First off, Formula 1 has been gone WAY TOO LONG from our hallowed land. Indianapolis has always been a joke. Having road raced motorcycles for the last decade, I have always despised road courses built within ovals.

Secondly, coming from the southeast, I was close to a number of people involved in building Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, AL. I certainly appreciate the MONEY, as well as the effort it takes to build a PROPER road course, much less a course that meets FIM Formula 1 specs.

Knowing what I know about the purchasing of land, the planning and architecture that are required, FIM approval of plans, and finding the properly qualified concrete and asphalt contractors (there are VERY FEW in the states), this project has FAILURE written all over it.

This is either a JOKE, or SEVERAL STEPS in the process have already been taken.

To be ready for an event in the 2012 season, the track has to be built and ready for cars during the winter testing or mid-season testing of 2011. As it is presently mid-2010 season, there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY, that they will have a facility built from scratch in the next 13 MONTHS.

In 2008, the city of Austin FAILED MISERABLY to host an AMA PRO SUPERMOTO event, that was planned a year in advance, promoted 6 MONTHS in advance, and was ultimately cancelled only TWO WEEKS before the event . . . and they already had a facility in place! The promoter lost a small fortune. Supermoto is A LOT EASIER to host than a FORMULA ONE event!

Being a motorsports guy, I hope I am wrong. But, the experience in me KNOWS that "there ain't no way it's gonna happen." That makes me very sad for the sport and the fans who have their hopes pinned to it.

 

Although I agree that less than 2 years is going to be hard for construction of the place, I don't think it's impossible. Yas Marina circuit was built in just about 2 years and it's probably one of, if not the most elaborate and spectacle-laden complexes on the Formula 1 schedule. I'm assuming the site in TX wouldn't have to have the "Ferrari experience" and other such crap to be a functional Formula 1 circuit/complex, so 2 years could be possible, but a massive undertaking.

 

This was my thinking as well. My guess is the property has already been secured and the drawings/details are all finalized. Although, even if these assumptions are true, they are going to be very hard pressed to make it in time... even if the earth movers rolled into town tomorrow.

 

It was a major two year build in Birmingham to get Barber open. That did not include the 5 years of quiet land purchases before the plans were even submitted. George Barber made his money in the dairy business. I grew up drinking Barber's brand milk, even.

Mr. Barber spent his PERSONAL funds to build and open the track. By the time he re-laid the asphalt THREE separate times (got it wrong the first two) the final tab was 65 MILLION DOLLARS. The man got a deal, the facility looks like it cost 200 MILLION to build.

Therefore, I can only imagine the money necessary to bring to fruition the rather ambitious project goal they laid out in that press release . . . I cannot imagine the political wrangling it took to get the agreement in the first place, but I can assure you somebody has spent a BUTT-LOAD of cash, already!

 

More insight ?

http://jalopnik.com/5548584/how-new-...yline=true&s=i

 

You think that was bad, just wait tell they deal with the liberal "weirdos" in Austin when it comes to plans and permitting. Better hope there aren't any salamanders around. Austin is notorious for having horrid building delays. My UT fraternity was recently delayed a year in the building of a 5000 sqft Study/Party Barn in West Campus.

 

I just got finished reading ATLAS SHRUGGED, again. This quote reflects my utter distaste for those absurd liberal bureaucrats:

"you, who scramble like vultures for plundered pennies, yet honor a fortune-teller above a fortune maker—you, who scorn a businessman as ignoble, but esteem any posturing artist as exalted—the root of your standards is that mystic miasma which comes from primordial swamps, that cult of death, which pronounces a businessman immoral by reason of the fact that he keeps you alive."

 

Wow! Frankster, I have to work really hard to translate that one... We got the the race back in Montreal this year. Your welcome!

 

Verr niiicee(Borat) I can just hear the sharp syllables coming of the tongue like a bunch of F-Bombs from a scholar.

Keep weirdo's in Austin