I read last night in the Racer magazine that Ecclestone is looking for a new site to run the US GP after the contract expires this year with the current speedway. He is considering Las Vegas, but not the Speedway. He wants to run on the world famous "strip" next to the hotels, using the streets, just like Monaco.
That will be awesome!!:redspot :alright
I'll be there every year.:devillook :buttrock

if that does happen i would be right next to u. an american Manaco :buttrock

I heard they wont do that because the roads are too messed up....it would be freaking awesome though!

The council from Vegas turned down any possibility of there being a GP on the roads of Vegas due to their current state. There was an article somewhere on F1live.com not too long ago. Either way they better figure out what to do soon because there are a lot of countries bidding for a spot on the schedule and having 2 North American races upsets some people.

Personally, i favor with it staying at Indy.

There was thought in the past of running a Formula 1 race at Laguna Seca, and the track's been modified for FIA Motorcycle racing to meet the basic safety (run-off room, track length, pits, etc) requirements of running of a Formula 1 race as well. The stickler would be the huge amount of up-front money Eccelstone and his merry mob of sychophants would demand. The Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP) is a feisty organization: maybe not a good fit with the FIA bureaucracy.

wish the Vegas hotel guys would through alittle money together to fix the roads up. it would be a brilliant investment that would give them an insane return on their investment. imagine how much more money a F1 grand prix would bring to the Vegas strip.:eek: i know they have enough to dip into there profits alittle if they all pool it together.

I heard they wont do that because the roads are too messed up....it would be freaking awesome though!

The council from Vegas turned down any possibility of there being a GP on the roads of Vegas due to their current state
I'm sorry, but I've never heard that.:confused
The roads, the "strip" is awesome. Now how they are going to connect it? It's funny, but they recently finished a new road behind the casinos (Frank Sinatra Dr) and it's not straight, nor flat. They could use Spring Mountain and Russell Rd to complete the circuit, and those avenues are in perfect condition and in front of "Wynn Resort" and "Mandalay Bay".
Las Vegas' Mayor is trying to bring a pro team, so I don't think they would turn down the idea of having so much money coming in one weekend, just like NASCAR weekend. He is so happy the NBA game is coming.
One more thing. The Las Vegas Speedway is expanding its seating areas and paddocks......:confused

if that does happen i would be right next to u. an american Manaco :buttrock

just like Monaco...

without the coastline, the beauty and the class.

just like Monaco...

without the coastline, the beauty and the class.
that is true, but its as close as we can get. america doesnt have all that Monaco money or class, were to young of a country. the closest thing in beauty is the ocean highway but that will never happen, only in rallies.

i will find the article on F1live.com and post the link. Im positive about reading it. I have never been to Vegas myself so i cant tell you from my own opinion hence my statement is purely due to what i have read in the media.

Actually i take back what i have said as i interpreted what i read erroneously. Here is the article on another motorsports site. It states how the streets are not designed for it....with major infrastructure costs to get them ready.

http://www.wheels24.co.za/Wheels24/NewsPics/0,,1369-1375_1889757,00.html

IIRC, F1 used to race in vegas no?

If I remember the stories right it was basically compared to an autox because it was in a small bumpy parking lot with little to no room for speed-passing

however, I dont remember if it was F1 or another major series

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

yea just confirmed, the 81-82 grand prixs were run in the parking lot of ceasars...

they only drew small crowds so the idea was thrown out right away...

would you even be able to make an interesting circut from the streets of vegas? it seems you would just go down and back no? what about the heat, in the summer when this would be run it is 114 every frickin day! i sure wouldn't want to drive a full race in that heat.

i would vote on road america hands down! that would be the best possible track for them to run on in the united states. then leguna, or maybe portland?

I'm pretty sure there will never be another track like Monaco in F1 although Vegas would be a good choice if it were possible... the cars are just too fast for a normal road without proper safety zones.

just like Monaco...

without the coastline, the beauty and the class.

:D Post Of The Year!

Las Vegas is the trailer park capital of the universe.

The problem will be finding a suitable venue that meets FIA standards. AFAIK, there isn't one in the US that will meet the design criteria from either a safety or capacity standpoint.

