What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

Open Wheel Racing 2010...He's baaack...He's gone...

Re: Open Wheel Racing 2010...He's baaack...He's gone...

JuveGG24 said:
Formula 1 is heading to Austin.

Brand new track.
Click to expand...

I would really like to know how this venue plans on staying financially viable... There is going to need to be a ton of infrastructure to be F1 ready, and that is well above and beyond what the road race community here in the US seems capable of supporting... Look at the two newest "major" road courses built: Barber Motorsports Park and the track in Salt Lake, which the name eludes me at the moment... Both are great facilities, but both really lack the infrastructure to host anything more than ALMS or a small-medium Indy crowd.... That is probably around 30K tops... F1 would probably be around double that, maybe more...

To me, that seems like a huge investment for one event per year... I am sure ALMS, Grand-Am, and Indycar will try and utilize the facility, but those events aren't going to be very profitable... The only profitable events would be F1 and NASCAR Cup (and don't hold your breath on the latter)... The fact that an F1 event got too pricey for the George family to host just seems like a huge red flag to me... I can't see this being a long term, viable option...
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2010...He's baaack...He's gone...

Miller Motorsports Park.

To go on your worries- Tony George did ok at Indy, and managed to keep the ticket prices reasonable by selling 200-300k of them at a facility capable of holding 600k.

The biggest other F1 is somewhere around 100k, I think.

So to be sustainable, the ticket prices will be pretty expensive.

And the track will be so pricey to build that even the SCCA will have a tough time paying for a weekend, I think. Only the highest pro series will be able to afford running there.

But worst of all- where's the money coming from to even build the facility????

I really hope it works, but I see more money needed than the F1 team that didn't go anywhere.
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2010...He's baaack...He's gone...

This track being in Austin doesn't really fit the F1 business plan of being in a major market. I know there's a lot of large cities within 3 hrs of there, but city of Austin isn't nearly as glitzy as Vagas, NYC, LA or maybe even Miami. Quite a curious choice.

As far as other series racing on it....I would think the F1 contract would clearly not allow any other open wheel series from racing on the track. It would be a natural for the IRL to race there.

I agree that I can't see any series but the taxi's being able to afford to "rent" the place for a weekend. I doubt the IRL could afford it.
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2010...He's baaack...He's gone...

I would love to be a fly on the wall at the Red Bull post race discussion.

Q: Have you received a phone call from Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz?
Helmut Marko: Yes. What does the Queen say? We are not amused? That’s what he said…that he was not amused!
Q: Helmut, how disappointed do you feel to have let victory slip from your grasp?
Helmut Marko: A sure-fire one-two to be exact! It leaves you speechless.

Q: Do you regret there are no team orders anymore?
HM: Well, we thought that we had two responsible drivers who wouldn’t get into such a situation in the first place.

Q: Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said he didn’t believe it was Vettel’s fault. Is this the official opinion of the team?
HM: Well, in the situation Sebastian was in, he had no other choice than to act the way he did.

Q: How will the team respond?
HM: We will carefully analyse the situation and sit down with all involved to have a serious word about what happened and how to handle situations like that in the future.

Q: Will you change something in the future to avoid such an incident happening again?
HM: Well, first of all we always told them that it is a strict no-go to go to the wall with each other. Whatever happens they always have to give room to the other. I hope that all the people involved will think a bit more in the future before acting.

Q: That suggests that one of the two should have given way to the other…
HM: Yes.

Q: And you will discuss with them who that should have been …
HM: Yes.

Q: Is it true that the team gave instructions to Mark Webber’s race engineer to let Sebastian Vettel pass because otherwise Lewis (Hamilton)would be able to overtake?
HM: That is not correct, because that would mean a team order. We informed Mark about the situation and it is for the driver to decide. The fact is that if Sebastian hadn’t passed he would have been overtaken by Hamilton.
Click to expand...
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2010...He's baaack...He's gone...

What an eventful weekend.

I missed the F1 race, going fishing instead, and I sure missed a good one.

Indy: What a crazy race.

First off, it was ametuer hour as far as single car accidents, pitting problems and blocking. What an embarrassment to Indy Car.

Secondly, the race broadcast was a joke. They missed a few passes for the lead, and NEVER re-showed them! ***? At the end when Dario was slowing down bigtime, tell us intervals to the guy behind. The interval was the story there. Build some excitement.

Thirdly, John Andretti is still a total joke out there. When he crashed out and said "I don't really know what happened..." I just about pead my pants as I got a flashback to the 1990's when he was a full time driver. EVERY time he crashed out or screwed up back then, he always started the post screw up interview with "I don't really know what happened". LOL

Dario was the man, but I think the cars in traffic had a lot of issues passing. Power, Helio and Dixon should have been able to claw their way through the field to the front once they had their problems, but just couldn't. Power not being able to get by Danicaon the last stint was an embarrassement.

And why does every race come down to mileage? I think Briscoe might have had Dario's number as he pitted last of the leaders, so he would have had enough fuel on board at the end to make it interesting. But he screwed up too. :mad:
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2010...He's baaack...He's gone...

Big arrival today- our tickets to the F1 race at Monza showed up today!

Just over 3 months to the race!!!
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2010...He's baaack...He's gone...

Timothy A said:
Are you taking MattS and/or me to the race with you? :D
Click to expand...

Only if you are willing to run a half marathon ON THE TRACk as well. ;)

Celebrating 15 years this fall with Mrs Alfa, and we happened to also find a half marathon that starts and finishes on the track the week later. Pretty sweet.

This one will be a lot different than the race at Spa a few years ago- Spa was kind of in the middle of nowhere, Monza is a 'burb of Milan. So I think driving is out for this one- no hidden back ways in like we found at Spa.

