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The Formula 1 2015 Season |OT| Formula E Feeder Series

Fisico

Member
There was less than an hour when I posted, so it probably ended 40mn ago I'd say (midnight european time), it was probably intended for european.
 

dubc35

Member
Some of the Mexican GP stadium section shots look great in (touched up) pictures, hopefully they pan out in reality. I hope the fans turn out for Checo. I bet they wish Esteban was racing as well.

More here

QR1sV31.jpg
 

dubc35

Member
The race sold out in a matter of hours, so yeah, they'll be there!

Ha, didn't know that.

This article seems to cast some doubt on the future at COTA.
“We lost millions on concessions” that under normal circumstances race fans would have purchased, Epstein said. “And we suffered from some fans having such a bad experience they won’t be back, though I hope we can change their mind.”
“The Mexico race hurt us,” Epstein said.

The announced Sunday attendance of 101,667 — down from an estimated 107,778 last year and 117,429 for the inaugural 2012 race — would actually have otherwise topped last year, were it not for the race in Mexico, he said.

Epstein declined to give specific figures, but he said the drop in Mexican attendance cost the track millions.

The weekend was a financial setback for one of Austin’s most polarizing civic features — one beloved in some circles and hated in others. Circuit of the Americas has become a flash point in larger cultural arguments about what the Austin of the future should be. Critics have also savaged a special tax arrangement the track made with the state — an arrangement that track officials say is key to its financial survival, even if future races avoid the setbacks of this weekend.

The track isn’t owned or managed by the billion-dollar F1 racing enterprise, but by an independent ownership group. Each year the track’s ownership group pays a fee to Formula One for the privilege of hosting the race. It is widely speculated that the fee is large enough that all of the sales tax revenue the state gives up, about $24 million a year, is paid to Formula One.

To critics, this is a giveaway of public money. The state officials who struck the deal said it is worthwhile because the tourism generated by the race is a significant net-gain for the region’s economy. And track officials say the deal is a lifeline. Even with ticket sales and concessions, the track loses money on Formula One and the annual X Games competition.

Even smaller, profitable events haven’t gotten the track’s finances into the black, because track owners are still paying off the construction debt, in addition to operating costs and other expenses, Epstein said.
 
I actually like that track. Some of these recent tracks pretty much spend their life time either getting dominated by Vettel, dominated by Hamilton or dominated by Hamilton and Vettel.
 

tomtom94

Member
Some of the Mexican GP stadium section shots look great in (touched up) pictures, hopefully they pan out in reality. I hope the fans turn out for Checo. I bet they wish Esteban was racing as well.

More here

Rumout has it Esteban will be announced as Haas' second driver for next year at Mexico, so. Yeah.
 
Rowland in contact with two F1 teams (rumoured to be Manor and Mercedes)

I hope he and The Stoff end up at Manor, two hyped up drivers, the champions of GP2 and FR3.5, them being in the same F1 team needs to happen.
 

Ninman

Member
So, Perez has out scored Kimi, and both Red Bull and Williams drivers since the summer break, impressive effort by FI ando Checo.
 

Chris R

Member
Explains the shit food that commands a princely price at the track. Honestly, I expected a lot more of the concessions on site - this is Texas, and Austin of all places. There is good food everywhere. Nothing offered at the track is good, year after year.

There were some local options, but they were far away from the regular grandstands. Once you were past the beer garden I started to see more local food truck options. Had a terrific burger from a local food truck just before the race started.

They lost millions on concessions because of the rain. Once I found my GA spot I wasn't moving, because of the fucking mud everywhere.

I could see the insane shuttle wait line turning people off from coming again. I'll be back for sure, assuming the race is in Austin again for the next few years, I'll just be buying parking instead.
 

dubc35

Member
Great response, and he replies directly to Nico lol
‏@dextermorgan5 52m52 minutes ago

@adamcooperF1 @nico_rosberg I am 100% convinced I could have came up with a better excuse if given 10 seconds
 

Fox Mulder

Member
There were some local options, but they were far away from the regular grandstands. Once you were past the beer garden I started to see more local food truck options. Had a terrific burger from a local food truck just before the race started.

They lost millions on concessions because of the rain. Once I found my GA spot I wasn't moving, because of the fucking mud everywhere.

I could see the insane shuttle wait line turning people off from coming again. I'll be back for sure, assuming the race is in Austin again for the next few years, I'll just be buying parking instead.

I'm planning to go next year, cant really blame these huge venues for going to shit in that kind of bad weather. I went to the coca cola 600 in Charlotte a few times and one year was god awful with rain prior to the event and mud all around.
 

Lego Boss

Member
Poor Rosberg.

Even if that's true, no one will want to believe him.

I feel sorry for the guy this year.

Really? Saying stuff like that just makes him look bad.

It might be true, but he's such a clever guy you'd think he's d know when to just keep schtum.

However, he is a top racing driver and with most other drivers in that team, he would have won a WDC by now, I just think he's lost the mind games with #blessed
 

ElTorro

I wanted to dominate the living room. Then I took an ESRAM in the knee.
However, he is a top racing driver and with most other drivers in that team, he would have won a WDC by now, I just think he's lost the mind games with #blessed

Either that, or #blessed as just upped his qualifying game compared to last season, or #blessed just likes this year's car better than Secondberg.

I'd say it's a mixture of mind games and an improved qualifying performance by Hamilton.
 
"Button will run Honda's 'phase four' engine for the first time so he'll get a new engine, turbocharger, MGU-H and MGU-K on Friday morning. That means a 25-place penalty.

But in order to stock up on components, Honda plan to change all those again ahead of second practice adding another 25-place penalty."


Or as it was put nicely on Twitter, "Button will start the Mexican GP from Austin".
 

stryke

Member
"Button will run Honda's 'phase four' engine for the first time so he'll get a new engine, turbocharger, MGU-H and MGU-K on Friday morning. That means a 25-place penalty.

But in order to stock up on components, Honda plan to change all those again ahead of second practice adding another 25-place penalty."

I feel so dumb because this is written in simple English yet I still don't understand what this means...anyone care to explain?
 

Aiii

So not worth it
I feel so dumb because this is written in simple English yet I still don't understand what this means...anyone care to explain?

He's changing the PU and engine on Friday and will change those again on Saturday so they have one spare in the future and not get a penalty when they use those. He'll get 25 grid-place penalties for each change, so 50 total and start at the back.
 

stryke

Member
He's changing the PU and engine on Friday and will change those again on Saturday. He'll get 25 grid-place penalties for each change, so 50 total and start at the back.

No, I understand the changes being made and the penalties incurred, I just don't understand the reasoning behind the plan to changing it twice in one weekend.
 
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