F1weekly podcast # 429

Motorsports Mantra

Commentary on F1 in Coyote land.

Greetings and Austin Powers regards. Here we go again, Formula 1 comes back to America to try yet another venue. Where Watkins Glen, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Sebring, names synonymous with motor racing failed to sustain the US Grand Prix, the Lone Star State gets another chance to lasso Formula Uno in the Union.

No venue has been announced and reports are a brand new purpose built track will host the Hee Haw Grand Prix. The Tex Mex cowboy behind this   “get out of Indy” deal is Tavo Hellmund, who has been racing in some division of Nascar after a brief foray in Europe. His papito was involved in promoting Indy Car races in Mexico City in the early eighties.

I had no idea Ken Anderson had family members south of the border.

Formula One will succeed in America, and very well I may add, if it is promoted for all the right reasons, first of all would be location which is very cosmopolitan, and is a place people would like to visit apart from being a Grand Prix venue.

I have yet to meet a person, American or Martian, who went to the Long Beach F1 race and came back disappointed. LA and Beverly Hills were in the hood and San Diego only 90 minutes away.

A street race in Florida will make a lot of sense, especially in early part of the year, escape the winter of North East and Europe for Florida Fresh F1.

And there is no shortage of other major markets, an F1 race on the Seattle waterfront could be very exciting, rain is always there and if it gets Bill Gates attention sponsorship worries would be solved once and for all.

Road America without any changes and before Herman Tilke is served any Miller Light by the locals is a better venue than several F1 circuits currently in use.

But I am sure there is more to the story than we know or are told. Perhaps in this climate of global financial meltdown the fine folks in Austin have a surplus of $200m to build a track, and that in a city which does not have a professional football, baseball or basketball team, to play host to sporting legends with names like Kovalainen and Karun. Glock and Grassi.

This deal and the players behind it look as sharp as Simon Gillet. Time will shave fact from fiction. Grand Prix or no Grand Prix in Austin, the Big E will walk away with a lot of Big M.

Final analysis: Hang em high if the GP is not delivered.

Podcast number 429.

Motorsports Mondial with Nasir Hameed and…

Special interview with the one and only Ralf Schumacher.