Should be really fun for Mrs Alfa who has been forced into being a Ferrari fan this year....:D
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2010...He's baaack...He's gone...

alfablue said:
Only if you are willing to run a half marathon ON THE TRACk as well. ;)

Celebrating 15 years this fall with Mrs Alfa, and we happened to also find a half marathon that starts and finishes on the track the week later. Pretty sweet.

This one will be a lot different than the race at Spa a few years ago- Spa was kind of in the middle of nowhere, Monza is a 'burb of Milan. So I think driving is out for this one- no hidden back ways in like we found at Spa.

Should be really fun for Mrs Alfa who has been forced into being a Ferrari fan this year....:D
Click to expand...

Not sure I can do a half marahon. How about a 10k? Close enough? Heck I will even let you and Mrs. Alfa has some "alone time"! Being your anny and all. I won't be a bother. Honest.;)
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2010...He's baaack...He's gone...

Simple win from pole for Hamilton today in Canada, eh?

If you say yes, you may want to see the highlights- it was a pretty interesting race- seeing how all the teams dealt with some bad tires.

And based on the radio broadcasts between Vettel and RBR, well, all is not well in Austria...
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2010...He's baaack...He's gone...

Pretty straight forward win for Vettel in Valencia today- missed the last 1/4 of the race thanks to the sever weather and tornado warnings here in SE MI.

Vettel's closest challenge was in turn 2, when he and Hamilton touched tires twice, but only light damage to Lewis' nose.

Nasty crash for Weber, when he drove over the back of Koivolinen.

Which then caused the most drama of the race, when Hamilton did the greatest screwjob over Ferrari! :D The safety car came out near him, and he balked a little then passed the SC. OTOH, Alonso didn't and since he got held up, he came out in 9th. But Hamilton came back out 2nd.

So Alonso complains, and the stewards investigate, and give Lewis a drive through penalty for what he did. Thanks to Kobiashi not pitting, and he was driving slowly, Hamilton put down some very fast laps, and managed to come out of his penalty without loosing a place.

Naturally, Alonso was upset. :)

Call it revenge for Hungary, and that entire season. But it was pretty sweet how Hamilton really pulled a fast one on the Italians!!!
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2010...He's baaack...He's gone...

Sure, the 1 Sunday Am I can watch a race live and it's not on SPEED. That sucked.

I've seen so little F1 I feel like the season hasn't even started yet. :(
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2010...He's baaack...He's gone...

solovsfett said:
http://www.indycar.com/tech/content/34186-indycar-2012/

I don't like the Lola Chassis nor the Deltawing (which looks completely lame, hence *I think* why they don't show overhead shots)
Click to expand...

Honestly, I don't like any of them. Not for what they are, but what they represent- a sanctioning body who is not capable of writing rules so that multiple chassis builders can make cars.

It's bad enough that the engine builders need "permission", but for that all to end up in a spec chassis seems weak. I liked it when a Penske raced a March and Lola chassis. While a lot of work, it's still quite possible to write the rules narrowly enough that good engineering will let multiple companies make cars that also make them some money.

Oh, well.
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2010...He's baaack...He's gone...

I kind of like the Delta wing, but I liked the 6 wheeled Tyrell too. I guess it's really lightweight and would only need like 450 hp to get it in the 230 mph's. It's probably too radical for mainstream.

I was watching the 1991 Milwaukee 200 @ Indycar Garage the last few days. What great racing! I say bring back those exact cars and engines. Those cars handled real well in traffic.
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2010...He's baaack...He's gone...

what is the deal with F1 teams constantly having this pecking order where they need to favor one driver over another?

I'm happy Mark Webber won and I'm happy he finally said something about his situation. It's appalling really.

sucks that Senna was out but on that team there is nothing that even Lewis Hamilton or any of the top 4-5 could do really.
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2010...He's baaack...He's gone...

solovsfett said:
what is the deal with F1 teams constantly having this pecking order where they need to favor one driver over another?

I'm happy Mark Webber won and I'm happy he finally said something about his situation. It's appalling really.

sucks that Senna was out but on that team there is nothing that even Lewis Hamilton or any of the top 4-5 could do really.
Click to expand...

It's been that way for years and years...as long as I can remember. The most interesting part is that Webber is doing the better job right right now even though he's getting screwed by his own team.
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2010...He's baaack...He's gone...

MattS said:
It's been that way for years and years...as long as I can remember. The most interesting part is that Webber is doing the better job right right now even though he's getting screwed by his own team.
Click to expand...

I know it's systemic to F1 I just don't understand why it there in the first place. Maybe in situations where you've got Schumacher (in his prime) and Rubens you can obviously see who'd get the better equips first, but in situations where you've got Hamilton/Button, Webber/Vettel, Alonso/Massa those are some fairly evenly matched drivers and you'd think it would destroy morale to favor one guy so consistently and especially when the guy in-favor is not racing as well as the 2nd driver.

I like Vettel as a driver as much as anyone but Webber is just as good if not better right now, to take the wing off Mark's car and give it to Vettel was just wrong.

Webber has improved his stock now to the point that in 2012 I'd think if Mclaren or Ferrari have openings they'd put him on top of the list.

great season thusfar in F1 for the points race. I wouldn't have thought Red Bull would have made the ascension to the top so quickly, and also Force India has improved in leaps and bounds.
 
Re: Open Wheel Racing 2010...He's baaack...He's gone...

I guess today is D Day for the IRL with the new chassis/engine rules for 2012 being released. There better be multiple engine/chassis choices, that's all I ask. No more spec racing, please.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top