Download the NZ edition - Capricorn Society

FE ATURE
Austin Powers
Grand Prix Racing in the USA
Some 225,000 people attended the 2012 United States Formula One Grand Prix held at the brand new
Circuit of the Americas in the Texas capital city of Austin last November. This came after a five year Formula
One hiatus from the United States, one of several Formula One stateside sabbaticals that would take place
through the decades.
The struggle to capture one of the largest consumer markets in the world, as Formula One motor racing has
done so successfully in Europe, the Middle East and Australasia over many years relates more to consistency
and the profound American parochial nature more than anything else. There is a firm sports and political
mindset within America that considers their country as the entire world, evidenced partly by calling their
major Baseball finals series the “World Series” when it is of course only held in the USA!
The most used permanent circuit for the staging of the US Formula One Grand Prix was Watkins Glen in
upstate New York, which held 20 Grands Prix. This was the only truly consistent run of the United States
Grand Prix in its history when it became very popular. Other permanent American circuits used for Formula
One include the first venue, Sebring (Florida) in 1959, along with Riverside in California and the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway, Indiana. The Indianapolis experience was interesting, using part of the super-speedway
used for the Indy 500 coupled with an infield road circuit at the United States’ and some would say the world’s
capital of motor racing. But even there it didn’t last.
So why was Austin’s inaugural Grand Prix last year so popular? The circuit’s location had a lot to do with
it, drawing in fans from Mexico and other parts of South America due to its proximity, while Austin
too is more of a cosmopolitan and quirky American city, (signs at the entrance to the city state “Keep
Austin Weird”). whereas many of the past locations were just not suited to what is a heavily European
influenced sporting event.
Another reason is that Austin’s Circuit of The Americas is a real racing circuit, lending itself to excellent
high speed television viewing with several overtaking opportunities. It was constructed on 320 hectares
of land to the east of the city. The 5.5 kilometre Hermann Tilke designed circuit features 20 corners, 11
left and 9 right and saw maximum speeds in excess of 315kph during the 2012 event. The average lap
speed of 200kph has it up there with the fastest, with 60 percent of the lap spent at full throttle. The
drivers, the media and the fans loved it.
How will Australia’s V8 Supercar
Championship fare in Austin? We will find
out from May 17 to 19 this year as the series
ventures stateside to Austin for its 5th
Round, the Texas 400. It will be interesting
to see how our Aussie V8’s are supported
at this venue along with it being the first
ever American V8 Supercar race.
FE ATURE
There have been five street circuit venues used for the US Formula One Grand Prix headed by Long Beach,
Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas and Phoenix. Besides the Long Beach event, which ran from 1976 to 1983 and
never had a repeat winner, the others were absolute stinkers.
Take Las Vegas for example. The promoters there decided that the Caesar’s Palace car park would be a good
place for a Formula One Grand Prix held in the stifling Nevada Desert summer. Detroit’s downtown street
circuit never really captured the imagination of US and international racing fans. Dallas was a total disaster
that lasted for just one event due to the circuit actually breaking up due to the immense heat. Phoenix was
so popular that when it was last staged, an Ostrich race held in the town’s outskirts actually attracted more
spectators!
12 CAPRICORN IGNITION FEBRUARY 2013