GreyWolf74 - 09 December 2009 10:31 AM

impatientinventor - 07 December 2009 06:13 PM

How about we ask JT to shove little B the rest of the way into the grave so we get indy back while were at it. I'm happy for the British GP and all but come on... Indy was racing for 36 years before Silverstone and it got thrown out by a bitter old man two years ago… The only difference is that apparently we don’t seem to have the pull of the motherland…

The other thing Silverstone has that Indy doesn't is a large local fan base. As I said, the British are just as passionate about Formula One as anybody, so when you try to pull their race, you hear about it.

America is different. Certainly there are a lot of F1 fanatics in this country, but we're not all close enough to Indy or Watkins Glen or wherever to go to the race. Second, an F1 race is very expensive, from the ticket and beer prices to sanctioning fees and other financial obligations demanded by the Formula One bunch. It's a lot harder to break even in this country than in some others.

On top of all that, American track owners have options the Europeans and Asians don't. We have NASCAR, the Indy Racing League and the like. You will note that while F1 crowds dwindled at Indy, the NASCAR crowd have been there in force. And NASCAR (sanctioning body, teams, television, etc.) doesn't charge the fees F1 does. If you're a track owner looking to make money, it's a no-brainer which race you'd prefer.

Sooo... if you want Formula One back in the Untied Skates, you will have to persuade the F1 circus (the FIA, the teams, CVC, Bernie Ecclestone and his television empire, etc.) to cut their price by a couple of orders of magnitude and pay for the privilege of runnin and broadcasting the event, rather than being paid. Make it profitable for the track and you'll have a chance. But not now.

TheDudeman - 09 December 2009 01:26 AM

^ And there wasn't a british driver that was really a contender. After Nige the fridge was rather empty.

And Jensen Button and Lewis Hamilton are what, starving Armenians? Penguins, maybe? Even if the drivers weren't British, the teams (especially McLaren) are, and the British will root for them. And of course, the Tifosi are everywhere.

Having been to Indy for three races I can personally assure you there are is no lack of a fan base and from what I have read, Indy delivers as many paying fans or more than any other venue. Bernie ios an A$$ and the sooner he is gotten rid of the better! BRING F1 BACK TO INDY, IT'S ONE OF THE OLDEST VENUES AND WE DESERVE OUR RACE!!!