Came across this article today...

Looks like they've run into a problem concerning the funding for the USGP site, the Circuit of the Americas...


Austin Citizens File Suit Over $25m Payment

Adam Cooper | GMM | Posted June 22, 2011 Balen (BEL)


A lawsuit filed by three Austin citizens could disrupt preparations for the US GP. The lawsuit opposes the use of state funding for the construction of the circuit and could disrupt preparations for the race.

One of the plaintiffs is a teacher, Ewa Siwak, who lost her job in a recent round of spending cutbacks.

A key element of the financial plans for the race is that the sanctioning fee owed to Bernie Ecclestone is due to be taken care of by a $25m grant of public money from the Texas state’s Major Event Trust Fund.

The suit claims that it seeks to prevent “the unlawful plunder of public funds for promoters of a Formula One race at a time when the State of Texas claims it cannot afford to adequately fund essential services, such as its public education system.”

The $25m annual payment was guaranteed to Bernie Ecclestone by Texas State Comptroller Susan Combs in a letter of May 10 last year.

In the letter she assured him that the $25m fee for the 2012 race would be paid to Formula One World Championship Limited by July 31 2011, and that a similar amount would be paid for the remaining nine years of the contract, always before the end of July of the previous year.

The legal suit has been filed against Combs, in essence on the basis that the processes related to the Major Event Trust Fund were not correctly followed, and that she was not authorized to guarantee the payment to Ecclestone.
Among the key points cited by the plaintiffs are that there was no “highly competitive selection process” for the event.

They say that “offering public funds after the site selection has been made is an illegal gift for private purpose.”

It’s also claimed that the incremental increase in state and local tax income derived from the F1 event – and which justifies the use of the METF funding – has not been properly calculated.

 

Why am I not surprised?

Frankly, I think the whole thing is a mistake. I live about 200 miles from the track, and I'm not at all excited. Who wants to pay $500 per person? Who wants to come to Texas in JUNE? It's 100°!

 

Gee, I guess that I have to vent on this one!

Since we are discussing circuits it has come to light that Bernie wants to add yet another street circuit to the F1 calendar

Ecclestone Eyes Hong Kong as the next Addition

John May | GMM | Posted June 18, 2011


Hong Kong has taken its "first step" toward the Formula One calendar.

That step was a F1 single seater demonstration put on by Red Bull in the Chinese city-state featuring Jaime Alguersuari.

Automobile association president Wesley Wan is quoted by AFP as admitting Hong Kong is interested in staging a proper Grand Prix "one day."

"This is the first step in gaining the support of the people," he told the South China Morning Post.

"My dream is that Hong Kong, like Singapore, Malaysia and China, will be a stop on the Grand Prix circuit," added Wan.

He revealed that Hong Kong was singled out as a potential F1 venue prior to 1997.

"And as far as a street circuit is concerned, if Monte Carlo and Singapore can have it, why can't Hong Kong?" he said.


Yes sir, thats what F1 needs... Tilke designed circuits & a street race in Hong Kong.

It begs the question where in the heck are they going fit it in as space in Hong Kong is limited, very limited.

It will be another parade (procession) of a race with no real passing areas.

So now I get wind of what the ole troll Ecclestone has in store and I shudder cause I can see venues like Spa, Monza, Montreal (Circuit Gilles Villenueve), etc. being dropped like a hot potato all in the name of $$$$$.

Here's the latest victim, Circuit de Catalunya (Barcelona)...


Valencia To Be Spain’s Only GP In 2012

GMM | Posted June 28, 2011 / GMM Newswire


Valencia will be the only Spanish date on next year's Formula One calendar.

That was the claim on Tuesday of Radio Valencia as well as Cadena SER, the premier Spanish radio network.

The reports said Valencia, the Spanish port city and host of last Sunday's European Grand Prix, will take on the mantle of the Spanish Grand Prix in 2012 and beyond.

Also on Tuesday, Valencia mayor Rita Barbera told the EFE news agency the city wanted an earlier date on future F1 calendars.

In May, Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya hosted Spain's long-standing other F1 race, the Spanish Grand Prix.

Tuesday's radio reports said the fact Valencia will host the only Spanish F1 race in 2012 was based on a "verbal agreement" that will soon be memorialized in writing.

The event's new deal, reportedly agreed to by F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone over the weekend, runs through 2021 and gives Valencia the May date usually reserved for Barcelona.


