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Hmm. Looking at the overall schedule, I imagine this game will be swapped with either the WVU or TCU away game. Doesn't look like an opportunity to make that an open date, and I doubt the F1 calendar will change.
By Kevin Benz
11.20.12 | 03:25 pm
The reviews on Austin and the USGP are glowing. Not surprisingly, Austin excelled as a first-time F1 host, and it didn't take long for the national and international sports media covering the United States Grand Prix to recognize it.
The most glowing reports, of course, came from the drivers and the reporters who found themselves quoted over and over again in international press like the Oman Daily Observer, The Guardian (U.K.), BBC, Asia Eirosport, Adelaid Now (Australia), Irish Independent, New Zealand Herald, Perth Now, Times of India and Tripoli Post.
There are certainly many of us who would prefer Austin remain the secret Texas town we discovered back in the late '70s; alas, while there are still small pockets of outlaw awesomeness, the whole world now knows about it.
We thought we'd show off some of the nice things people are saying about Austin around the country and around the world. It makes ya kinda proud to live here actually.
But first, the start of an F1 race is magnificent, roaring engines you can feel to your bones. This video does not do it justice, but it will give you an idea.
Unlike many road courses, it features excellent sightlines and multiple spectator areas offering great views of more than a single corner or straightaway. As a complete, modern facility, it stands absolutely unrivaled by any racing venue on this continent. Period.
Everyone out here [in Austin] is getting pretty excited as the weekend approaches; downtown Austin is buzzing, the team’s hospitality units are groaning and the marketing men are salivating almost as much as the drivers. I can see why: the Circuit of the Americas looks mouth-watering.
Though the Circuit of the Americas holds a contract with F1 to host the U.S. Grand Prix through 2021, naysayers wondered whether the series would fill the grandstands. Sunday's event not only drew high praise from among the mobs of American fans, but also fans from Europe, South America and among the racing teams. The event's success, just short of a sellout, suggests that F1 might yet have a future in this country.
It was a weekend full of happy surprises as the U.S. Grand Prix at Austin went far beyond expectations in just about every area — but, especially, in the racing.
If Austin provided the nightlife, fan festival and copious entertainment with musical shows and support-series races, it was the circuit itself that provided the best reward in the kind of tight racing that Americans did not get to see at the U.S. Grand Prix at Indianapolis from 2000 to 2007.
This was also a victory for Austin, which went to great lengths to ensure success after the series failed to take hold at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 2000 to 2007.
A three-day Formula One fan festival that included music, activities for children and other entertainment opened the event to more than racing fans, something few other series’ sites have accomplished. Good weather, including 73 degrees and sunny skies for race day, certainly helped.
There were also almost none of the anticipated traffic concerns either...
The Formula 1 drivers were perhaps the most effusive in their praise for Austin and the circuit. Lewis Hamilton:
There are a couple of grands prix that are somehow out on their own: there's Monaco, Silverstone, Montreal, Spa and Monza. Now you can this circuit to that list - it's already one of the best racetracks in the world, maybe even right up there in the top three.... The fans have been amazing this weekend, so thank you so much. The warm welcome we’ve had has been fantastic and I think this is one of the best, if not the best grand prix we’ve had all year.
Jenson Button:
It was great to race in front of so many fantastically enthusiastic American fans - they looked like they really enjoyed themselves. Before we arrived here, we knew we were going to have to put on a good show, and I think we did just that. There was action and suspense all the way through, which is exactly what you need to create a great sporting spectacle.
I really hope the U.S. will now embrace Formula 1 at last.
Fernando Alonso:
The circuit was fantastic and the fans fantastic all weekend.
Big thanks to all the fans coming here, Americans, Mexicans and the South Americans that came also to support us. We enjoyed racing here thanks to the fans, thanks to the fantastic facilities and I hope we put on a good show for everybody and people will enjoy even more next year.
Nico Rosberg:
I hope we can be more successful next year here in Austin as I have enjoyed our visit. The track, the people and the city are absolutely fantastic.
Sergio Perez:
It was a great experience to race here in front of so many Mexicans. The COTA is a great track and I hope we can have this Grand Prix on the calendar for many years.
Jean-Eric Vergne:
This new circuit is fun to race on.
Pastor Maldanado:
I hope that this will be one of the best racing venues for Formula One.
I think that Austin's penchant for embracing "weirdness", along with good crowd management skills from ACL and SxSW have made us a natural host for F1. We aren't NASCAR country here, that's too mainstream American and we don't do anything mainstream. We are a medium sized city but we have alpha sized city ambitions. We desire to keep our culture but expose the world to it. We want to introduce the world to Texas Barbeque and steaks. We want the world to experience our hospitality and live music.
