F1 inks deal for 2012 US GP in Texas

In the midst of reports that New York was Bernie Ecclestone’s favoured location, the sport announced late on Tuesday that Austin, Texas will in fact stage its first race in 2012.

The 10-year contract is for a “purpose-built” facility, F1 chief executive Ecclestone said in a statement, although details including an actual site, cost or race date were not released.

A report of the AP news agency said the venue would be built “within 10 miles” of Austin airport.

The promoter is Full Throttle Productions, headed by Tavo Hellmund, who Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Susan Combs revealed has a “30 year relationship with Mr Ecclestone”.

“We have been diligently working together for several years to bring this great event to Austin, the State of Texas and back to the United States,” said Hellmund.

“We realise that over the last 30 years there have been one or two missing pieces from the previous editions of the formula one United States grand prix,” he added.

Never on a purpose-built circuit, previous US grands prix have been held at Watkins Glen, Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas and Phoenix.

Between 2000 and 2007, the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosted the event, and spokesman Fred Nation on Tuesday questioned whether the “business deal” between F1 and Austin is a sound one.

“Since 2007, we have been asked many times about having formula one return, and our answer has been the same each time: if the business deal is right, they are welcome back.

“If such a deal is in place in Austin, we wish both the city and formula one success for a race in the United States,” he said.
(GMM)

© 2010, www.fantasyracings.com. All rights reserved. The total or partial reproduction of text, photographs or illustrations is not permitted in any form. Copyright by F1 Teams Media Departaments, (GMM) and (CIAM)

0 commentsback to post

Other articlesgo to homepage

	Barcelona denies Spanish grand prix in doubt(0) The boss of Spanish grand prix venue Circuit de Catalunya has played down reports the event is endangered. It is reported that Spain’s other F1 host, Valencia, as well as F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, are pushing Barcelona to agree a plan to annually alternate a single race date. But amid the country’s troubled economic

	F1 return unlikely as US issues Bahrain alert(0) Bahrain’s formula one return in April is now looking unlikely. Amid reports the situation inside the troubled island Kingdom is still not stable, the Sakhir circuit’s boss Zayed al-Zayeni last week insisted Bahrain and the world “has to move on”. But not everyone agrees, including the US State Department which has warned Americans of political

	Valencia pushing Barcelona for F1 share solution(0) Valencia is waiting on fellow Spanish F1 host Barcelona to reply to talks about alternating a single annual race date. Both venues have admitted to suffering economic difficulties at present, with the sport’s chief executive Bernie Ecclestone pushing for them to share a spot on the calendar in future. Valencia’s regional president Alberto Fabra is

	French PM shows ‘green light’ to 2013 F1 return(0) France is poised to return to the F1 calendar. French-language RMC Sports reports that prime minister Francois Fillon has finally “given the green light” to the race at Paul Ricard to alternate annually with Belgium’s Spa Francorchamps, beginning in 2013. “The negotiations with Bernie Ecclestone can begin,” read the report, adding that “informal meetings” with

	Spanish hosts begin talks for alternating plan(0) Valencia and Barcelona – F1′s two Spanish race hosts – are now in “informal contact” about alternating a single annual date on future calendars. According to the Spanish-language news agencies EP and EFE, it was the Valencian government’s vice-president Jose Ciscar who made the comment last Friday. A day earlier, the president Alberto Fabra confirmed