USA Grand Prix Austin (part deux) - Page 4

chillibowl · 30 Aug 2011, 18:44 (Ref:2948467)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobHWS

I'm afraid the issue of an American driver is a chicken-and-egg problem...

do we need a driver born and raised in America by a family a couple of generations deep or just a driver to make their home in America and become a citizen?

Mario's family emigrated to the USA and was hugely popular but that was a different era.

for arguments sake if Hammy gets married to an American gal (and a hugely popular pop start to boot) and chooses to make his home there could that be enough to make F1 more appealing in the USA?

**Bononi** · 30 Aug 2011, 18:58 (Ref:2948480)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chillibowl

for arguments sake if Hammy gets married to an American gal (and a hugely popular pop start to boot) and chooses to make his home there could that be enough to make F1 more appealing in the USA?

Do you mean like sort of Beckham moving to USA ?

chillibowl · 30 Aug 2011, 19:17 (Ref:2948495)

i forgot about them. sadly Posh is far more popular than Becks is over here and thats probably true everywhere

i suppose that means bad pop music will forever be more popular than sports!

Jacques Rabbit · 30 Aug 2011, 19:51 (Ref:2948520)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chillibowl

do we need a driver born and raised in America by a family a couple of generations deep or just a driver to make their home in America and become a citizen?

Mario's family emigrated to the USA and was hugely popular but that was a different era.

for arguments sake if Hammy gets married to an American gal (and a hugely popular pop start to boot) and chooses to make his home there could that be enough to make F1 more appealing in the USA?

To be honest, I think as the generations change, the American factor does get weaker. The story of an American taking on the world is less to appeal to the fans themselves, but more to appeal to the media...and with more media coverage, it's only natural more people will discover F1 and find reasons to stay (the technology angle could work for the younger demographics being targeted. It certainly can be spun to have a very modern, edgy image in a way NASCAR struggles to do).

I also think that having young, personable drivers of any nationality helps. They have the youth, and in fact, many of them have the personality, but it gets lost in the intensity of their line of work. And with the only real exposure to American fans being on race weekends, a lot of them paint these drivers as major *******s with huge egos and no personality. Character will always sell to Americans, even foreign character, but we don't get to see a lot of it. I can certainly say from my own experience that there's a lot more to Vettel, Alonso, and Massa than you get in a post-race presser...but most only get that, at least here.

If Lewis could have a larger presence in the U.S., I think he would sell. He's a bit controversial, certainly makes a lot of interesting comments, a spectacular driver to watch, and just has that "edgy and cool" factor. His superstar life could really sell to American youths. Something like Chad Ochocinco or LeBron James if Lewis wants to really turn it up a notch; he does want a larger brand in America.

And you have to be careful...not all Americans will sell. The America vs. the world angle only works when the American is, well, what America wants an American to be. Strong, tough, gritty, hard-working, has to have the small-town backstory...a guy like Scott Speed didn't convince his country to get behind him. Someone like Alexander Rossi likely won't either, even if his results are there. If it's a big ego guy who can back it up and does a lot of talking and a lot of the "celebrity" stuff, the youth will latch on, but as I say, I think Hamilton fills that void even if he's not American (though some people who do the NASCAR coverage have called him African-American more than once, when he is, in fact, neither).

In short, they just need characters. It may be easier to sell an American character, on the basis of stronger English, the America vs. the world storyline, having similar traits based on similar cultures, but...if you're looking for the 18-34 crowd, and they most definitely are, just plugging an American in won't make F1 a success here.

In dream world, you'd have a billing with Vettel as the youth, Hamilton as the superstar, and Alonso as the villain. But no one will bill them as anything until the media cares, and the media will only care when there's a gritty American scrapper taking them on as if they are all the enemy.

The GP itself, though, with all that said, will still have good attendance the first year, whenever it gets ready. That's inevitable, and quite fortunate. From there, who knows what impression it will make.

**Bononi** · 30 Aug 2011, 20:21 (Ref:2948557)

Tom Cruise maybe ??

**bjohnsonsmith** · 30 Aug 2011, 20:44 (Ref:2948568)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bononi

Tom Cruise maybe ??

Days of Thunder II.

Spritle · 30 Aug 2011, 21:40 (Ref:2948597)

You might also need a few more more races on TV at a time when some of those "yoots" of the new generation in the USA aren't still sleeping after partying all night on Saturday.

Any "new" sport with almost no history or fan base, introduced in a country with no driver or team that is 5 hours behind the normal televised coverage is going to be a tough sell. I realize there are other countries on bad time zones out there but they have drivers, teams or the fan base for other reasons.

This extremely biased fan thinks F1 should already be immensely popular in the States despite no race or driver but alas it isn't, probably for a lot of other reasons and I really don't think Austin or any other US venue will do much to make Americans F1 fanatics. It will help, but it won't be a turning point because F1 is a European thing, NOT an American thing. Yea Americans my watch a little football (soccer) but they largely ignore European matches and the World Cup unless they are in it. The same goes for other European sport.

Quite frankly, with baseball; (including MLB, college & Little League), football; (NFL, college & high school), basketball; (NBA & college), hockey, NASCAR, PGA, tennis, boxing, UFC and a few other sports I forgot on TV in 3 convenient times zones with LOTS of Americans thrown in for good measure...

...who needs F1?

But what the measure of success of a USGP in Austin or elsewhere will be is the biggest question. Considering there is nothing in the US right now success has already been achieved IMHO with a race on the schedule.