Road America would be awesome, though. It's large enough, but would cost millions to upgrade to FIA standards.

I think Barber Motorsports in Birmingham, AL is probably the best suited track for this event in the US (from a driving and safety stand point). I don't think it has a big enough name yet to be in contention though (it's also really close to Talladega).

Barber Motorsports Track Map (http://www.barbermotorsports.com/trackmaps.php)


http://www.barbermotorsports.com/trackmaps.php

Miller Motorsports Park hands down. It has the speed, the length, the safety. Also in its first year it has already secured every major NA series other than NASCAR. The first event hasn't been run yet, but from all the pics floating around it is the real deal. 3500 ft front straight should be good for at least 220mph in an F1 car.

I think Barber Motorsports in Birmingham, AL is probably the best suited track for this event in the US (from a driving and safety stand point). I don't think it has a big enough name yet to be in contention though (it's also really close to Talladega).

Barber Motorsports Track Map (http://www.barbermotorsports.com/trackmaps.php)


http://www.barbermotorsports.com/trackmaps.phpBarber is a world-class venue, but the track was desgined specifically for motorcycles. The track configuration is tight for F1 cars.

It's up to FIM standards, but the paddock/garage area is nowhere near big enough for F1.

I'd love to see it, but George is having enough trouble landing the MotoGP series. F1 is most likely out of the question.

barber and miller motorsports park were designed by the same guy. he designs his tracks favoring motorcycles b/c he says a good motorcycle track makes a good race car track and a good race car track doesn't always make a good motorcycle track.

i will be at miller this summer for the GA cup race and possibly an hpde. can't wait as i heard the track is top notch.

ps. i hope f1 would go to salt lake, then maybe i could actually watch my favorite sport live!

ty

Alabama and Utah will never see an F1 race. Too far away from a major metro area to support the extortionist fees that F1 requires. Same for just about any of the other listed permanent road courses.

About the only places that could currently support F1 are Indy, Vegas, and Long Beach. F1 had it's shot at LB (which IMHO was their American Monaco) but they blew that.

Not know much about daily revenues at Vegas - wouldn't shutting down the strip for the weekend to normal tourists (read: gamblers) actually cost the city more than the revenue brought by an F1 race, after you factor F1's "little" fee?

Alabama and Utah will never see an F1 race.

Not to mention that Barber would make a crappy F1 track. It's way too tight.

Not know much about daily revenues at Vegas - wouldn't shutting down the strip for the weekend to normal tourists (read: gamblers) actually cost the city more than the revenue brought by an F1 race, after you factor F1's "little" fee?

Bingo. Vegas wouldn't want F1.

Las Vegas is the trailer park capital of the universe
Have you ever lived in Vegas? Have you ever lived in Monaco? And you live in the Mediterranean coast?;)
Not know much about daily revenues at Vegas - wouldn't shutting down the strip for the weekend to normal tourists (read: gamblers) actually cost the city more than the revenue brought by an F1 race, after you factor F1's "little" fee?
I guess you've never been here for New Year's eve. They shut down all traffic in the sorrounding areas for 12 hours, and that brings more turists. Shutting down some streets doesn't mean shut down the entire city, nor the hotels. Besides, driving on the strip on a weekend night is a parking lot, total nightmare.
Having walked the Monaco streets and the F1 course, I can tell you is not any different that any american street-circuit I've seen.

Have you ever lived in Vegas? Have you ever lived in Monaco? And you live in the Mediterranean coast?;)

I guess you've never been here for New Year's eve. They shut down all traffic in the sorrounding areas for 12 hours, and that brings more turists. Shutting down some streets doesn't mean shut down the entire city, nor the hotels. Besides, driving on the strip on a weekend night is a parking lot, total nightmare.
Having walked the Monaco streets and the F1 course, I can tell you is not any different that any american street-circuit I've seen.


Bingo! Just got back from Vegas. You can survive months without even leaving a given hotel (which some people do). An F1 race on the strip would be HUGE. Especially with the Tram that runs from Mandalay to Excalibur and teh Monorail that runs from the MGM Grand all the way to the LV Hilton.

Imagine the photo op of cars running at 200mph past the Belagio fountains. That would be too cool.

