US Grand Prix promoter Bobby Epstein has twice seen the Formula One title at his Austin track, but this year he expects the fight to last. Red Bull’s reigning world champion Max Verstappen is 80 points ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, with nine races left.
It is now highly unlikely that the fight will go down the wire, as in the last lap fight between the Dutch driver and Mercedes’ seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton last year. The title was decided at the Austin Circuit of the Americas (COTA), running 19 of 22 this year, with Hamilton victorious in 2015 and 2019.
Epstein, whose October 23 round is sold out, told Reuters: “I have to say when we finish the championship here, it’s less exciting than when it comes to the last lap of the last race.”
“Everyone likes to see the excitement so in many ways I hope the championship doesn’t end here. I think it’s better for the sport if it goes as far as the season.” After making its debut at COTA 2012 this year Celebrating its 10th anniversary. Last year Austin had F1’s biggest live attendance of all time with 400,000 fans over the weekend.
“If we put (more) tickets on sale we can easily eclipse (last year’s crowd),” Epstein said. “Our ability is less constrained by on-campus facilities than by our desire to get people in and out of the venue with great experience.” Americans are probably not as patient with lines more than anywhere else and have high expectations with traffic and logistics. “A newly-expanded access road, and more grandstands, could see growth in the future.
new audience
Austin will be the second US round of the year after Miami in May, and Las Vegas will debut next season as the sport booms in popularity and new viewers.
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Many of these have been driven by Netflix The “Drive to Survive” series but Austin prides itself on being different, attracts a knowledgeable and passionate fanbase that has built up over the years. Epstein said the three US rounds were complementary. Miami has the glitz and glamor and wonderful destination that Miami is and has an international flavor. Las Vegas is just bold America in the most entertaining way,” he said.
“What we see with our purpose-built circuits is on-track competition that really satisfies the true racing fan in terms of the ability to overtake and the hills and curves and the fact that the fan can move from one seat to eight or more. Can see 10 turns.” There has been talk of more US races than the current three, but Epstein said any choice would be difficult with other cities offering temporary tracks.
“It costs more than $150 million to run for the first time, even on a non-permanent circuit,” he said, citing the cost of communications cabling, pothole and paddock infrastructure and track resurfacing. To move it around, it’s high risk, a big expense and (it’s) hard to ask someone to do a lump sum and then not come back next year because you have to invest so much even to do it just once. .
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“If you’re working with permanent circuits you can absolutely do it… How you used to go back and forth between Hockenheim and Nuerburgring (in Germany) is pretty remarkable.” Formula One could expand to 24 races next year, with talks like some European rounds in Belgium, France and perhaps even Monaco being held in alternate seasons.
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