place is up to it yet

[edv]

as i am from newjersey id absolutely support this but sadly it wont happen only pipe dream is thunderbolt raceway in south jersey but no way that place is up to it yet

It's the Punctuation Situation!

[nigelred5]

It would make more sense to dump $50 million into Watkins Glen, build some garages and a hotel with a few bidets for the teams and race F1 cars on a real damn race track. I'm so sick of the crap they are racing on these days.

FWIW, I thought The CCWS Las Vegas street course was a really exciting layout and a couple changes from a great course.

[call_me_andrew]

NYC track: will never happen.

The only place in NYC that could be made into a half-decent track is Central Park, and you'd have to cut down half the trees in the park to make it happen.

Recently I've spent some time Google Mapping my way around San Diego in the hopes of locating a possible street circuit. Everything that wasn't a 90-degree turn had a railroad crossing.

[garyshell]

Bernie has been saying it is not to be in Manhattan, but over the river in New Jersey with Manhattan as the backdrop. Think Meadowlands.

Gary

[turismo6]

San francisco; f1 tracks really need to get some jumps. Do scalextric still make loops?

[ShiftingGears]

http://theracingline.net/racingcircuits/racingcircuits/UnitedStates/ny/Watkins%20Glen%201948.gif

10.6 km. Easy enough ;)

[DexDexter]

http://www.racer.com/ecclestone-targeting-new-york-city-again-for-usgp/article/166502/

Hmmm. Bernie must be about ready to restart negotiations with Indianapolis. I can see no other reason why this "rumor" (aka planted story by Bernie) would resurface. There isn't a snowball's chance in hell of a race in NYC. That is a total non-starter. The entire notion is laughable.

Gary

I'm sure you're right, but if they somehow managed to stage a race, it could be a success since NYC is such an international place. That's why Bernie is probably targeting it.

[D28]

I see absolutely no chance of this happening, and I suspect BE does not either. Each passing year without a race, the chances for a US GP diminish. F1 is not even readily available to TV viewers. I cannot see any promotor repeating the Tony George example of pouring millions into a facility, only to have Bernie pull the rug away 5 years later. This trick has been played once too often. Americans have little appetite for public expenditure on sports facilities, particularly in todays climate. This is in contrast to the Canadian GP which receives funding from 3 levels of government.
IMO, a US GP either happens at Indy or not at all. I have no idea if the current IMS owners even desire a revived F1 race.

[Mark in Oshawa]

http://theracingline.net/racingcircuits/racingcircuits/UnitedStates/ny/Watkins%20Glen%201948.gif

10.6 km. Easy enough ;)

Sure...the old Glen? lol...parts of that are still gravel....lol...it was dangerous in 1950!!!

AS for Bernie in the Meadowlands, the CART boys were there for a few years...I think they were drawing enough friends and family to pay for the marshal's beer bash and that was about it....

NYC could CARE LESS about racing. When will people wake up to this reality?

Bernie is trying to play chicken with Mari Hulman obviously, and THAT is not wise. Mari I am sure is smart enough to see this all for what it is, and when Bernie comes hat in hand to try to push the USGP down someone's throat, he will find out what he has always found out. Americans are not buying his BS or his little tinpot racing series that the world loves but Americans just don't quite get.

Lets face the reality....in the USA NASCAR is king and has been for a while. Watch 10 NASCAR races and watch 10 GP's and there is more passing in the first 20 laps of the first NASCAR race than there can be in 10 races of f1. IT isn't that this is better or worse, but Americans like action. Those that is, that love racing. None of those seem to live in New York. NONE.

[call_me_andrew]

One of the nice things about street races are that locals will show up for the party; you don't need these "fans" as you call them. If you can find the right streets, the right city, and the right pitch; maybe Bernie will take your phone calls.

[DexDexter]

Sure...the old Glen? lol...parts of that are still gravel....lol...it was dangerous in 1950!!!

AS for Bernie in the Meadowlands, the CART boys were there for a few years...I think they were drawing enough friends and family to pay for the marshal's beer bash and that was about it....

NYC could CARE LESS about racing. When will people wake up to this reality?

Bernie is trying to play chicken with Mari Hulman obviously, and THAT is not wise. Mari I am sure is smart enough to see this all for what it is, and when Bernie comes hat in hand to try to push the USGP down someone's throat, he will find out what he has always found out. Americans are not buying his BS or his little tinpot racing series that the world loves but Americans just don't quite get.

Lets face the reality....in the USA NASCAR is king and has been for a while. Watch 10 NASCAR races and watch 10 GP's and there is more passing in the first 20 laps of the first NASCAR race than there can be in 10 races of f1. IT isn't that this is better or worse, but Americans like action. Those that is, that love racing. None of those seem to live in New York. NONE.

A lot of New Yorkers aren't Americans so they could like F1, right? The rest of the world sure does.

[Mark in Oshawa]

A lot of New Yorkers aren't Americans so they could like F1, right? The rest of the world sure does.

Lots of New Yorkers are not Americans? Really? Trust me, just NOT being American wouldn't be enough to qualify you automatically as a f1 fan. If you hold your theory as gospel, then Football (soccer to the Americans) would rule in New York. It doesn't, Yankee's baseball and Giants football does. Trust me, most of the people in the tristate area around New York City are American and NOT really into any racing, F1, Indycar or NASCAR.

