I couldn't agree more.

Now don't you fret none, Bernie will make sure that he makes money out of this, even if no-one else does, and no race takes place.

More bad news: http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/11...hdraws-support/

Hold on to that video of DC driving the Red Bull in the dust - it could be the closest Austin gets to an F1 race.

Oh well, its over then.

If Bahrain doesn't happen then Turkey might even still happen next year but that's for another thread.

I hate to be so pessimistic, but, we never seem to catch a break here.

I have little faith with the New York Race either.

even by Bernie's standard screwing,it is perhaps first time that such weird situation happening... why a contract would be handed over to a person who is not the original organizer..?!!....and what fool would start with building a track without having the actual contract in hand..?!!!..

What a shame, I was really looking forward to having a world class racetrack just down the road. Didn't think the F1 deal would ever be successful and didn't care, just wanted the track so I could see whatever came.

It was a good dream.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96247

Good news for the citizens of Texas.

it's not like they are getting their tax money back

The American F1 jinx continues. I shouldn't, but I find the story boring more than anything else.

All sounds like a very, very strange set of goings-on.

A contract agreement with two parties, one of whom hasn't finalised yet has spent money on building a track just seems out of whack.

Could all get sorted of course but do get the feeling that there are going to be some good stories behind all this/

This event just aint going to happen.

i get the feeling fom dont really want a gp in texas when they can get a street circuit with a skyscraper background....

its a pitty really it was lookin to be an interesting circuit

USF1
Circuit of the Americas

It seems that as soon as a project is given a patriotic name, it is doomed to fail.

The one track I was looking forward too

<cough> Donington Park <cough>

Hey Bernie, why can't we have nice things?

I'll be amazed if this goes ahead and I consider myself an optimist with these things. As I keep saying, F1 should only do deals with completed race tracks. If they could build the Algarve circuit with no F1 deal in Portugal then I don't see why other places can't build the circuit first and then try to attract F1. At least the circuit not being ready would not be an excuse.

If Tavo holds the contract for the race would there be anything to stop him taking the race elsewhere? IE Indy.

When it all goes tits up, will the state get its grant back? Yeah - Right. The money will probably be long gone, all perfectly accounted for and totally invisible in some offshore haven...

The state has said it hasn't paid anything out, and wont until after the race is held.


Seems like a whole lot of effort to move some dirt around and drop at this point...

Have they even started digging the foundations for the pits and the grandstands?

Can I get a ShortCircuit of the Americas toaster instead?
Jp

Well, it looks like the race is toast - but I see a potential business opportunity for John Button - the rallycross Circuit of the Americas maybe?

A Phoenix from the Flames baby..
Great Idea.
Jp

if this race not being on the calendar allows Spa to remain in the future I'm pleased with this news

Here you are:



http://reviews.homebase.co.uk/1494-en_gb/4234755/reviews.htm

"short circuit on first use, loads of sparks and no toast...." Sound familiar?

It's Tools Down in Austin!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/formula_one/15750083.stm



Bernie has got the point where he's causing more problems than he's solving. Having seen the way his daughter is spending his money - I've a clue as to what he's up to.

I've only seen clips of her programme on Harry Hill, but it looks as though "spoilt rich brat" would be a massive understatement. I bet the bleeding dog gets more spent on it than I earn.

It's like Bernie said. The circuit and the promoter need to work out their differences. They can finish the track, have the race, and cash their checks.

Seems like Austin didn't bank on a rival race being setup.

Maybe Bernie should have talked to them first before going out and offering a race to anyone with a cheque book.

Come 2013 there won't be any race in the US on either circuit.

I am not one to defend Bernie but this doesn't seem to be a problem of his causing. It looks like the folks in Texas are fighting and Bernie is trying to get them back on script. (and yes, I know his motivation is selfish but that isn't the point this time.)

I think the Austin track has a much better chance of holding a race than NJ.

It does appear that with Korea looking to get out of hosting F1 (at least at the current "market rate"), Austin in trouble, the future of the Japanese Grand Prix beyond the end of the current contract far from certain, Melbourne continually making negative noises, that we could be looking at something of a shrinking calendar before long.

Sounds to me like Tavo and the circuit owners should of worked this all out when they signed the contract with Bernie. Honestly most problems with circuits nowadays come down to promotors not thinking these contracts through.

I think she's the one with a £65m house*, so the cost of his kennel would keep me going for a few years.


* she didn't like the £30m one he got her first.

No. Their problems start when they first talk to Bernie.

If they didn't like Bernie's terms for hosting a race then they didn't have to sign. At the very least, Bernie wouldn't charge so much if people weren't prepared to pay. It's their problems, not Bernie's.

Yes, the piers had all been put in place, and they were pouring the foundations as of Monday. Vertical construction was in full swing, with ~300 workers on site every day.

And the statement issued by the Comptroller is intended to put pressure on Tavo, imo. By refusing to front the money, the State is 1) protecting the State's tax dollars (which we all support, of course), and 2) forcing Tavo to acknowledge he cannot put the race on even if there was a track, because he does not have $25M nor does he have the ability to borrow or raise it.

So Tavo has a contract to put on a race, but neither a track nor the sanctioning fee. And COTA has a track, the ability to front the sanctioning fee (if needed), but no contract with Bernie.

If Bernie really gave Epstein a separate contract to put on the race, but for a $35M sanctioning fee instead of $25M, it seems to me that the $10M delta would be annoying but doable, given that I'd already sunk $50M-$100M into the track already. Or that could be wishful thinking on my part.....

I'd do it because I could cover it with ticket sales, since Texas is paying the Bernie fee.

Then the Austin people are amateurs. They should of included an exclusivity clause in their contract. People trying to blame everything on Bernie make me laugh. It's not Bernie's fault he is smarter than these posers.

If you're able and willing to pay that, then I'd think that it would be cheaper to just buy out Tavo (though of course, we don't know if Tavo wanted > $10M/year... )

Tavo already knew of the negotiations at the Port Imperial site and had walked around the area before signing the Austin deal. (I'm too lazy to look up his statement after the NJ deal was announced, but it's in there.)

Tavo (Bernie's friend) is the organizer that got the rights to host the race for less fees than the track owners (builders) were being charged.
To solve this whole situation, Bernie just needs to transfer the rights to the track owners, since it's clear Tavo has no venue.

But the track needs the contract more than Tavo needs the race. The track is already out lots and lots of money so they are at a loss if this doesn't go through. If it fails Tavo doesn't make any money either, but how much does he really lose?

I'd love to know what the argument is over, like the actual numbers. As long as he's not completely ripping people off just give him what he needs so he takes his foot off the brake.

..
on the cover of one of my wifes magazines i noticed it said that spoilt brat has a million just laying around the house.......

It's not in the bathroom is it? On a roll?

It will be spent on something more beneficial.

It sounds to me more like McCombs was trying to do an end run around Hellmund, thinking it was "after the fact" that the race would happen.

Hellmund should take it to Indy next year.

It's a nice thought, but isn't that the same track that balked at sanctioning fees in the neighborhood of the current USGP level four years ago?

They could run it as a warm-up race for the 500.

But does she do photo shoots wearing only the cash and a pair of high heels, like her sister?