All-purpose open-wheel (F1, IRL) racing thread

Have three eps left in this season of Drive to Survive, and just got through the one featuring Ocon and Yuki Tsunoda, who just came off as such a spoiled little bitch. Got better by the end of the episode, but if I were on his team and he was crashing all of the time and he was yelling "shut up" at me over the radio, I'd punch him in the face.

 

At least they aren’t running the entire race in the Caesar’s parking lot this time.

 

This could be amazing.

 

I will absolutely be there. I get goosebumps just thinking of the sounds echoing off the resorts.

 

Danny Ric's reaction is exactly what you think. Bottas, maybe not as much.

 

I get that they want to capitalize on the Netflix series, but they might be close to saturating the US market. Three races plus Montreal, which is a day’s drive from New York.

 

Vegas is a natural landing spot. Racing 212 down the Strip? Hoooo boy.

I wanted to go to Miami this year but couldn’t make it work. I’m going to find a way to make Vegas work.

 

Also, Lewis’s reaction gave the distinct sense of a man who doesn’t want to shit where he eats.

Bottas? I want to hear that story.

 

They'll be fine. All of the races will sell out with ease, probably instantly.

As much as people acted like there was no audience for F1 in the US before Drive To Survive, the USGP at Indy consistently drew one of the biggest crowds of the season. Now interest has exploded.

 

The thing about three races in the U.S. is all the other races. Liberty Media has talked a bunch about having an absurd number of races in the years to come, but the technological, financial and logistical carrying capacity can't possibly sustain that.

Given the timing, you'd think that Vegas will eat Mexico City's lunch, but then what? Bahrain recently got a contract extension through 2036.

At present, the only races whose contracts are up in 2022 are Paul Ricard, Spa and the Red Bull Ring (which apparently has an option to renew). Further complicating matters, China comes back in 2023, as does a permanent deal for a race in Qatar starting in 2023, and the only race contract that ends that year is Zandvoort, which is probably going nowhere for Verstappen-based reasons. And this is before we consider the fact that there's no race in Germany.

There's a chance we could rid ourselves of Baku after 2024, but the other ones that are up that year are kind of no-brainers: Silverstone, Monza and Suzuka.

When every F1 Grand Prix is contracted to be held until | RacingNews365

 

Yeah, that's going to be a problem. I think they're contractually capped at 24 races and they'd have to swing a deal with the teams to go beyond that. I suspect the teams would insist on a budget increase and institute rotating crews at races.

Short of that...

Paul Ricard will probably go. It seems ridiculous to not have a French GP but they didn't for years and the world kept spinning. It's not a great track.

Baku probably goes away. I actually really like that race but it's in a shitty country and F1 has bigger fish to fry.

I have absolutely no idea why they gave Imola a contract through 2025. It's an amazing track that just doesn't work for modern F1 and they're not leaving Monza. Imola is dead once that contract ends.

Mexico draws a huge, enthusiastic crowd but I'm not sure it does that well financially. It would suck to see it go, particularly with Checo in a competitive car. With a contract expiring in 2022 it could be in danger.

I'm seeing some talk about tracks rotating. I don't really see it, at least for the classics. I'd be really pissed if we only got Spa every other year because they needed to add Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

 

Really want to know what Terry Boatass did during his first trip to Vegas...