That's why F1 succeeded in Austin. F1 fits in Austin because, just like everything else in this city, the things that don't make sense are the things that are embraced.
Face it, we knew nothing about F1 prior to the racetrack being built. All we knew was that it sounded "cool" and we would love international exposure. Fast forward from that day to two years forward and we all embrace this foreign thing called F1. We plan for an event that we've never experienced by basing what it might be like on another festival that crowds our city, SxSW. We invoke the same crowd control measures. We make sure adequate public transportation is available to the racetrack. We built an amazing racetrack. Then we host an amazing race in perfect weather.
The other comments are right. This would never be able to occur anywhere else in the US except Austin. The cities that have the fortitude to build racetracks already have NASCAR tracks and the other cities have too much red tape.
If F1 is to succeed in the US, it will have to succeed in Austin. Today was an important first step and I believe next year will even be better.
I am truly proud of Austin.
Truelly amazing post. I'm an inplant to Austin...........but have the same feeling. I told the F1 fan I met Sunday that this was a historic event for me and I'm glad i had the chance to learn about F1 and that F1 will be with me my lifetime......
I guess I am a bit race-disconnected - I just realized that the F1 race coincided with the Sprint cup finale in Florida. If they can avoid that in the future, that might help a bit, as well, as I ran into quite a few NASCAR fans that were here for the F1 race. If they can get the NASCAR and F1 races off-set by a week or two, that might help a bit, too.
Hear them roar: The best quotes about Formula 1 weekend from around the world
By Kevin Benz
11.20.12 | 03:25 pm
The reviews on Austin and the USGP are glowing. Not surprisingly, Austin excelled as a first-time F1 host, and it didn't take long for the national and international sports media covering the United States Grand Prix to recognize it.
The most glowing reports, of course, came from the drivers and the reporters who found themselves quoted over and over again in international press like the Oman Daily Observer, The Guardian (U.K.), BBC, Asia Eirosport, Adelaid Now (Australia), Irish Independent, New Zealand Herald, Perth Now, Times of India and Tripoli Post.
There are certainly many of us who would prefer Austin remain the secret Texas town we discovered back in the late '70s; alas, while there are still small pockets of outlaw awesomeness, the whole world now knows about it.
We thought we'd show off some of the nice things people are saying about Austin around the country and around the world. It makes ya kinda proud to live here actually.
But first, the start of an F1 race is magnificent, roaring engines you can feel to your bones. This video does not do it justice, but it will give you an idea.
Unlike many road courses, it features excellent sightlines and multiple spectator areas offering great views of more than a single corner or straightaway. As a complete, modern facility, it stands absolutely unrivaled by any racing venue on this continent. Period.
Everyone out here [in Austin] is getting pretty excited as the weekend approaches; downtown Austin is buzzing, the team’s hospitality units are groaning and the marketing men are salivating almost as much as the drivers. I can see why: the Circuit of the Americas looks mouth-watering.
Though the Circuit of the Americas holds a contract with F1 to host the U.S. Grand Prix through 2021, naysayers wondered whether the series would fill the grandstands. Sunday's event not only drew high praise from among the mobs of American fans, but also fans from Europe, South America and among the racing teams. The event's success, just short of a sellout, suggests that F1 might yet have a future in this country.
It was a weekend full of happy surprises as the U.S. Grand Prix at Austin went far beyond expectations in just about every area — but, especially, in the racing.
If Austin provided the nightlife, fan festival and copious entertainment with musical shows and support-series races, it was the circuit itself that provided the best reward in the kind of tight racing that Americans did not get to see at the U.S. Grand Prix at Indianapolis from 2000 to 2007.
This was also a victory for Austin, which went to great lengths to ensure success after the series failed to take hold at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 2000 to 2007.
A three-day Formula One fan festival that included music, activities for children and other entertainment opened the event to more than racing fans, something few other series’ sites have accomplished. Good weather, including 73 degrees and sunny skies for race day, certainly helped.
There were also almost none of the anticipated traffic concerns either...
The Formula 1 drivers were perhaps the most effusive in their praise for Austin and the circuit. Lewis Hamilton:
There are a couple of grands prix that are somehow out on their own: there's Monaco, Silverstone, Montreal, Spa and Monza. Now you can this circuit to that list - it's already one of the best racetracks in the world, maybe even right up there in the top three.... The fans have been amazing this weekend, so thank you so much. The warm welcome we’ve had has been fantastic and I think this is one of the best, if not the best grand prix we’ve had all year.
Jenson Button:
It was great to race in front of so many fantastically enthusiastic American fans - they looked like they really enjoyed themselves. Before we arrived here, we knew we were going to have to put on a good show, and I think we did just that. There was action and suspense all the way through, which is exactly what you need to create a great sporting spectacle.
