Miami Grand Prix Update: More "Local Opposition" | Page 5 | FerrariChat

Miami Grand Prix Update: More "Local Opposition"

Discussion in 'F1' started by BartonWorkman, Sep 19, 2019.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. xpensivewino

    xpensivewino Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 26, 2008
    766
    Simi Valley CA
    Full Name:
    Need to know basis
    This country trips on its own dick all the time. We have one of the most beautiful countries in the world with millions of acres of gorgeous land, and we come up with a parking lot in Florida, or the infield at Indy, or Vegas/Longbeach?? We have Limerock, Watkins Glen etc, why not resurrect one of those classic venues? Or better yet build a Nurburgring type track in Wisconsin or Minnesota through the forest with elevation changes etc. Like a Spa in America. Or we could just build a concrete circuit in a dried up dust bowl in Texas! Oh we did that already.
     
  2. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    48,581
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    If you pay for it, sure.
     
    Wikdstrate and william like this.
  3. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 4, 2006
    10,147
    opposite lock
    Full Name:
    Marc Sonnery
    Elkhart Lake...but accomodation capacity would have to be boosted X100....and the circuit modernized at huge cost...my pipedream for decades...
     
  4. xpensivewino

    xpensivewino Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 26, 2008
    766
    Simi Valley CA
    Full Name:
    Need to know basis
    Yes such a shortage of money in this country.
     
  5. tatcat

    tatcat F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Sep 3, 2001
    10,966
    panama city beach FL
    Full Name:
    rick c
    "
    I went to those races
    Checked out hotel availability
    Most already booked
     
  6. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    48,581
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    A pipedream it is.

    Yes, Road America, Laguna Seca, the Glen and some others are great tracks and a lot more interesting than racing in a parking lot. But F1 needs immense logistics: for the fans, for the teams, pits and safety zones, so in essence you rebuild everything around the track. And then some. If you don't tackle the hotel infrastructure (as you are mentioning), you'll end up with another Silverstone or Le Castellet with insane traffic jams for the fans to get there. Races near/in cities resolve all these issues in a heart beat.

    I've been to Laguna Seca and drove Road America at some Ferrari events (which is a fraction of the people coming to a F1 race) and getting to/from the place and finding a place to sleep is a night mare.
     
  7. HotShoe

    HotShoe F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 3, 2008
    7,495
    Lake Worth, FL
    Full Name:
    Anthony Lauro
    A parking lot in one of the worst, crime ridden areas of Miami. :)
     
    bball16 likes this.
  8. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    48,581
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    F1 does Interlagos. Much worse.
     
    jgonzalesm6, AtSomePoint and HotShoe like this.
  9. HotShoe

    HotShoe F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 3, 2008
    7,495
    Lake Worth, FL
    Full Name:
    Anthony Lauro
    Oh, I know. I've been there a few times and managed to escape with my life. :)

    Glad to have a race in Miami but it's a shame the original site plan got nixxed. Thankfully I'm relatively local so the only ******** I'll have to deal with is traffic and not lodging, food, etc.
     
  10. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    48,581
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    Fully agreed.

    I love your comment about Interlagos. Exact same thing happened to me: People were closing in on me and my driver arrived at the last second snatching me off the street and get me back to the safety of the hotel. I never returned after that close call.
     
    HotShoe likes this.
  11. Ferris Bueller

    Ferris Bueller Formula 3

    Mar 23, 2004
    1,850
    New Jersey
    Full Name:
    Dominic
    you are so right
    An F1 race in Cali would’ve epic. Years ago Ferrari’s biggest USA market was Cali. I assume it still is?
     
  12. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2005
    14,501
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Tom Spiro
    The only USA existing road racing track that could Hold F-1 and that is close enough to a city that has major amenities is - Atlanta. with Road Atlanta. Already the worlds busiest Airport... etc.. easy in and out... Road Atlanta would take $50 - 60 M to update to F-1 specs .... and logistically i think everything else would be ok. there is pretty close access to ,major highways... and plenty of Helicopter landing space.

    this excepts Indy... give its an oval with the road course inside of it.
     
    tifosi12 likes this.
  13. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    48,581
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    And that's a great track.

    I was thinking Sebring. Lacks some hotel infrastructure nearby but has many other good points in its favor.
     
    HotShoe likes this.
  14. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2005
    14,501
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Tom Spiro
    Sebring is nice track, but the local area is rural and the hotel there is worse than a Motel 6. Tampa is close but a long drive ... but there is the airport next door... if F-1 can set up a Caravan site for Mugello and France... why not there? Getting the fan there i guess would be the same as for the 12 hr race...

    for that matter there is Daytona... which has all the infrastructure.... but the road course is not great. F-1 on that banking would be epic / lethal.
     
  15. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    48,581
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    True.

    If they'd sacrifice the golf course on the Indy infield the F1 track could be expanded into something more interesting. Presto.
     
    Nembo1777 likes this.
  16. HotShoe

    HotShoe F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 3, 2008
    7,495
    Lake Worth, FL
    Full Name:
    Anthony Lauro
    I love Sebring but I don't think the F1 cars could handle that type of beating. Plus Sebring isn't vogue enough for F1. Atlanta? Just imagine suggesting that to the social justice team at Liberty Media? I doubt Lord Hamilton would approve. ;)

    Daytona also would be great. Saw the F1 cars run there at Finali Mondiali and it was epic but not chic enough IMO.

