United States Grand Prix Build Up

Dang all three of my fav drivers at the track tomorrow in interview - wish we could watch it live. What is it with the US not giving us any signing sessions? That sucks.

Is there a thread where people are discussing meeting up at a bar / restaurant or event? That would be cool.

There will be signing sessions on Saturday immediately after Qualyfiying , Red Bull drivers go first I think , only 20 mins per team tho

Oh wow! That is great news. Any idea where they will be held?

Tilke designed it.

"Why F1 Cars are so damn fast?":

Adam Cooper ‏@adamcooperf1
#F1 Pirelli confirms that drivers will be given an extra set of hard tyres in Austin on Friday, which should guarantee a busy track

Is there any specific reason for this? I think it's great for the show, but it reeks of "America is special" so let's make sure the cars are on the track more than normal.

It happens from time to time. In this case, a mostly unused track seems good enough reason to give the drivers some extra rubber. Compare with Australia 2011: http://blogs.bettor....a-1-news-a59812

Anyway, I wouldn't read too much these coming days if you want to stay clear of the 'reeking', but unfortunately usual, fawning over the lastest new shiny.

It has happened in the past only when there is new rubber to test. Something that will take place in Brazil.

Pity the numbers in the image are wrong.

Lateral acceleration is 6G and 0-62mph is around 2.8.

Still, glad they are making people interested.

Edited by Wander, 15 November 2012 - 12:17.

Ah right, Australia 2011 was indeed the first race on the new Pirelli tyres. Good point!

I'd search if new tyres were used in India, or Korea the year prior, but Google's supposed date-filtered search isn't proving to be as useful as perhaps intended, that is to say, it doesn't work at all for me.

Link to local paper's F1 coverage.

http://www.statesman...ports/formula1/

Track looks boring. Extremely wide tarmac once again. Slow Hairpins all over the place. Stop and Go track with some micky mouse section in between. Atleast it got some elevation changes.

Edited by Seanspeed, 15 November 2012 - 13:07.

Edited by SonnyViceR, 15 November 2012 - 13:53.

NOTHING in this place says US for me.

I agree predominantly with what you're saying but what in a circuit says US for you exactly? I associate American racing with ovals, but that isn't going to happen with F1, and although Indianapolis incorporated a single banked turn, it was otherwise an awful circuit.

Edited by noikeee, 15 November 2012 - 14:01.

They could let rodeo clowns run around the track and have a loud "Yeeeehaw" over the loudspeaker each time the leader completes a lap.

Edited by Sakae, 15 November 2012 - 14:43.

Looks like a nice challenging track for the drivers. I think it'll be a cracker of a race.

The problem (apart from the fact that the profile has nothing spectacular except some of the first sector) is that it looks exactly like every other new track. If I was given a random picture from trackside or pit area I wouldn't be able to tell it apart from Buddh etc. Life has been sucked out of it.

Hindhaugh said it best... what's the point for series like WEC (in 2013) to head to a place when the track environment is exactly the same as in Europe/Asia... sterile with huge run tarmac offs and concrete canyons. NOTHING in this place says US for me. It could might as well be in China with US flags and the look would still remain the same.

The weekend even conflicts with the NASCAR season finale which was a grave error from the FIA, as was the missed opportunity with the support races. The Americans love their domestic series and this could've been a great opportunity to have some bigger profile US series on your support bill. Ferrari Challenge (not even the NA championship series!!) and local Porsche cup series (not even the IMSA GT3 Cup!!) are hardly the crowd magnets...

The only comparison piece to the CotA in the United States is the Miller Motorsport Park, which is the second most European track in the continent... but at least they have nice scenery on the background and the look is less sterile

I agree predominantly with what you're saying but what in a circuit says US for you exactly? I associate American racing with ovals, but that isn't going to happen with F1, and although Indianapolis incorporated a single banked turn, it was otherwise an awful circuit.

Edited by SonnyViceR, 15 November 2012 - 14:57.

Not to be negative, but it looks fantastic and challenging to drive. But on the other hand i don't think it will make for close racing as most of the corners are fairly high speed. Which will make the following car just that little bit slower. I think bar some technical failures Sunday will be decided on Saturday.

Edited by noikeee, 15 November 2012 - 14:52.

US has the purest road courses left on the planet (generally speaking)... domestic feel is there

----

No races are decided on Saturday these days apart from Monaco, I get what you're saying but DRS will make passing possible even if it won't look great.

I get your point better now but whilst they are fantastic those are mostly club tracks or for lower standard series. If you're building a track from scratch for F1 you're not going to give them poor facilities on purpose to make it look more picturesque; you will have to make a layout for F1 cars, that means wide roads and very large straights which ruin the look; also there's very high standards of safety that ruin the looks of those close walls.

Overall I still think despite the standardized look what matters above all is how challenging the track is, and on that basis it seems the best new F1 track for years.

Edited by SonnyViceR, 15 November 2012 - 15:13.

Pity the numbers in the image are wrong.

Lateral acceleration is 6G and 0-62mph is around 2.8.

Due to it's location, not the circuit itself which I can't say I am a fan of.

Edited by SonnyViceR, 15 November 2012 - 15:17.

NONE of those are club tracks... just because they're not FIA Grade 1 circuits or facilities does not make them club tracks - FIA doesn't really even have authority there. The closest thing to club tracks on those pics is Lime Rock and even that is used by high profile domestic series and has massive history (obviously not fit for F1 but that wasn't the point)

Anyway if massive run-offs, big stands and European feel is what you're after they could've just gone to Miller, instead of relying on Tilke again... it's about the same atmosphere but FAR less sterile

Due to it's location, not the circuit itself which I can't say I am a fan of.

Fine but you still need a FIA Grade 1 track to host a F1 race, you can't do it at Watkins Glen or Mid-Ohio (unless you want to tear the track apart for safety and facilities sake then watch a procession).

And despite the fancy backdrop, would Miller be anywhere near a financially viable location for a worldwide massive event?



Yep most US tracks have got pretty awesome layouts but Miller.. ugh now that is mickey mouse.

You seriously can't possibly prefer a F1 race at Miller over this??

Edited by SonnyViceR, 15 November 2012 - 15:27.

Not to be negative, but it looks fantastic and challenging to drive. But on the other hand i don't think it will make for close racing as most of the corners are fairly high speed. Which will make the following car just that little bit slower. I think bar some technical failures Sunday will be decided on Saturday.

... to prove that American circuits do feel American...

make a layout for F1 cars, that means wide roads and very large straights which ruin the look;

Edited by Rubens Hakkamacher, 15 November 2012 - 16:27.

Why does F1 have to have wider roads than any other series? There are parts of many classic F1 tracks that are "narrow", U.S. tracks aren't really any different.

The music industry decided it could make money by marketing generic drivel, too. Hasn't worked out too well. If a street in Valencia can be made FIA safe, any track in the U.S. could be as well.

No races are decided on Saturday these days apart from Monaco, I get what you're saying but DRS will make passing possible even if it won't look great.