I really hope the U.S. will now embrace Formula 1 at last.
Fernando Alonso:
The circuit was fantastic and the fans fantastic all weekend.
Big thanks to all the fans coming here, Americans, Mexicans and the South Americans that came also to support us. We enjoyed racing here thanks to the fans, thanks to the fantastic facilities and I hope we put on a good show for everybody and people will enjoy even more next year.
Nico Rosberg:
I hope we can be more successful next year here in Austin as I have enjoyed our visit. The track, the people and the city are absolutely fantastic.
Sergio Perez:
It was a great experience to race here in front of so many Mexicans. The COTA is a great track and I hope we can have this Grand Prix on the calendar for many years.
Jean-Eric Vergne:
This new circuit is fun to race on.
Pastor Maldanado:
I hope that this will be one of the best racing venues for Formula One.
And here's "Top Gear" - a BBC car show that has a rabid following throughout Europe. Usually catty and critical, they had nothing but praise for the circuit and Lewis Hamilton. But they also noted they were surprised about how little coverage there was of the race in the States.
Oh really? Attendance on the big race day was just 110,000 people, or close to what you'd expect at a typical UT game. And only 15% of them were from out of the country. In addition to my business, I also rent my home out for major events. It is located downtown. Unlike ACL and SXSW, I rented out extremely late in the game for F1 because there were still lots of hotel rooms available and not enough renters, and when I did finally rent out it was only for two nights, rather than the four I got for ACL.
This idea that "200,000 - 300,000" people would flood downtown and they are all rich foreigners who will spend huge wads of cash was laughably inaccurate. If the state ends up paying a single dollar of our tax dollars from the event fund to Bernie Ecclestone so that his daughter can buy another house (the $100 million Tory Spelling mansion in LA she lives in by herself might not be enough) I will be very angry. A typical UT game is far better for the local economy. Austin got duped, let's deal with it and move on. But don't make a second mistake by pissing away our tax dollars. I've been told my property taxes need to go up and the budget for our local school needs to go down...at the same time we pay $25 million of tax dollars to one of the richest men in the world so he can run his private business?
You never say what kind of business you have - maybe one that isn't influenced by an influx of rich tourists. You said you couldn't rent your house for as long as you liked, but frankly - it depends on what your house looks like and what shape it's in, how it's decorated - if people are going to pay top dollar for a bed. Renting private houses is always a dicey proposition - if someone is used to staying in good hotels, they might prefer to stay in a cheap hotel (if that's all they can get) to a house that might be a dump - not saying yours is, but look at what you've got on offer compared to how much you wanted to rent it for.
You make an interesting point about how the people who took advantage of the event weren't the same people who make Austin unique. Frankly, food trailers - in most of the world buying food from a food trailer is a good way to contract a disease... Austin needs to get a more aggressive Tourist Bureau to publicize aspects of Austin that are unique or at least unusual so out-of-town, out-of-country visitors get an idea of what to do, see, eat when they get there. Talk up the 'street food' aspect, publicize things to do in Austin itself. My sister flew from NYC to Austin a couple of days before the race. She sat next to a young Irish guy who talked her ear off the whole flight. He's an F1 follower, goes to all the races. He was asking her what he could do with his free time in Austin - he had no idea what Austin has on offer. She filled him in and even gave him her phone number in case he got in trouble (she noted he liked his drink)! This is a guy who travels all the time, a certain level of sophistication (they were in Business) and yet Austin's tourist bureau hadn't got through to him.
During the London Olympics and Paralympics, all London retail businesses suffered (and taxi drivers were, as usual, particularly vocal about the lack of business) - people in London for the Olympics were scared of getting caught up in massive crowds in town and avoided venturing outside the limits of the Olympic venues. Central London was a ghost-town. So Austin needs to coordinate a bigger effort to lure tourists into town, hopefully they'll learn from this experience.
If Austin can get a major European carrier to fly directly to Austin - and the best one to get (because they are marketing geniuses) is Virgin Atlantic, that will change Austin's image from a backwater to a major tourist destination. Several direct flights every week to Austin and Virgin will take care of your publicity. I can already visualize the ads: Virgin flight attendants with guitars slung over their shoulders, in stiletto heels and cowboy hats - both the guys and the girls.
Last edited by transatlantic; 11-21-2012 at 01:11 AM..
And here's "Top Gear" - a BBC car show that has a rabid following throughout Europe. Usually catty and critical, they had nothing but praise for the circuit and Lewis Hamilton. But they also noted they were surprised about how little coverage there was of the race in the States.
ESPN doesn't have a stake in it, so that's why they didn't mention it.
ESPN rules America sports through $$$$. College football has been ruined by them, IMO.
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