Construction to resume at Circuit of the Americas

2012 F1 season

7th December 2011, 13:197th December 2011, 13:22 | Written by Keith Collantine

David Coulthard, Red Bull, Circuit of the Americas, 2011

The Circuit of the Americas says construction will resume at the track now its place on the 2012 F1 calendar has been assured.

Red McCombs, chairman of McCombs Enterprises and founding partner of Circuit of The Americas, said: “[Bernie] Ecclestone received his cheque today.

“We want to thank the fans supporting us, the local officials and businesses that have encouraged us, the State of Texas, Circuit of The Americas’ staff and Bernie himself.

“I want to thank and commend Bobby Epstein for getting us across the finish line. Bobby’s perseverance and leadership kept the project on track despite unfair and unfounded criticism.”

Engineering and construction teams working on the track will resume immediately, ensuring completion for the 2012 race date.

Steve Sexton, president of Circuit of The Americas, said: “We have a substantial number of fans who have expressed interest in buying tickets and hospitality, so today is a win for all of them as much as it is for Circuit of The Americas.

“We encourage everyone to visit our website and register for information. Registered fans will receive the first communication regarding ticket sales plans. In a matter of weeks we will have more exciting news as we unveil our full calendar of world class events.”

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31 comments on “Construction to resume at Circuit of the Americas”

bsnaylor (@bsnaylor)
7th December 2011, 13:20

Excellent news!
BasCB (@bascb)
7th December 2011, 13:23

Lets get this thing built then!
AdrianMorse (@adrianmorse)
7th December 2011, 13:28

So Tavo Hellmund is out then, or is he still organising the race?
Cyclops_PL (@cyclops_pl)
7th December 2011, 13:29

Great. Now Texans need to do their job and let’s go racing.
Atticus (@atticus-2)
7th December 2011, 13:51

I get a feeling that with all those kind of copied elements from other great tracks – like the Maggotts-Beckets-Chapel-like corners, the Stadium-like section, the ‘mirrored’ Turn 8, India’s Turn 3-like hairpin – with all those crazy elevation changes will make for a very very decent new track at last.

I think I’m gonna love it. Can’t wait.
1. Mads (@mads)
  7th December 2011, 14:28
  
  @Atticus
  I can only agree with you. I think it will look absolutely fantastic.
  Whether it will make overtaking easy, is hard to say, but I am sure the track will have spectacular corners and it will look so good from on board, that it will make up for a lot of lack of overtaking. If that is the case of cause.
  1. Macca (@macca)
    7th December 2011, 23:06
    
    I can’t wait for the Australian V8 Supercars to go racing on it. It is a great signing from Tony Cochrane and it will be an awesome sight to see our massive pack of angry V8’s racing around there.
    1. Atticus (@atticus-2)
      8th December 2011, 13:11
      
      @macca Is it going to happen before the F1 race? Because then I’ll try to catch it just because of the track.
      1. Macca (@macca)
        9th December 2011, 0:59
        
        @Atticus No, I think it is going to be it’s own round.
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
7th December 2011, 14:46

It will be an awesome track, great news.
Scribe (@scribe)
7th December 2011, 14:53

I’m not a betting man, but I would love to see the odds both ways on this race happening.
schooner (@schooner)
7th December 2011, 14:59

Good news, I guess, but I’m curious to hear what Bernie has to say.
1. Mike (@mike)
  8th December 2011, 0:48
  
  I don’t think he will say anything, the bargaining is over.
JCost (@jcost)
7th December 2011, 15:09

Great. 3 GPS is North America in 2013, that’s great news for US/Canada an Mexico fans.
1. racerdude7730 (@racerdude7730)
  7th December 2011, 20:38
  
  Wouldnt that be 4 with New York?
  1. racerdude7730 (@racerdude7730)
    7th December 2011, 20:39
    
    let me take that back i looked at that wrong im sorry lol
Adam Tate (@adam-tate)
7th December 2011, 17:09

Wohoo! Merry Christmas!!
Lord Stig (@lord-stig)
7th December 2011, 17:23

Great to hear. It seemed like a US GP was never going to happen.
Fixy (@)
7th December 2011, 18:22

Finally it’s been solved.
George (@george)
7th December 2011, 18:27

Good stuff! Just hope they can get it all finished in time without any more hiccups.
TheBrav3
7th December 2011, 19:01

Good job boys. I wonder if this means they got the contract they wanted as well?
racerdude7730 (@racerdude7730)
7th December 2011, 20:49

to make up for my stupid comment here is up to date pics of track construction with some great shots of of turn one and a few of the others. Very cool stuff

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=pu.219399881419693&type=1
1. TheBrav3
  8th December 2011, 0:04
  
  That is going to be fantastic and i guess it no looks in no worse stage of preperation than india a year from it’s race.
F1Yankee (@f1yankee)
7th December 2011, 21:24

what a bunch of clowns. many of these guys are absolutely loaded, but (or perhaps because) they never pay out of pocket. when they couldn’t illegally score the taxpayers’ $25 million up front, and couldn’t pass the check any more, then the bill gets paid. tavo has found some shady friends.
1. Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
  8th December 2011, 7:02
  
  I like your tin foil hat.
  1. F1Yankee (@f1yankee)
    8th December 2011, 23:02
    
    excuse me? what parts of my statement are factually incorrect?
    1. TheBrav3
      9th December 2011, 6:23
      
      You must not have met pm before he’s a *insert word of choice*.
Maksutov (@maksutov)
8th December 2011, 0:04

as I suspected, everything will be back up and running as planned, however, the only worry now is the delay caused by the initial shutdown of the construction
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
8th December 2011, 13:11

Good news! We risked having only 18 GP next year, if Bahrain was to be dropped as well. I’d be having some serious withdrawal symptoms. I’ve never watched a US GP before so I’m really looking forward to seeing how it’s received after the fiasco with the Michelin tyres a few years back.
TED BELL
8th December 2011, 22:10

I think the world has misjudged the interest in Formula One here. My hopes are for a solid track that challenges teams and drivers and will become one that entertains fans at the track and ofcourse those who will watch from many nations worldwide.

The track layout seems to reflect many of the best parts of the better Grand Prix tracks outside of this country and done so in topography which should enhance what is seen. Strange for me to think that this particular event will be one that is in the desert and I do wonder what that will look like.

Now that the games are over I hope that they get it done and make it right. When completed I believe this particular event will rank with the great tracks of the world and because it is in America, Formula One will finally become the world class series it has always pretended to be.

Add New Jersey to the mix and soon this absolutely wrong idea of America and its passion for F1 will be finally over. Fans worldwide know what Formula One means to their own country and it is the same here. Soon we will show you how it is done on our side of the pond.

Montreal, Austin and New Jersey….this North American Trio will become the next series of great Grand Prix tracks. Please come and see the passion that is finally going to happen.
Hare (@hare)
9th December 2011, 19:08

Another Bernie blinder.

With his negotiating position, he’s infallible. He’s nobody’s fool.

It was the usual Bernie E public statement, of saying it certainly wasn’t going to happen, like a teenage girlfriend rejecting an arrogant boy, throwing the rewritten proposal back in the other parties face.

It’s like watching peacocks court, you know it’s going to happen, but there is the ritual of show and bluff, until the master is established and comfortable and dominant.

There’s a few of those characters in the business of F1. It’s part of the theater, albeit in this case, witnessed mainly through the writings of the press.

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31 comments on “Construction to resume at Circuit of the Americas”