Ferrari Mailing List: Re: Fw: no surprise....Bernie bows out

[ken rentiers (rentiers]

here's the take from http://www.autoextremist.com/

FUMES by Hydrogen Boy


Formula 1 in the U.S.? Not in Las Vegas, please.

Detroit. Judging by the latest rumors flying around, if Bernie  
Ecclestone and Tony George don't come to an agreement to renew the  
U.S. Grand Prix at Indianapolis, Bernie wants to put the race in Las  
Vegas, of all places, on a newly created temporary street circuit.  
Not that I have a problem with Las Vegas or anything - after all, the  
"Disneyland for adults" does have its merits, but for a Grand Prix?  
Not so much. Which brings me to this point: The fact that our U.S.  
Grand Prix isn't at one of our premier natural-terrain road racing  
circuits is a disgrace.

And the reason that the U.S. Grand Prix isn't at Road America,  
Watkins Glen or Laguna Seca is not because they aren't great  
circuits, but because the "amenities" that F1 demands in order for  
them to show up are obscenely cost prohibitive. Not only that, they  
would disfigure these great circuits and change their ambience  
forever. F1 won't go anywhere without their sacrosanct garages, local  
color and charm be damned. That's because F1 doesn't like surprises  
and has zero tolerance for deviation from their required  
specifications before they'll even consider showing up (ask Tony  
George, he totally revamped the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to  
accommodate F1's wishes, and in hindsight, not to a positive degree,  
either). Note that "the quality of the racing" isn't part of the  
initial discussion or consideration for F1. Instead, it's about  
whether or not the F1 circus can tolerate being in that particular  
locale long enough to get a race in.

Formula 1 is a sanitized and orchestrated version of its previous  
self - I know, not exactly a news flash there. Yes, fans can prattle  
on about the rolling techno-wonders and sheer spectacle of it all -  
blah-blah-blah - but the emotional connection to the racing just  
isn't there anymore. Not even if you squint and conjure up wonderful  
thoughts. Can you imagine seeing an F1 driver hoisting a few at the  
Seneca Lodge in Watkins Glen or at Siebkens in Elkhart Lake,  
Wisconsin, in this day and age? Not a chance.

Bernie Ecclestone has gone where the money is his entire career, and  
F1 is a perfect mirror image of the man. If Las Vegas throws enough  
money at him and he deems the accommodations "acceptable" to his  
luxury-focused F1 Traveling Salvation Show, then that's where the  
U.S. Grand Prix will be.

That doesn't mean we'll have to watch it - or go - however.

Publisher's Note: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced this  
morning (7/12/07) that the United States Grand Prix would not be on  
the 2008 Formula One schedule after eight consecutive annual events  
since 2000. After recent meetings, Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO  
Tony George and Formula One Management Ltd. CEO Bernie Ecclestone  
mutually agreed to disagree on various details. "After several  
discussions, Bernie Ecclestone and I were unable to agree how to keep  
Formula One in Indianapolis for the near term," George said.  
"However, we have agreed to leave the door open for a potential  
future date. It has been a pleasure having the United States Grand  
Prix at Indianapolis, and I hope that as we approach our Centennial  
Era at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, an opportunity might present  
itself that would allow its return." So now Bernie gets his wish, and  
it's on to the next sap who will pay his price for the "privilege" of  
hosting a Formula 1 race in the U.S. - PMD