Valencia?!!!! Valencia is a boring circuit lacking character and ambience when compared to the Barcelona circuit. I've seen and driven the Barcelona circuit and it is an challenging track especially in comparison to the inter-modal freight yard / shipping docks / marina, that is Valencia.

Gads, I wish that Ecclestone would just fade away into retirement and leave F1 alone before he saps all the life out of it in the name of euros or dollars, or whatever legal tender he deals in!

OK, my rant is over... till the next time Bernie gets my goat!

 

I totally agree. It's money, money, money.

I still say he's the Heaven's Gate leader reincarnated. Remember that photo I found last year?

 

You know Deb I had a good laugh over that and decided to go hunt up that post of your's with the photo of the Heaven's Gate / "Ecclestone the Troll" look-alike but couldn't find it.

Can you refresh my memory and re-post for old times sake... that and a good laugh!

 

I couldn't find it either, but this will do:



I guess the cell phone will give it away as to who's who!

 

Bernie & his evil twin (Marshall Applewhite).

Not saying that Bernie is good, just slightly less evil...

 

Not so sure about that. Applewhite was nice enough to remove himself from the planet, albeit with a gaggle of followers. We still have to deal with Bernie. And Bernie is killing F1.

 

If anyone is interested, there is a USGP Austin group on Facebook that is well worth belonging to: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Frien...57330087614878

 

Thank you Gromit for the link to FB.

After reading the comments on the FB page concerning the political manuvering over the fate of F1 in Austin, I guess there was a fair share of wrangling concerning the Austin city council's vote on whether or not to move forward with the approval of the circuit and F1 race.

Though I heartily support the concept of a USGP and the construction of a new purpose built facility for road racing in the US (shame it is a Tilke track) I would have preferred that the USGP return to its roots at the Glen or possibly move to another excellent venue, Road America!

Now others in F1 are voicing an opinion on marketing F1 in the USA and though they embrace the idea of having the USGP back on the calendar, the venue is a bit in doubt...



F1 Needs Two US Races On East/West Coasts

GMM / July 1, 2011 / GMM Newswire


Formula one needs the US but Martin Whitmarsh has admitted he would have preferred a pair of races on the east and west coasts.

After Indianapolis hosted America's most recent grand prix in 2007, the sport will return to the USA next June to race on a bespoke circuit in the capital of Texas.

But Austin is in the United States' central south rather than on the eastern seaboard featuring New York, or the west close to Washington or California.

"America doesn't need us, but we need to conquer it," Whitmarsh, not only boss of McLaren but also the F1 teams alliance FOTA, said during a fan's forum on Thursday at the British team's Woking factory.

"Maybe we need to have two races a year and a proper marketing programme. We have to conquer America -- that's a five-year programme. We've got to be on the east coast and the west coast.

"It's a big enough market and an important enough market to have two races and we should be over there.

"I have nothing against Texas and I hope it's a very successful race, but the natural hinterland for us is the east coast and the west coast. Long Beach and around New York; those are the places where we're going to create interest in F1," added Whitmarsh.

Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn agrees: "That (the east and west coast) is the commercial and business side."

And Force India's deputy team principal Bob Fernley added: "The west coast and the east coast are the natural homes for F1 in America."

 

I came across this article and video concerning Robert Kubica's rallye car accident...

Polish Authorities Recreate Kubica Rally Crash

GMM | Posted July 05, 2011 GMM Newswire

Polish authorities have recreated the kind of accident that earlier this year seriously injured Formula One driver Robert Kubica.

Renault's Kubica suffered horrific injuries during a minor Italian rally in February when arm-co barriers skewered his Skoda.

Near-identical Skoda Fabias was used for the recreation in Poland, where they were shot at 110 kilometers per hour against the arm-co at a 20 degree angle, and then compared to the same crash on a stretch of arm-co that was properly installed.

The footage can be seen at:

 

Alot of folks in the media these days are singing the praises of the Drag Reduction System (DRS) being currently employed in F1 as having improved the racing.

OK, so we have more passing but at what cost?

I myself am not a fan of this artificially contrived "leveling of the playing field" in an attempt to facilitate overtaking. It just "grinds my gears" when I think that overtaking is now in the hands of the FIA with their "DRS activation zones" and not a province of the person behind the wheel.

I have to agree with Jacques Villeneuve in his assesment of the Canadian GP, where Michael Schumacher couldn't even defend his hard won position and should have been on the podium...


