JJ wrote:
If they can race in Zandvoort, they can race in any other historic circuit in the USA. None of them are more dangerous than Jeddah. FIA is very flexible with their requirements, if they want to.
And I'm sure the locals are accustomed to the old-school facilities, so even they don't require upgrading.
I just don't want any more street tracks. Period. More tracks like Red Bull Ring and Spa, please.
And I'm sure the locals are accustomed to the old-school facilities, so even they don't require upgrading.
I just don't want any more street tracks. Period. More tracks like Red Bull Ring and Spa, please.
regardless if we are talking about F1 or NASCAR - it's all about the market.
as a example: while for you or me, Watkins Glen might be perfect for F1 - but that's not the clientele that Liberty want for new races. The rich folk and celebs that Liberty is trying to sell these overpriced tickets to aren't going to go when the 3 closest airports (within 1 hour & half) to the circuit (Elmira, Ithaca & Binghamton) only have very limited service (all 3 have Detroit, ITH also has Newark, gaining Philly / dropping Charlotte, and ELM also has a few cheapo Allegiant flights to secondary Florida hubs).
Road America is a little better as it's near Chicago and Milwaukee - but it's still a couple hours drive out
Laguna would be more likely because it's a easy spot to wine & dine the corporate types (main reason why there or Sonoma has been the IndyCar finale for so long)
For me, I still believe it's cheaper (even after passports and all of that mess) to go out of country to Montreal for F1 than it is for CoTA. Miami? I could go to Daytona (which is overpriced in itself; Indy is like half the cost with GA or 3/4 the cost with grandstands) like 3 times over for what those tickets cost MSRP (8 times over what practice day is on StubHub now)
the same is true for current era NASCAR, but for them - it's also a method of survival to stay in certain markets (LA with the Coliseum race, Chicago with the proposed street race) as their farther out properties (Fontana & Joilet) become more valuable for shipping/warehouse hubs in the age of same day/next day Amazon & Walmart online deliveries
Sure, you have tons of government money going to fix North Wilkesboro up, but much like F1 - you won't see SMI or NASCAR going hard at giving it a Cup date unless shit hits the fan with another market.
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on a solely racing end tho (IMO):
Road America would be good if nothing changed (main things that FOM would want changed is more paved runoff (NASCAR also asked for that and was told to screw off apparently), more runoff at the kink (impossible because there's a train track on the otherside) and their stupid pit lane garages that don't have a pit wall / easier for crew members & media to get hit)
Watkins Glen would be terrible, with the 2021 spec cars - there's only like 3 corners where a decent amount of braking would be needed. Several corners would be wide open
Laguna sucks for cars - it's over hyped with Zanardi's off track pass - that's it
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also on another note; do recommend Dinner with Racers' podcast with Michael Printup. Apparently the track / ISC did do some studies on what it would take if they wanted to go after another F1 date at the Glen (also goes into the shitshow that was the Staten Island project feat. what happens with the mafia when you pick the wrong dirt fill guy)
https://dinnerwithracers.com/ep-183-michael-printup/
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