No F1 GP at Indianapolis in 2008
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has announced it will not be holding an F1 Grand Prix in 2008.
The circuit owners had stipulated a deadline of July 9th for confirming a deal to hold the race. But circuit owner Tony George and F1 commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone failed to agree on the fee for the race.
F1 didn’t do itself justice at the spiritual home of American motor racing – farcical events in 2002 and 2005 massively harmed the series’ reputation.
Ecclestone has been talking about arranging a race at Las Vegas based on the streets around the famous neon-lit strip. If he has a deal lined up to race there it’s possible that he refused to give George a favourable deal even in the light of the ’02 and ’05 races.
IMS had agreed to just a one-year contract extension in 2006
There had also been talk of changes to the circuit to accommodate a forthcoming Moto GP race which would have altered the configuration of the F1 road circuit.
Related links
- 2008 F1 calendar may have 20 races
- Three weeks to save the United States GP
- Debate: Where should the US Grand Prix be held?
- Have you been to the United States Grand Prix?
- The backwards Indianapolis configuration revealed
- Debate: How many races does F1 need?
- Speedway eliminates Formula One race (external)
Tags: f1 / formula one / formula 1 / grand prix / motor sport
JOSE MARIA DASILVA said on 16th July 2007, 1:24
WHY NOT IN NEAR BOSTON, MASS?
Abhinav said on 16th July 2007, 3:53
Can’t they just race in Laguna Seca?
matt foster said on 7th October 2007, 16:55
What Eccelstone needs to think about with regards to the USGP is, where are the fans of F1 in the US?
They are not in:
-Indy
-not in the south, with the exception of south Florida. (no offense to southerners, I am one.)
What does that leave?
Northeast- New York
East coast-Miami
West Coast- Long Beach
Find the fan base and grow it.