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Tavo Hellmund
Circuit of The Americas on the eve of the USGP
All eyes are on Austin this morning, as the world awaits the start of the 2012 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix. Since inception, the concept of having Formula 1 back in the U.S. has sparked global conversation about the future of the sport in America. Today, American motorsport will be redefined as the highest class of racing takes to the track for the first F1 Grand Prix in the U.S. since 2007.
The climb up to Turn 1 at Circuit of The Americas (© The Austin Grand Prix)
It is a time to celebrate. To roll out the barrels. To fly the banners. To wave the flags. To welcome the world to the inaugural Austin Grand Prix. However, with Austin’s reputation as ‘The Live Music Capital of the World’, you can guarantee that Travis County will be a rockin’ and a rollin’ and struttin’ its stuff like there is no tomorrow and Iain Robertson declares that nobody could be more delighted.
World Superbike at Miller Motorsports Park
Two important pieces of information were released over the weekend concerning two-wheeled racing. First, World Superbike (SBK) is moving to Laguna Seca in 2013, and second, MotoGP's 2013 calendar was released with two unconfirmed races in April, sans Austin.
Since visiting Miller Motorsports Park in May of this year, the idea of SBK coming to Circuit of The Americas has been in the back of my mind. Speaking with several SBK officials that weekend, the option to move to Austin was well received but no one would confirm whether talks were underway. SBK seemed happy with their stint at Miller but it was clear the new facility couldn't overcome the lackluster crowds and minimal exposure associated with the event.
In line with the overall sentiment from these discussions, this past Friday a new three year contract to host the United States round of the eni FIM Superbike World Championship at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca was announced. Laguna Seca has replaced Miller Motorsports Park starting next year, opting to return to the Californian track where MotoGP also runs.
Since MotoGP was put in limbo earlier this year, a serious void was created by the lack of a two-wheeled series at COTA. Frustrating many season ticket holders who expected MotoGP to be a foundation of the facility's program, the issues between Tavo Hellmund and Circuit of The Americas bled over to the MotoGP side of things, surprising many who hoped the series would be free of the F1 drama.
Waiting patiently for things to be resolved, complications were revealed when former MotoGP Champion Kevin Schwantz announced a lawsuit against COTA, claiming they went around him to secure an alternate deal with MotoGP owner Dorna and push him out. While this issue remains to be resolved, motorcycle governing body FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme) released a provisional calendar with two races in April yet to be confirmed.
Two weeks following the season opener in Qatar, back-to-back races on the 14th and 21st of April are unconfirmed and the season expands from 18 races in 2012 to 19 races for 2013. The fourth event on the calendar is Spain, and with only Portugal, Spain's close neighbor, missing from the 2012 calendar, it's very possible what has yet to be confirmed is how the logistics between Austin and Portugal will take place in just one week between the two events.
Given the emergence of Schwantz's case against COTA, one could argue that there's little reason to pursue legal action unless a deal between Dorna and COTA is underway. The silver-lining is that we may soon have the top two-wheeled series here in Austin, but we'll continue to wait until official word is out later this year.
Circuit of The Americas announced today that individual tickets for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix will go on sale Sunday June 10th, at 9am CST.
Prices range from $159 to $499 depending on seating location. All tickets include shuttle transportation from downtown Austin to the circuit, an unprecedented advantage over other circuits.
Here's a better image from Circuit of The America's site showing the seating locations:
(c) Circuit of The Americas 2012// Full Release
Circuit of The Americas announces on-sale date and pricing for 2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ reserved grandstand bleacher seats and general admission tickets
Three-day tickets to prestigious international event start at $159 and include round-trip shuttle service
Austin, Texas (June 5, 2012)– Circuit of The Americas today announced the date when members of the public can purchase three-day reserved grandstand bleacher seats and general admission tickets to the FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™, set for Nov. 16-18, 2012. The soon-to-be-completed center for premium sports and entertainment in Austin, Texas, will host the return of the world-famous Formula 1™ racing series to the United States for the first time in five years. Three-day reserved grandstand bleacher seats and general admission tickets to the highly anticipated event go on sale Sunday, June 10, at 10 a.m. EDT, at www.CircuitofTheAmericas.com/tickets.