What the folks in charge think in 10 years remains to be seen.

skells22 · 31 Aug 2011, 17:09 (Ref:2948945)

date has been set guys for this track and it is Nov 18

**Bononi** · 31 Aug 2011, 18:34 (Ref:2948980)

Quote:

Originally Posted by skells22

date has been set guys for this track and it is Nov 18

Set for what ? Race ? That would the last of the season ?

BobHWS · 31 Aug 2011, 18:40 (Ref:2948981)

Press Release
World Motor Sport Council
31/08/2011

Following a fax vote by its members, the World Motor Sport Council has ratified, by unanimous decision, the following points:

FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

The 2012 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar is confirmed as follows:

18/03 AUS Australia
25/03 MYS Malaysia
15/04 CHN China
22/04 BAH Bahrain
13/05 ESP Spain
27/05 MCO Monaco
10/06 CAN Canada
24/06 EUR Europe
08/07 GBR Great Britain
22/07 DEU Germany
29/07 HUN Hungary
02/09 BEL Belgium
09/09 ITA Italy
23/09 SGP Singapore
07/10 JPN Japan
14/10 KOR Korea
28/10 IND India
04/11 ARE Abu Dhabi
18/11 USA United States
25/11 BRA Brazil

**Bononi** · 31 Aug 2011, 19:04 (Ref:2948996)

Well, the number of babes in the picture doesn't reflect the number of tracks in the calendar...

Spritle · 31 Aug 2011, 20:19 (Ref:2949056)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bononi

Well, the number of babes in the picture doesn't reflect the number of tracks in the calendar...

Yea, somebody fix that please!

JHamilton · 1 Sep 2011, 22:05 (Ref:2949647)

Quote:

Originally Posted by stripedcat

Obviously having an American driver in F1 would help promotion a lot. Sadly it is not going to happen any time soon.

I have had another look at the new Tilke track and it is going to have that rarity among track - elevation change. Well, that is a step in the right direction. Still have to wait and see how well it comes together.

Unless they are a true standout, I don't think it will make any difference. We don't need another Scott Speed (nothing against him) until someone is truly deserving of a ride. Most US F1 fans are aligned with a certain team than drivers anyway.

JeremySmith · 1 Sep 2011, 23:46 (Ref:2949684)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHamilton

Unless they are a true standout, I don't think it will make any difference. We don't need another Scott Speed (nothing against him) until someone is truly deserving of a ride. Most US F1 fans are aligned with a certain team than drivers anyway.

I agree completely, I don't think it makes any difference to the average American fan...

**bjohnsonsmith** · 1 Sep 2011, 23:49 (Ref:2949686)

If you had Will Power in F1 that would generate a lot of interest.

fieldodreams79 · 1 Sep 2011, 23:51 (Ref:2949688)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

If you had Will Power in F1 that would generate a lot of interest.

How many fingers does he need to drive an F1 car?

JeremySmith · 1 Sep 2011, 23:52 (Ref:2949690)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

If you had Will Power in F1 that would generate a lot of interest.

But Will Power is Australian..

**bjohnsonsmith** · 1 Sep 2011, 23:55 (Ref:2949693)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

But Will Power is Australian..

I know he's Australian but he's associated with Champ Car and now IndyCar and for all intents and purposes based in the US.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 1 Sep 2011, 23:57 (Ref:2949694)

Quote:

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

How many fingers does he need to drive an F1 car?

Probably the lot, as there are so many buttons to deal with on a modern F1 stearing wheel.

JeremySmith · 1 Sep 2011, 23:58 (Ref:2949695)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I know he's Australian but he's associated with Champ Car and now IndyCar and for all intents and purposes based in the US.

Yes but Indycar is well rather lame don't you think? Would will Power be any good in a F1 car, maybe?

**bjohnsonsmith** · 2 Sep 2011, 00:03 (Ref:2949702)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

Yes but Indycar is well rather lame don't you think? Would will Power be any good in a F1 car, maybe?

You're dead right IndyCar is lame, good reason to get out. He was good in Champ Car and the DP01 was a far superior machine to the Dallara. I reckon he would be good in F1, he's head and shoulders above the others on road/street tracks.

JeremySmith · 2 Sep 2011, 01:22 (Ref:2949715)

He is good, a bit short in the attitude department at the moment...

Can you see him giving Charlie the finger? I don't think so

**bjohnsonsmith** · 2 Sep 2011, 01:28 (Ref:2949716)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

He is good, a bit short in the attitude department at the moment...

Can you see him giving Charlie the finger? I don't think so

He's certainly a bit hot headed. Helio Castroneves had that outburst at Edmonton last year, must be something to do with driving for Roger Penske.

No I couldn't see him flipping the bird at Charlie Whiting, but then Charlie Whiting isn't an incompetant like Brian Barnhart.

JeremySmith · 2 Sep 2011, 01:35 (Ref:2949718)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

He's certainly a bit hot headed. Helio Castroneves had that outburst at Edmonton last year, must be something to do with driving for Roger Penske.

No I couldn't see him flipping the bird at Charlie Whiting, but then Charlie Whiting isn't an incompetant like Brian Barnhart.

Are you listening Brian...

Matt · 4 Sep 2011, 18:12 (Ref:2950782)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

He is good, a bit short in the attitude department at the moment...

Can you see him giving Charlie the finger? I don't think so

F1 needs someone like that.

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