    Miami is the perfect fit for the "new" F1. All flash, no substance. Doesn't matter that it's a **** layout in a ghetto parking lot. What matters is that there are plenty of trust fund babies and influencers nearby who'll helicopter/limo in and endlessly post VIP champagne pics on social media. Lots of airports, plenty of high end hotels and enough foo foo "look at me" spots to attract a whole new generation of d bags for F1 to fleece. ;) It's all about the infinite, hashtag eyeballs they can get. Miami does that exceedingly well. After all is said and done it's about the show, not the racing/cars. :)
     
    kes7u likes this.
  17. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    48,581
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    Very true. To me as a spectator on site I do like the comfort and attractiveness of a venue where there is something to do beyond F1 as in good restaurants, museums, nice hotels and an airport. Not part of the selfie club but getting up in age and don't need the camping at the track experience anymore.
     
  18. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 4, 2006
    10,147
    opposite lock
    Full Name:
    Marc Sonnery
    Anthony don't be shy about Miami, speak your mind:D

    F1 suspensions would fail in half a lap at Sebring. Road Atlanta would be great though, after upgrades.

    Dumptona, no way.

    Tifosi 12 tx for your comments, yes pipe dream as I stated. I drove an F50 around there in 1997 and loved the circuit.

    Laguna is too small. Romain also said F1 cars would not be able to handle the corkscrew.
     
    HotShoe likes this.
  19. itschris

    itschris Formula 3

    Sep 15, 2011
    1,465
    Florida
    Full Name:
    Chris
    Sometimes I'm not sure there's a huge difference between Miami and Sao Paulo. To me... Vegas would have been the better choice between the two. At least Vegas has the infrastructure and the environment to draw an international crowd. There's lots to do in Vegas to make going there worthwhile. Still i would have liked to see many other places come first.
     
  20. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    48,581
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    I think one of the considerations is that Miami is on the East coast plus it is the hub/gate to South America. That draws a lot of people from Europe as well as from SA.

    They are talking about a potential third US GP. So Las Vegas and other places are still a possibility. Personally I would love a Las Vegas race. I went there for the parking lot title clincher. I'm sure we could do better by now.
     
  21. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    48,581
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    That's why it is unfair to make comments like the "US trips on its own dick". The folks at Liberty and the FIA who make these decisions are not imbeciles. I'm sure they looked at all the possible tracks and made a decision on the whole picture which includes costs, infrastructure and fan appeal. The choice of Miami is a much better decision than Road America, Laguna Seca, the Glen etc for the aforementioned reasons. We love those places but the sport has outgrown them a long time ago.


    Impressive. I got a chance to drive my 308 on the F1 circuit at Indy and at Road America. :)
     
  22. HotShoe

    HotShoe F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 3, 2008
    7,495
    Lake Worth, FL
    Full Name:
    Anthony Lauro
    Lol, I call them like it is. :)

    Their original site plan would have been 100x better IMO. I read they are looking at a June date now. That would mean an early day or high likelihood of rain. When doesn't it rain here mid afternoon in summer? :) Should be interesting factoring in the amount of rainfall we get and the drainage of that area. Imagine one of our summer torrential downpours during the race?

    Personally I'll be praying for rain. I love wet races. It's the only thing we have to ensure the race won't be a snooze fest as anything can happen.
     
    Nembo1777 and tifosi12 like this.
  23. DIGMAN52

    DIGMAN52 F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 30, 2004
    3,999
    Dallas Texas
    Full Name:
    Philip C
    You must have visited a track in west Texas, as Austin is anything but a dried up dust bowl. The track is great, plenty of parking, and within 20 minutes of downtown. Plenty of music, food, and good Hotels as well.

    Don't mind me, continue your rant.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login View attachment 6803300
     
    HotShoe, AtSomePoint and tifosi12 like this.
  24. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    48,581
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    Totally agree. COTA is one of the better Tilke designs. Lots of great features: The steep climb to the first corner, the hurry downs, the 90 turn at the far end, the long DRS zone and for the spectators the almost theatre like setting beginning with turn 10 etc. Add to that a grandiose pit complex and the feature tower. Plus all the advantages you mentioned. Been there for several GPs, it is a great place. My only negative is that the city's festivities regarding the GP have shrunken over the years and gave room to the local college football team. Oh well, it's the US after all.

    In fact I love it so much, I'll be back there this fall.
     
    DIGMAN52, Nembo1777 and ktu like this.
  25. xpensivewino

    xpensivewino Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 26, 2008
    766
    Simi Valley CA
    Full Name:
    Need to know basis
    Nothing wrong with COTA, it’s just not what I envision in a grand country with amazing physical beauty. People love Spa because of its through the forest lay out and impressive physical beauty. There is no mega grand hotel infrastructure there, or Vegas like atmosphere. The new circuits whether Yas Marina, or Singapore, or COTA are boring as hell. COTA is fun to drive at a DE event, but I’d much rather pay my money to visit Imola, or Spa, or even Sazuka.
     

Share This Page