Formula One Comes to the United States in 2012
In a recent announcement regarding the 2012 Formula One Championship Season, plans of a race track in Austin, Texas have been unveiled, bringing F1 to the United States after a five-year absence. Inspired by world-class circuits such as Silverstone, Hockenheim, and Istanbul Park, the track is a narrow stretch littered with various twists and turns juxtaposed with lightning stretches, and promises to be an exciting addition to the 2012 season.
The Technical Aspects
Shaped like a joystick, the 3.4 mile anticlockwise circuit has twenty turns (starting with the hairpin at Turn 1), many of them jagged and abrupt. Featuring the work of Full Throttle Productions LP under the helm of legendary track architect Hermann Tilke, the course already shows promise of becoming a distinctive icon of the F1 championship with its complex, yet sleek design.
Like Silverstone’s Maggotts/Becketts, turns three to six are smooth, high-speed runs that will require little braking, turns 12 to 15 are modelled after the stadium section at Hockenheim, and turns 16 to 18 are deceptively simple in appearance, but alarmingly treacherous – not unlike the multi-apex turn eight from Istanbul Park.
With a width from 39 to 52 ft, passing will be possible when the deftest skill is employed, but potentially disastrous for the majority of the turns. Turns two through five are the most fail-safe places for overtaking on the smoother stretch, while turns six through 10, and 12 through 16, could be opportune for the most agile of drivers. The intricacies of the tighter turns, balanced out by the longer stretches of the track, promise an exciting battle, with the max speed ranging up to 200 mph and the maximum elevation change at 133 ft.
Hellmund and McCombs ignite the project
Tavo Hellmund, managing partner of Full Throttle Productions LP, Formula1.com is reported as stating, “The area has natural elevation differences, which promises a fast track with difficult corners. But the most essential thing is that it has to be a masterpiece in its suitability for fans. Spectators have to be able to see large parts of the track from wherever they are.”
A former race car driver, Hellmund has been working vigorously for three years to bring a Grand Prix to America.
“This project has been a tremendous undertaking,” Hellmund reflects. “But for at least the next decade, Texas will host a global sporting event on an annual basis in a new world-class multi-purpose facility. Knowing that our hard work is being rewarded and that my dream is becoming a reality is extremely gratifying.”
Right behind Hellmund is sports icon Red McCombs, who has been endorsing and promoting the new track. Known primarily for his former ownership of the National Football League's Minnesota Vikings, the National Basketball Association's San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets, the Texan businessman has run over 300 businesses throughout his career, and his vast expertise has helped to sell the track’s appeal.
“Bringing Formula One back to the United States represents the opportunity of a lifetime and one that any city in the world would want,” he remarks. “The size and scope of an F1 event is comparable to hosting a Super Bowl and will bring substantial economic benefit to Austin, San Antonio and the entire State of Texas.”
Adding fuel to the dream, Hellmund has launched the website http://www.formula1unitedstates.com/ featuring 2D and 3D models of the track so that racing fans and critics can anticipate and critique the new design. When the engines start in 2012, no doubt Austin will provide an exciting, dynamic, and captivating playground, fit for the aspirations of champions.
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