Nick Craw delighted to visit the site of Austin track
Formula One Racing is preparing for its first return to United States after an absence of five years. The race organisers of the upcoming US Grand Prix reported this Tuesday that Nick Craw, President of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile’s (FIA) senate, has come to visit the site for the new Circuit in Austin, Texas. A purpose-built circuit is to be made for the 2012 Formula One season that will host the first ever Grand Prix in Texas.
During his visit in Austin, Craw had been glad to visit the city and state officials and discussed the construction work on the circuit along with the race plans. Besides being a FIA member, Craw is also the President of the Automobile Competition Committee for the United States as well.
After his recent visit of the 900-acre site, the FIA’s senate president proclaimed, “It will be great. This has some of the most interesting, exciting and different features, drawn from other successful venues around the world. It is a very strong team they’ve assembled here. I think it’s a very good plan and a very solid business model. They’ve set the bar pretty high.”
Tavo Hellmund, the most prominent man behind taking the series back to United States, talked to the media following Craw’s visit. He was glad to state, “We were pleased to have Mr. Craw and Tim Mayer, alternate FIA delegate, visit the facility site and meet the incredible team assembled to build and operate what we believe will be one of the premiere racetracks on the circuit and a world-class venue. Our team is committed to building more than a race track; we are thinking far beyond the expected and are developing an environment that will provide an entertainment experience for both participants and spectators alike.”
During the visit, Craw also had a meeting with Peter Wahl, the managing partner of the track’s design company, Tilke GmbH. Following the meeting, Wahl disclosed to the media that the meeting was a big success and he is now looking forward to an extraordinary event in USA. He continued telling that the track design has been finalised after a detailed input from the drivers and spectators. He declared that as per the drivers’ feedback they want more high-speed corners and runways that are more challenging. Moreover, he added that to bring more thrill and adventure to the race they want to come up with a track where driving is more challenging and drivers are vulnerable to faults and errors as the Formula One race fans want to enjoy the driving skills of the racers.
The area selected for the track has a brilliant landscape and allows maximum elevation changes. Moreover, the initial track design has a combination of above 20 turns, which will provide a great racing spectacle.
Even though many of the new circuits have been added to the Formula One calendar in the past few years, yet the race lovers are anticipating seeing this new endeavour of Hermann Tilke. The German architect and designer, is the master brain behind the designs of most of the contemporary tracks around the globe.
Moreover, after the bitter experience of the delayed construction work of the track, FIA is considering to return to the former rule of inspection of new tracks. According to the old rule at least 90 days before a race, the final inspection must be completed.
The last inspection of the newly built Korean International Circuit was carried only two weeks ahead of the race day due to which many problems were faced on the race weekend.
While talking about the completion of work and new inspection rule Craw said, “It probably protects everybody’s interest a little better than running right up against the event.”
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