The hurdle is not infrastructure or roads or lost casino revenue. Its the cabby unions. Cab drivers would loose tons of money that week. The union would not like it at all.

Have you ever lived in Vegas? Have you ever lived in Monaco? And you live in the Mediterranean coast?;)

Never lived in Vegas, but I've spent some time there. Never lived in Monaco, either, but I was born on the Mediterranean coast.

I'm in Alabama now. I know trailer park when I see it. :devillook

I heard they wont do that because the roads are too messed up....it would be freaking awesome though!

yeah, the roads are jacked up bad, big thing is that what is now the "main" strip is basically right where two highways intersect....... that'd be bad.

and...


Not know much about daily revenues at Vegas - wouldn't shutting down the strip for the weekend to normal tourists (read: gamblers) actually cost the city more than the revenue brought by an F1 race, after you factor F1's "little" fee?

yep. the slot machines alone brought in over 6 billion dollars last year (16 million... a day). they're not concerned about making that much more cash, especially if they're goin to risk having less people putting coins in thier machines.

Although, I'd be all for them running the older part of town though, fix up the roads and watch them blast by Fremont and all the classic casinos.

F1 AT GLEN WHERE IT BELONGS. Not some raunchy street circuit in vegas (nothing against vegas just street courses suck) Bring them to a decent track where there can be racing not a parade. The only problem is theyd probubly ruin the track with gigantic runoff, gigantic garages and repave it billboard smooth.

I feel there is a lack of true circuits around the world and its a shame to see them being axed away. Spa is such an amazing circuit with great history, its track flows through the country side with proper features and elevation changes. It is a beautiful circuit.

I think Bahrain, Shanghai and the works are missing out in the "Spirit" of a true track. Las Vegas wont have shit on them

Get my 'gist?

Never lived in Vegas, but I've spent some time there. Never lived in Monaco, either, but I was born on the Mediterranean coast.

I'm in Alabama now. I know trailer park when I see it. :devillook
Sure you do, you've had to live in many to see the difference.:evil2 Which Mediterranean coast, the african side like Algeria?;)
Monaco is the size of the entire strip, and they have "royalty" too. Sir Elton John plays at the Ceasar's when Celine needs a day off.
Now back to my trailer and beat up some b!tches while drinking my light Busch beer and watch the NASCAR re-run on Speed:evil2

Elton is royalty?

He may be a queen, but that's as close as he'll ever get to being royalty. :D

I lived closer to Rabat than Algiers - I was on the southern coast of Spain.

Elton is royalty?
He's knighted, but that doesn't make him royalty.

He's knighted, but that doesn't make him royalty.
As "royal" as you can get without being born one. "Sir" (shouldn't be sir) Elton John.:evil2
Back to topic. It will be awesome to have F1 in Vegas. Street course or not. We have the infrastracture (except for a real race track) , the marketing tools, the "appealing" of being one of the most visited cities in the US, and the money. Mr Wynn could pay for the whole thing by himself.
Like or not, we got 30 mill visitors last year.:eyecrazy

Its definatly a shame that theyre axing spa, one of the all time great race tracks and one of the few that produced decent racing

Infineon or Laguna seem like good places to me. Both are close enough to big cities and will draw large crowds. Champ and Indy cars seem to have no problem running on these tracks. Run-off might be an issue, but its nothing that cant be changed.

I agree with Sears Point/Infineon or Laguna Seca. Both are near/in metropolitan area, have tons of lodging available, have the financial demographics, and have been well-run tracks for years. The problem I see is the FIA & Eccelstone's gross seed money commitment to sanction a Grand Prix track and the crummy, nepotistic politics :mad of Eccelstone, Mosley et al. The Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP), organizers of the Laguna Seca events, won't kow tow to Bernie. Laguna gets enough positive exposure from the Historics, CART, Professional Motorcycle racing, etc that they don't NEED F1.


Infineon or Laguna seem like good places to me. Both are close enough to big cities and will draw large crowds. Champ and Indy cars seem to have no problem running on these tracks. Run-off might be an issue, but its nothing that cant be changed.

im for the glen too, bring it back to its roots. to bad bridgehampton is gone

I would love it if they brought it back to detroit....they still have Bell Iiel and that would just be sick