Three-day general admission tickets are priced at an affordable $159 per person and allow fans to choose their views of the action from several grassy berms and spacious public areas surrounding the 375-acre state-of-the-art facility designed by Tilke GmbH, the famed German architectural company known for its work on signature F1™ circuits. Three-day reserved grandstand bleacher seats range in price from $269 to $499 per person and offer guests spectacular views from vantage points around the 3.4-mile racetrack, including Turns 2, 3, 4, 5, 11 and 12.
Prices for reserved grandstand bleacher seats depend on location and are detailed in the table that follows (see supplemental table with comparable 2012 Grand Prix grandstand reserved seating pricing on page 3). All three-day reserved grandstand bleacher seats and general admission tickets include round-trip shuttle bus transportation from three designated park-and-ride locations in the greater Austin area. Shuttle bus pick-up/drop-off locations include the corner of 15th Street and Trinity Street in downtown Austin, the Travis County Fair and Expo Center at 7311 Decker Lane, and at a location in southeast Travis County that will be announced this summer.
Seating Area
Three-Day Ticket Price Per Person
General Admission
$159
Grandstand - Turn 11
$269
Grandstand - Turns 2, 3, 4 and 5
$299
Grandstand - Turn 12 (lower rows)
$399
Grandstand - Turn 12 (upper rows)
$499
“Formula 1™ fans and motorsports enthusiasts around the world have eagerly anticipated this news, and we’re excited to launch public ticket sales for our inaugural event in the next few days,” Circuit Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer Geoff Moore said. “We have options to fit every pocketbook.
“Information provided by the public was crucial as we finalized prices for the 2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™. We received fan input from extensive customer surveys and through market research from other Grands Prix and comparable premier, international, multi-day sporting events. In the final analysis, we wanted to make this event affordable to F1 fans around the country. Whether they want a reserved seat or the freedom to explore our expansive facility with a general admission ticket, they will enjoy great views and amenities.”
FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ tickets go on sale Sunday, June 10, 2012, at 10 a.m. EDT. To select and purchase tickets, fans should visit www.CircuitofTheAmericas.com/tickets, www.ticketmaster.com (use the search terms “Circuit of The Americas” or “Formula 1 United States Grand Prix”), or dial the Ticketmaster hotline,800.745.3000, to review available options.
Customers interested in premium seating options, such as personal seat licenses with season tickets and on-site parking, can submit information through the “Tickets” section of Circuit’s official website and will be contacted by a sales representative for more information. Circuit of The Americas sales representatives are available Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. CDT at 512.301.6600.
Additional information about Grand Prix transportation and travel packages, facility hours of operation, special events and entertainment, and items permitted inside Circuit of The Americas during the FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ will be announced in the coming weeks.
About Circuit of The Americas
Circuit of The Americas will be a world-class destination for performance, education and business. It will be the first purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the United States designed for any and all classes of racing, from motor power to human power, and be the U.S. home to the 2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ Nov. 16-18 and V8 SUPERCARS.
The Circuit of The Americas’ master plan features a variety of permanent structures designed for business, education, entertainment and race use. Its signature element will be a 3.4-mile circuit track. Other support buildings will include an expansive outdoor live music space, a conference center, a banquet hall as well as a state-of-the-art medical facility. Future proposed amenities include a driving/riding experience, a motorsports driving club, kart track, grand plaza event center and tower, and a trackside recreational vehicle park. For more information and downloadable video, audio and photos, visit: www.CircuitofTheAmericas.com.
2012 Formula 1™ Grand Prix Three-Day Grandstand Reserved Seat Pricing Comparison*
Monaco
$520
Brazil
$394
Britain
$351
Australia
$324
United States
$269
Canada
$264
Europe
$247
Spain
$234
Belgium
$208
Singapore
$195
Germany
$194
Malaysia
$179
Italy
$169
*Prices listed are the lowest-priced grandstand seating options for the Grands Prix specified in the table.
205 days until the Inaugural Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™! Let's see what's going on in Austin.