Artificial DRS Makes F1 'Boring' - Villeneuve: Jacques Villeneuve on Monday admitted he has given up on Formula One. Last year, the 1997 World Champion was pushing hard to make a comeback, but at Williams' headquarters in Oxfordshire he admitted he no longer even watches the races. "I just can't be bothered. Halfway through the race I'm yawning and it's really tough ... and I just get upset," the 40-year-old told Reuters at the launch of his former team's new engine supply deal with Renault. Villeneuve explained that his major qualm is with the DRS overtaking system, which he has previously denounced as "too artificial. When I see these guys not even being able to defend, like Michael (Schumacher) — he should have been on the podium in Montreal," he said. "All the ... overtaking with the DRS, I'm just falling asleep ... useless, boring, it's not even racing." He is also critical of the amount of penalties handed out to drivers like Lewis Hamilton for banging wheels with his rivals. "It's fun, it's a good show, the fans are up in the grandstands and they can scream and shout about it ... that's good, that's what you want," said Villeneuve.


Villeneuve's words may be construed as a way to gracefully exit his search for a place in F1 but he has always been an outspoken person and I find myself in agreeance when he says that the use of the DRS is "too artificial".

 

Get rid of KERS, and make DRS available ALL THE TIME. Around the whole track, to use whenever any one wants it.

 

Or just bring back ground effects so the cars are less dependent on "clean air" for racing. Give them another form of downforce and you'll see cars that can get closer to each other to actually race..... like GP2.

 

And the beat goes on... Marching to the beat of Bernie's drum that is.

Talk of another street race in F1 is going on!

Just what F1 needs another street race...

South Africa GP Deal Signing 'Weeks Away' - Ecclestone: Just days ago, Force India deputy team boss Bob Fernley said Formula One should be targeting a race in Africa. "It's the only major continent that we're not working on and I'd like to see us go back there," he said. According to reports from South Africa on Wednesday, Bernie Ecclestone is indeed close to finalizing a contract for organizers of an event in Cape Town to sign. Iol.co.za quotes him as saying the street race could be held within two years, with a deal "weeks away from signing. I'm hoping we can make a decision as soon as our lawyers have a good look at them ... within the next couple of weeks," said the F1 chief executive. "It'll be good to be back in South Africa. We were very happy when it was here in the past." The last South African GP, at the Kyalami circuit, was won by Alain Prost in 1993.

Kyalami is a great circuit yet Bernie and his lust for money have taken F1 to yet again another street venue.

F1 doesn't need more street circuits it needs to race on dedicated road courses.

 

I'd go one further and say it needs more races on dedicated road courses NOT DESIGNED BY HERMANN TILKE!!! We lose brilliant tracks like Barcelona and Magny Cours, and get street circuits in return. BOO :(

 

No, the other way around. KERS is just added horsepower and the entrance into a newer technology (at least for race cars). DRS is the artificial contrivance...

 

Given a choice, which would you guys prefer? 1. KERS 2. DRS 3. New race in yet another ridiculously distant country or 4. A good hitman with Bernie's photo and address?

I'm voting for #4. Heck, I'll even help pay...

 

No, I don't think so. B.E. has really done a lot for the sport. He's also done some questionable things that I don't understand. I do believe that he is dedicated to the financial health of F-1. I also doubt that no one person could replace him.

 

Bernie has done some great things for the sport.... unfortunately most of those things were long ago. As for his dedication to financial health, I'm not sure if it's F1's financial health or his own. He's been putting races in areas that are willing to shower him with money, but nobody can/will attend. Ever looked at the stands in China? Money seems to be his only concern, with no thought to the fans, the quality of racing, or even the political stability of the host country (see also: Bahrain).

 

^+1.

Spot on chkltcow!

 

Hey deb, I'm with you on #4

How much can I throw in the "kitty" to aid in this endeavor?

 

http://www.yallaf1.com/2011/06/20/pe...llion-mansion/

Anybody catch this when it hit the news a few weeks ago?? What every 24 yr old needs.....

 

Well, well, well...

Now we know where the $$$$$$$ Bernie amasses gouging F1 (the teams, the venues and the F1 fans) goes!

That's not a mansion... its a resort hotel!

Good Godfrey! What do you do with all that space?

 

I didn't actually read that article so I'm not sure if it mentioned the London residence she also purchased previously for $95 MILLION! When I saw this story on TV they quoted her saying she needed that particular London pad because her dog needed a garden to "do its business" in...

How do people get so out of touch with reality??