The chances of a street race in New York City are slim and none and slim left town.

To show you the anti racing animus in that town, on Staten Island, there is basically a lot of industrial wasteland that International Speedway Corp wanted to build an oval on for NASCAR. The citizens prefer a dump basically because they came out in force more or less to stop the track. This is land no one can live on really....and it is Staten Island, not even part of the heavily built up areas of Manhatten or Brooklyn.

NYC could care less about racing....

[52Paddy]

NYC could CARE LESS about racing. When will people wake up to this reality?




NYC could care less about racing....

"Couldn't" you mean?

Regardless, I don't expect Bernie's BS to work this time around. F1 has always struggled in America and today, it is not any better. Possibly worse actually given the USF1 disaster and the Indianapolis fiasco a few years back.

[call_me_andrew]

"Couldn't" you mean?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=I%20could%20care%20less

[Mark in Oshawa]

"Couldn't" you mean?

Regardless, I don't expect Bernie's BS to work this time around. F1 has always struggled in America and today, it is not any better. Possibly worse actually given the USF1 disaster and the Indianapolis fiasco a few years back.

ooops...lol..you know what I meant however...

[52Paddy]

ooops...lol..you know what I meant however...

That's true, just letting you know that some people wouldn't be polite about it :)

[e2mtt]

How about running a race on Floyd Bennet field on Long Island? Nice deserted airport for some wide open action...

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=Floyd+Bennett+Field,+Queens,+New+York&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=Ff00awIdzXqY-w&split=0&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=23.875,57.630033&hq=&hnear=Floyd+Bennett+Field,+Queens,+New+York&ll=40.594566,-73.890052&spn=0.024245,0.037122&t=h&z=15

I know it won't really happen...

[call_me_andrew]

AS for Bernie in the Meadowlands, the CART boys were there for a few years...I think they were drawing enough friends and family to pay for the marshal's beer bash and that was about it....

NYC could CARE LESS about racing. When will people wake up to this reality?

Video evidience found: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH44tMpWOwo

The goal shouldn't be one of getting NYC (or Americans in general) to show up at a race. The goal should be to get Europeans to show up in America for a race.

[markabilly]

it will be either Indy or nothing. I can not see any government, national, state or local, being willing to do a NY scenario or anything like that.

and in that absence of government money, it leaves Nascar and Indy, so????

Only Indy has the track, facilities and money to bring Bernie to the USA...I would love it at the Seca, but that is just sweet dreams by me...

as to NASCAR< I would love to see NASCAR involved as it would rock the world of Ioan, no doubt..

[DexDexter]

Lots of New Yorkers are not Americans? Really? Trust me, just NOT being American wouldn't be enough to qualify you automatically as a f1 fan. If you hold your theory as gospel, then Football (soccer to the Americans) would rule in New York. It doesn't, Yankee's baseball and Giants football does. Trust me, most of the people in the tristate area around New York City are American and NOT really into any racing, F1, Indycar or NASCAR.

The chances of a street race in New York City are slim and none and slim left town.

To show you the anti racing animus in that town, on Staten Island, there is basically a lot of industrial wasteland that International Speedway Corp wanted to build an oval on for NASCAR. The citizens prefer a dump basically because they came out in force more or less to stop the track. This is land no one can live on really....and it is Staten Island, not even part of the heavily built up areas of Manhatten or Brooklyn.

NYC could care less about racing....

"Today, 36.7% of the city's population is foreign born"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#Demographics

Of course that doesn't mean that they're automatically F1 fans but generally people who are not North Americans are more aware of F1, since it's a huge sport on a global scale.

[52Paddy]

Apparently Bernie tried for a race in New York in the early 80s according to the latest edition of Motorsport News.

[D28]

"Today, 36.7% of the city's population is foreign born"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#Demographics

Of course that doesn't mean that they're automatically F1 fans but generally people who are not North Americans are more aware of F1, since it's a huge sport on a global scale.

You do not have to have recently arrived from Europe to appreciate F1. There are over 12 million Americans in the greater NYC-NJ area, and a sizeable number of them are F1 fans. We know this from the 60s and 70s when the region supported international racing at Bridgehampton and also at Watkins Glen, a 3hr journey away. In its heyday in the US F1 boasted 3 or 4 competitive drivers and 1 world champion, 2 if you include 1978.
Along with the F1 fans, there is a sizable contingent of eco-zealots who may be counted on to oppose any race layout. This is essentially what happened with Bridgehamton, now partially a golf course.
The last thing motorsport needs IMO is another street, or temporary circuit. Monaco is there for historical reasons, but really most others do not suit F1 very well.
Which brings us back to Indy. True the circuit is not great, 2 good corners along with an infield portion. It does however meet all the other requirements of F1 management. Bernie cannot argue it is in the middle of nowhere, as it hosts the world's largest race once a year. Obviously the technical and accomodation facilities are present.
With over 300 million people the US has enough fans to support a GP. F1 can never rival NASCAR for popularity, but it can exist as a niche sport.
NASCAR was recently a niche sport too, but while formula racing engaged in a 15 year internecine war, NASCAR went from strength to strength. What ever one thinks of the racing, the marketing and entertainment strategy has been brilliant. During this same period F1 wasted a lot of time journeying from one sad city circuit to another, followed by years of no GP. Now it is too late for it to catch up.

[call_me_andrew]

Indy has 2 good corners now?