COTA in Trouble?

[hairy_scotsman]

Oof. Looks like there may be more problems looming for COTA.

'Is America's only Formula One track in trouble?'

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/is-am ... n-trouble/

How Circuit of the Americas may be facing an uncertain future.

After three Formula One races at the Circuit of the Americas, a 3.4-mile purpose-built road course in Austin, Texas, you might suspect COTA is riding high. You might be wrong.

The Austin Business Journal named COTA one of the stories to watch in 2015 in an end-of-2014 story: “COTA puts on big shows but struggles financially: Despite an estimated $897 million in economic impact, the Circuit of The Americas race track is still a long way from profitability. Attendance dropped again for 2014’s United States Grand Prix, and rumors of an effort by investors to sell the facility persist.”

That’s just the headline. COTA’s economic concerns may lie much deeper than that. Let’s look at how COTA got where it is – the good and the bad.
In the beginning…

[Jonnycraig]

I appreciate that it is pie in the sky, but America has two high profile national series' in Indycar & NASCAR that should be using COTA.

Whilst there have long been suggestions that Bernie won't allow Indycar on an F1 track, if it was at the risk of losing the U.S. base, I would be amazed if a deal couldn't be arranged.

Ultimately the track needs to be utilised far more than it is, Silverstone for example has F1, Formula series open wheelers, Prototypes, Touring Cars, Sports Cars, Bikes, Sidecars as well as experience days, club days etc. etc.

[Sulman]

Whilst there have long been suggestions that Bernie won't allow Indycar on an F1 track, if it was at the risk of losing the U.S. base, I would be amazed if a deal couldn't be arranged.

Indycar/CART tended to avoid doing this because it would involve comparative laptimes, and not to Indycar's credit. Enthusiasts understand the disparity, but the wider PR implications aren't good.

[hairy_scotsman]

Bruton Smith and Eddie Gossage at TMS are adamantly opposed to allowing a NASCAR or IndyCar race at COTA, and they have a lot of pull with both series.

That said, I'm not that sure COTA is really trying to get new series on the calendar. They could still have V8SC had they not run them off. They seem bent on ridding themselves of WEC as well (WEC brass had at one point said they would not return to COTA under the same management), and they've alienated the SCCA to the point they've said there will be no SCCA runoffs at COTA for several years, if ever.

[dren]

That sounds like poor management decisions? I would use the track as much as possible.

[Richard]

That seems frankly bizarre considering the track appears to be a classic (well it is for F1 because it's a copy of classic F1 tracks). I'd expect other race series would love racing there. Maybe the owners have let that go to their heads?

[dren]

That seems frankly bizarre considering the track appears to be a classic (well it is for F1 because it's a copy of classic F1 tracks). I'd expect other race series would love racing there. Maybe the owners have let that go to their heads?

Yeah, something just doesn't sound right about this.

[chip engineer]

Whilst there have long been suggestions that Bernie won't allow Indycar on an F1 track, if it was at the risk of losing the U.S. base, I would be amazed if a deal couldn't be arranged.

Indycar/CART tended to avoid doing this because it would involve comparative laptimes, and not to Indycar's credit. Enthusiasts understand the disparity, but the wider PR implications aren't good.

Indycar/CART ran at Montreal until limits on number of weekends the track was allowed to be used. And the comparative laptimes actually were not bad, especially given the cost differences.

[hairy_scotsman]

Iirc in Q the quickest IndyCar (Bourdais) was slower than the slowest F1 car. By a second or 2, and 5 or 6 slower than the F1 polesitter.

[hpras]

Iirc in Q the quickest IndyCar (Bourdais) was slower than the slowest F1 car. By a second or 2, and 5 or 6 slower than the F1 polesitter.

Yup..

2002 Williams FW24 Juan Montoya pole 1:12.836
2002 Lola/Toyota Christiano da Matta pole 1:18.959

2002 F1 slowest qualifier was Alex Yoong at 1:17.347, second slowest was one Mark Webber at 1:15.508.

Actually not bad I think. Champcars might have had more horsepower that year than F1, but they weighed 170kg more, ran steel brakes, and were on spec tires.

[Jonnycraig]

Whilst there have long been suggestions that Bernie won't allow Indycar on an F1 track, if it was at the risk of losing the U.S. base, I would be amazed if a deal couldn't be arranged.

Indycar/CART tended to avoid doing this because it would involve comparative laptimes, and not to Indycar's credit. Enthusiasts understand the disparity, but the wider PR implications aren't good.

I was thinking more like an Indycar race on a shortened track, perhaps cutting across at the connecting track at T6 or T7 and reducing it to a roughly 2 mile circuit and negates any danger of negative comparative times.

[NathanOlder]

Iirc in Q the quickest IndyCar (Bourdais) was slower than the slowest F1 car. By a second or 2, and 5 or 6 slower than the F1 polesitter.

Yup..

2002 Williams FW24 Juan Montoya pole 1:12.836
2002 Lola/Toyota Christiano da Matta pole 1:18.959

2002 F1 slowest qualifier was Alex Yoong at 1:17.347, second slowest was one Mark Webber at 1:15.508.

Actually not bad I think. Champcars might have had more horsepower that year than F1, but they weighed 170kg more, ran steel brakes, and were on spec tires.

But Canada was never going to be a big difference due to the low downforce. Imagine COTA or somewhere like Spa.

[Scorpaguy]

USA vs F1...

...bring back the CanAm series and we will talk

[Jersey Tom]

I appreciate that it is pie in the sky, but America has two high profile national series' in Indycar & NASCAR that should be using COTA.

I think it would be great if NASCAR had a 3rd road course race in the season. But not at COTA. I don't know what it is about it, but just doesn't seem that interesting when watching onboards. As far as new-ish tracks in the US go, I think Barber has more character and is more interesting.

To me, anything from Road America, Road Atlanta, Sears Point, Watkins Glen, VIR, Mid Ohio are more interesting race tracks than COTA for any race series. I doubt any of those can support the infrastructure for F1 though without substantial upgrade.

[countersteer]

Ultimately the track needs to be utilised far more than it is, Silverstone for example has F1, Formula series open wheelers, Prototypes, Touring Cars, Sports Cars, Bikes, Sidecars as well as experience days, club days etc. etc.

I agree with you completely. But, from what I've read, they've ended track days for the Porsche club, etc.. I recall one case where they tried to cancel an event that had already been contracted and planned.

Makes no sense to me...