F1 Race @ Indy

[Walter Moore]

If the Indianapolis Motor Speedway drops the USGP, then I believe that F1 is finished in the United States. Look at the history:

1. When Tony George brought the FIA to Indy in 2000, it had been nearly a decade since there had been a USGP.

2. Every other promoter who tried to run a F1 event in the United States essentially went bankrupt trying.

3. Many (if not most) of the fans at the USGP were not Americans. They traveled here from all over the world, because it was one of the lowest cost F1 races.

Ticket prices for the USGP start at $75 (US) for the cheap seats, and with only 1/5 as many fans as either the Indianapolis 500, or the Brickyard 400, hotel rooms are easy to get. Yesterday morning on the radio there was an interview with a couple who came here from Poland, because they said it was the only F1 race on the schedule that they could afford to attend.

I could be wrong. I have been before. But I still believe that if the F1 has truly failed in Indianapolis, it is dead so far as the United States is concerned.

[abas]

* "Wrongfully refused to allow your cars to race subject to a speed restriction at one corner, which was safe for such tyres as you had available."

check out charge 3. does this mean that the teams refused to race even if there was a chicane??? this would point out it was not the FIA to blame here but the teams themselves....

Brett240 I think this refers to the ridiculous suggestion put forward by the FIA that the cars should drive 'slower' through turn 13 to save their tyres without a chicane having to be put in

[abas]

2. Every other promoter who tried to run a F1 event in the United States essentially went bankrupt trying.

I could be wrong. I have been before. But I still believe that if the F1 has truly failed in Indianapolis, it is dead so far as the United States is concerned.

I am sure there will be pressure on the teams/FIA to at least try to run a US GP next year from the sponsors, some/all of whom are in F1 for exposure based on where the races are run. If all of a sudden there is no US GP surely some of the sponsors will be unhappy.

Whether someone will throw shedloads of money at this to try and rescue it will be interesting to see.

Perhaps the way to rescue this one will be for the breakaway series to try and run a GP in 2008. OK it may not be 'F1' as such but it will incorporate some/most of the existing teams and drivers, and hopefully be without the bureaucratic management and baggage of the old F1.

[panchovisa]

After all the arguments I've read about how the "rules must be followed" comes this excerpt from the first class action lawsuit against the "Almighties" + the Speedway:

QUOTE: "'The alleged 'race' participated by just three teams did not constitute a true grand prix race under FIA and Formula One rules in that the race was started with an insufficient number of participants,' the lawsuit declared"

So much for Max staking out the "My hands were tied", "rules are rules", "they were warned about durability requirements", (add nauseum) territory. The race should never have gotten a green flag as the lack of entries made it inelegible for World Championship status.

[panchovisa]

Please think back (old timers are at an advantage here) about all the "classic" race tracks that the FIA/F1 Drivers Association/Others have insisted that needed chicanes to be used again for racing.

Spa, LeMans, Monza, Daytona, and now turn one at Indy.

Why was it so impossible?

Unfair to Bridgestone, Ferarri, etc., but not mentioned with any substance prior to the fallout of stupidity were the fans in attendence, the television audiance, or the sponsers who foot the outragous bills!

But NOBODY is happy now, including those that could have changed the events!!!!

All the big shots remind me of small time pimps. Makes Cliff Claven seem a real man!

[ZCCOR#109]

<Please think back (old timers are at an advantage here) about all the "classic" race tracks that the FIA/F1 Drivers Association/Others have insisted that needed chicanes to be used again for racing.

Spa, LeMans, Monza, Daytona, and now turn one at Indy.>

Very good point.

As I stated, you do what it takes to put on the show. FIA...F1 FAILED!!! let the court room confrontation commence.

[panchovisa]

Please read this interview with Paul Stoddard whose Minardi's took part in the race. Very, very interesting reading!

http://www.planet-f1.com/features/race_features/story_20035.shtml

[abas]

Please read this interview with Paul Stoddard whose Minardi's took part in the race. Very, very interesting reading!

http://www.planet-f1.com/features/race_features/story_20035.shtml

Interesting reading indeed. Thanks for posting that. Perhaps we will seeing history repeating itself like when Jean Marie Balestre was booted out of the presidency of the FIA because a lot of the big players in the sport had lost confidence in him, and replaced with Max Mosely.

[Bambikiller240]

Michelin to Refund ALL 120,000 (2005) Indy F1 Tickets

[ecp48]

Sorry guys, I came late to this thread, but a couple of thoughts.

Michelin's offer to repay the fans is the smart move by the company at fault!

It is a good PR decision.

FIA has continually stepped on their putz in this matter.

The regulating body should have stopped the race due to the safety issue, it shouldn't have had to fall to the Teams. The chicane was the logical fix, but FIA has lost track of the ball. They still think they own the game!

[sopwith21]

Very true. At some point someone needed to step back and look at the big picture... F1's failing reputation worldwide, its failure to capture the American marketplace and one hundred thousand or so fans and millions worldwide who expected a show.

The fact that no one associated with F1 could get past their own personal agenda long enough to consider the big picture is indicative of the root cause behind the decline of the entire series. Its sad that the party that started the problem - Michelin - is also the only one who seemed truly committed to finding a solution.

[panchovisa]

Good for Michelin to be the first to put money back into the fans picked pockets.

Latest I read is that 7 of the 10 teams and Max and Bernie have offered to run again in the fall. The three teams that did run would not perform again for free (I'm sooo suprised!).

Thank goodness Tony gave a flat no answer.

Let's see now, two half-assed races make a whole?

Sounds like pre-court manuvering by the FIA, F1, and Michelin 7.