The pits at K1 Speed Austin!K1 Speed, the premiere indoor karting track with locations throughout the US, opened the doors of their first Texas location today. Based on the responses we've seen online, this is the Austin hot spot for all racing enthusiasts! Check out their Austin Facebook page for more details. Our friend, Caulen Lauria, got behind the wheel and set the current fastest lap time at 28.134. Here's what he had to say:
The track, the karts, the people, the organization and the atmosphere are fantastic! They were running a shorter track layout though to accommodate 5 races in an hour. The electric karts are wicked fun. K1 Speed is one of the coolest places in Austin!
Planning your Austin trip and wanting to create some truly memorable experiences? Check out the recently launched Formula Austin venture between Anne Fish and Andy Fish. I recently spoke with Anne at one of our events and her passion for Austin and excitement about F1 coming to town were infectious. Pit Pass even took notice.
Last week I attended the Formula Expo Launch Event and learned more about an Formula 1 expo planned for June 15-17 in Austin. We'll have more to share on this exciting venture in the coming week. In the meantime you can check out their website here.
Pre-asphalt is being laid down at Circuit of The Americas. Here's a sneak peak:
Pre-asphalt being laid on the incline to Turn 1 at Circuit of The Americas - April 20, 2012// F1 RumblingsWere you planning to go to New Jersey next year? Some recent comments from Bernie have people checking their calendar - did he say 2014!? Read more here.
Tavo says he's still seeking ownership shares at Circuit of The Americas however McCombs says he's not selling.
Formula GP Experience with Circuit of The Americas and Pirelli TiresCOTA also announced a fun partnership with Pirelli tires, the exclusive tire provider for F1. They will go on a cross-country tour of sorts to share the excitement for our November race and offer exciting fan experience opportunities!
Last week we spoke to UT Marketing Students and co-hosted a lively networking event with EuroCircle. What will May bring? Stay tuned for announcements next week.
Seems Austin racing news is coming out on a weekly daily basis. We created Austin Pit Stop as an abbreviated way for you to stay up to date. As always, your feedback is welcome (just use the comments feature below or message us here).
The Austin Children's Shelter held a fundraiser fashion show, "Fashion for Compassion" at SAKS last weekend. The event was a smashing success with sold out, standing-room only attendance! The highlight of the evening was a spectacular Canadian Grand Prix F1 vacation experience package, donated by Tavo and Aryn Hellmund. Here's what John Hogg, MD, Co-Chair of the "Fashion for Compassion" Event, had to say on it's overwhelming success:
The top selling item for the evening was, of course, the Montreal Formula 1 vacation experience package, provided by Tavo and Aryn Hellmund. The purchaser naturally remains to be anonymous, but we are tickled at the generous auction price paid, which one could say far exceeds the price of a luxury European sports car. Of course, I'm sure the experience to be had by the purchaser, and the connections and memories created will be a once in a lifetime experience. The result of this and all generosity from donors and purchasers is that we will be able to continue the important mission of providing emergency housing for neglected and abused children and young adults, and help with their healing process.
Congratulations to the winning bidder and kudos for supporting such an amazing cause!
On March 22, COTA announced the formation of a Host Committee, led by Sandy West. No details about who is on the host committee just yet, but many large scale events implement host committees to engage community leaders in their area of expertise and help prepare the city for the event. Think of the Super Bowl, Olympics, and the like. We expect to hear more about this, especially as COTA prepares to make tickets available for purchase in June.
The Austin American-Statesman has been keeping tabs on some loose ends for COTA and the Travis County Commissioner's Office to tie up, mainly permitting and planning issues. We've been told it's "pretty much business as usual" so no need to worry. Click here for an update.
You never know who is in Austin at any given minute. During SXSW our streets were flooded with celebrities and big wigs: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jay-Z, Bruce Springstein, Al Gore, Jimmy Fallon, Deepak Chopra just to name a few (Google for more). Two days ago NASCAR champion Tony Stewart visited Austin and slapped his seal of approval on our city for F1. F1-to-NASCAR champ Juan Pablo Montoya also made a literal pit stop in Austin Sunday night, refueling from our airport. And earlier this month, Wild Bubba's Wild Game Grill was delighted to welcome some PR folks from the F1 industry in for some wild game burgers.
