Ariel.Club Forum

[quote="benyeats"]
Not to be an aircraft geek but which passenger jet had afterburners ?  Concorde did but I think you would have mentioned if it was that particular bird!
[/quote]
My mistake then Ben. He had the pedal to the floor though, is what I was getting at... 

Pedantry certificate in post to you as we speak

[quote="Rob McPherson"]
[quote="benyeats"]
Not to be an aircraft geek but which passenger jet had afterburners ?  Concorde did but I think you would have mentioned if it was that particular bird!
[/quote]
My mistake then Ben. He had the pedal to the floor though, is what I was getting at... 

Pedantry certificate in post to you as we speak
[/quote]

I know what you meant, I was just being what some of the forums uncouth members might call a cock!

I will put the certificate with the others.....

Interview with McCombs
http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_ ... t_id=41595
The headline is about promotion by Clear Channel (which apparently has a large European presence in outdoor advertising that I wasn't aware of before), but there are some other interesting details:
Another backer - "former MotoGP World Champion Kevin Schwantz. ... Clearly, with Schwantz as a backer, MotoGP is also likely to be a target for the circuit and McCombs says that he views the circuit as being “a year-round activity and that is what we are hoping to capture. We would like other top level series to come too.” "
and I found this interesting -
"With his eye on the end-game McCombs says “I think there will be a big financial return but that will come because of the ancillary programmes that will be put in place and not the race itself.” "
Other suggested uses range from music festivals to joint research projects with area universities. McCombs is a big donor to the the University of Texas.

Interview with Helmund
http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_ ... t_id=41723
This is an older profile/interview before the site was announced, but he discusses Tilke and the track design a bit -
"Don't think I haven't been fully aware of all the criticism of Tilke and cookie cutter race tracks ... to be perfectly honest, with Tilke we had to dig in on a couple of ideas and fortunately Hermann has spent enough time working with us that he knows we don't give in very easily and we remind him that we are the client, not the other way around."
and promotion -
Hellmund says he has a "long and detailed plan" to get the US audience reacquainted with F1. "One of the things we are going to do is have grand prix parties starting early next year in parks with big screens, music and a show car programme across the United States."


Other investor news: IRS is suing Red Mccombs for $45M from his cash out from Clear Channel. He's estimated to be worth $1.3B though, so minor setback.  

Here's a profile of another investor -Bobby Epstein - who brings the land to the deal.
http://www.statesman.com/sports/formula ... 34501.html
"Kirk Rudy, chief executive officer of Austin-based Endeavor Real Estate Group, said his friend Epstein's involvement in F1 didn't come as a total surprise.
"He doesn't shy away from complicated things," Rudy said, adding that Epstein excels at executing complex deals with "a bunch of moving parts."
"With Bobby behind it, the chances of success are multiplied exponentially," said Bryce Miller, a managing principal with Endeavor, which is not involved in the F1 venture. "But just as importantly, it will be done responsibly and in a way that is good for Austin, Texas. He loves Austin." "

A couple articles from last weeks' local newspaper.

http://www.statesman.com/sports/formula ... 46462.html

http://www.statesman.com/news/nation/au ... 44400.html

The first article's headline seems a little misleading to me. The Tilke group is obviously not just starting work, however the report indicates a level of progress less than I was lead to believe from some earlier statements.
"Although the course layout is about 95 percent determined, Epp said questions remain about the type and design of auxiliary buildings.... F1 organizers have yet to submit requests for permits to the city and Travis County, which will jointly review the plans. But Tilke hopes to begin grading the site in December."

The second article indicates that earlier statements about utilities might have been optimistic. The Austin city council was/is happy to give a $4.4M subsidy to a housing development, but it sounds like a race track may be too much a political lightning rod.

This article doesn't have anything new to report but it does include a better picture of the site.
http://en.espnf1.com/usracing/motorspor ... 25775.html

From the east side of the site, looking toward the airport with the Central Business District skyline on the horizon.
click images for full size
[img width=667 height=500]http://f1.imgci.com/PICTURES/CMS/5800/5823.jpg[/img] [img width=397 height=550]http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/austingpsite-470x651.jpg[/img]

click for larger


http://www.statesman.com/sports/formula ... 90582.html
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20100901/F1/100909998

"The 3.4-mile track has 20 turns, a maximum elevation change of 133 feet, a back straightaway that is three-quarters of a mile long and a width that will vary between 39 and 52 feet."

EDIT: They added an elevation view, and the F1 website has some much larger PDF versions:
http://www.formula1.com/assets/pdf/Draf ... 20USGP.pdf
http://www.formula1.com/assets/pdf/F1%2 ... vation.pdf

Looks totally pants, one possible overtaking place, the straight on the top left.

To many tight twisty bits onto long straights.

Best circuits Monza, Istanbul, Canada (can't remember where) and Spa have long straight joined by high speed bends and chicanes, result = great racing and overtaking opportunities.

Just can't see how this one is going to work.

Here's an evaluation of the proposed track layout.
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/ ... track.html

And we're starting to see the mundane issues like utilities and access get thrashed about...
Austin Business Journal: Formula 1 Austin site’s waterworks unclear
Lewis Contractors, Inc. has been awarded a $2.6M city contract to extend water mains to the site, but officials say that since it's now a proposed track rather than housing, the approval and bidding process has to be redone.
"the company’s owner is ready to “get legal people involved.” "

And the county transportation director offered a guess of 12 hour access and exit times last week...
http://www.statesman.com/news/local/roa ... 12166.html

which of course got picked up by gearhead blogs everywhere, eg:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/blog/fro ... car-268762

Right - cuz improving three 1 to 3 mile stretches of county road is the impossible goal in this project...

That turn one is going to be 'interesting'

A blind crest left hander hairpin...

Wear brown trousers...



Is it just me or does it look like a map of Britain sort of...?

I get the felling they may be trying to make T1/T2 reminiscent of Laguna Seca and the entry into corkscrew there?

[quote="Bruce Fielding"]
Is it just me or does it look like a map of Britain sort of...?
[/quote]

It does, which means it will be a good track.

[quote="benyeats"]
[quote="Bruce Fielding"]
Is it just me or does it look like a map of Britain sort of...?
[/quote]

It does, which means it will be a good track.
[/quote]

Except turns 17/18 which will probably be a bit sh1t (although I'm sure the weather will be far better than expected).

[quote="Bruce Fielding"]
Is it just me or does it look like a map of Britain sort of...?
[/quote]

Does a bit with Wales and East Anglia missing, positives all round then!! 

[quote="Bruce Fielding"]
Is it just me or does it look like a map of Britain sort of...?
[/quote]

I voted for the fourth plinth on the same basis...
http://www.london.gov.uk/fourthplinth/i ... 9t-go-back

(This will mean nothing to the people for whom this thread is the most interesting...)

[quote="Bruce Fielding"]
...
(This will mean nothing to the people for whom this thread is the most interesting...)

[/quote]

Au contraire, exposure to different frames of reference is one of my favorite aspects of this forum.