AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II

[StoOgE]

Tilke has designed (or redisigned) about half of the current F1 tracks.

The main thing that we have to hope for is

1) the land has elevation change on it. This almost forces fast corners

2) He has fast corners.

Tilke likes to put chicanes in front of already slow corners followed by more chicanes and slow corners. For whatever reason he seems to think that this allows for more passing, but it allows no set up by the trailing car since no one can gain any real speed advantage.

3) They put the race in rainy season. Wet races are always fun.. nothing like a good rooster tail and Massa flinging his car off the course

[WAustinResident]

The state of Texas is paying around 25 million per year for the next 10 years to contribute to the F1 race coming here.

If the track is going to be built with private money, what will a quarter billion dollars over the next 10 years be used for?

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by WAustinResident

The state of Texas is paying around 25 million per year for the next 10 years to contribute to the F1 race coming here.

If the track is going to be built with private money, what will a quarter billion dollars over the next 10 years be used for?

That is the licensing fee paid to the FIA to host the race.

The good news is getting in good with the FIA can also lead to World Touring Car, F2 and some of the GT races heading here in the future. Hopefully American Le Mans, Moto GP and IRL will wind up at the course as well. None of these would be as big as F1 but could still lead to 10's of millions being added to the local economy. Doubt we could talk Nascar into adding another road course to the Nextel Cup, but I bet they could swing a Bush race... er Nationwide.. whatever they are calling it.

[StoOgE]

http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-tilke-designing-200m-austin-track/

200 million dollar track. Hilly country a few miles from the airport.. 800 acres and Tilke has been designing the track for over 2 years and already has a rough estimate. Asking him to design a fast track similar to Silverstone, Spa and Hockenheim certainly sounds good.

Also sounds like this guy does know what he is doing. His father was the promoter for the Mexican F1 race in the late 80s and early 90s.

To me it sounds like this is going to be along 183/131 and 45s. With the city starting work on the flyovers to connect Ben White to the South side of 35 it makes even more sense that that is the location. Hopefully they will start work on connecting Mopac to 35/45 as well if that is the location. Running a train out there (and to the airport) also seems like a no brainer.

[wwmiv]

This will be great for toll road profit.

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

This will be great for toll road profit.

Hum... good thought. I might actually use one!

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

This will be great for toll road profit.

Yeah, for one weekend a year.

[Downtown_Austin]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-tilke-designing-200m-austin-track/

200 million dollar track. Hilly country a few miles from the airport.. 800 acres and Tilke has been designing the track for over 2 years and already has a rough estimate. Asking him to design a fast track similar to Silverstone, Spa and Hockenheim certainly sounds good.

Also sounds like this guy does know what he is doing. His father was the promoter for the Mexican F1 race in the late 80s and early 90s.

To me it sounds like this is going to be along 183/131 and 45s. With the city starting work on the flyovers to connect Ben White to the South side of 35 it makes even more sense that that is the location. Hopefully they will start work on connecting Mopac to 35/45 as well if that is the location. Running a train out there (and to the airport) also seems like a no brainer.

That's a huge chunk of land, so I have to wonder if this is Jim Carpenter's (developer) land in East Travis County... the same land where Villa Muse almost happened. The topo seems pretty flat over there, but i suppose it's just gradual enough to be desirable for F1-style courses.

[StoOgE]

Nothing says F1 tracks have to be flat. The cars have amazing downforce at high speed. At 100 MPH the cars aero package would actually allow them to drive upside down.

This is the Radillion corner leading into Les Combes at Spa in Belgium. Amazing sequence with a 355 foot elevation change down and then back up at almost full speed through the Radillion at the bottom of the hill.



http://www.forumula1.net/2008/f1/f1-news/lewis-looking-forward-to-spa-challenge/



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circuit_de_Spa-Francorchamps

On board runs for the three tracks that are supposed to be the inspiration for ours. Spa is my favorite of them, and obviously is much hillier than what we are likely to see, but gives you a good idea of what all three can do. All three are very fast tracks with lots of high speed corners that hopefully we can get.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p2ACbYKmfE

Spa Onboard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI_tnTZfpn8

Silverstone Onboard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nG-e-mNNOk

Hockenheim on board

[KevinFromTexas]

^Make sure you post a link to where you found those photos.

[StoOgE]

Just added.

[LoneStarMike]

Originally Posted by Downtown_Austin

That's a huge chunk of land, so I have to wonder if this is Jim Carpenter's (developer) land in East Travis County... the same land where Villa Muse almost happened. The topo seems pretty flat over there, but i suppose it's just gradual enough to be desirable for F1-style courses.

That's what I initially thought and posted it in the other thread. I went to Villa Muse's website. It was supposed to be off FM 969 where it meets with Burleson-Manor Rd. It does look kind of flat over there.

But go to Google Maps (or Google Earth) and type in Walter E Long Lake, Austin, TX. It's on the west side Highway 130. What about all that land just to the east of 130? Somewhere in that section bounded by FM 973 on the west, and Taylor Lane on the east?

Mayor Leffinwell mentioned something about neighborhoods not being impacted. Well, there's nothing out there but trees, and it's somewhat hilly. If you zoom in further, that big grove of dark trees west of Taylor Lane & Crow's Nest Farm kind of shaped like an eyebrow (or mustache) is 580' and going south, the elevation lowers to about 495'.

StoOge mentioned the possibility of camping and it looks like there would be plenty of land left over for that. It's definitely within 10 miles of ABIA.

I can't wait to find out where it will actually be, but that's my guess for now.

Re: Hotels. One of the news reports had Mayor Leffingwell saying Temple to San Antonio would be full, so it doesn't sound like we'd have enough rooms for everyone to stay here. How big is that hotel that's supposed to be part of that development on the old Concordia Lutheran site?

Something else I noticed in one of the articles stoOge posted:

http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-tilke-designing-200m-austin-track/

One of the key elements that has helped to generate funding is that aside from F1, the circuit will be used to help develop alternative fuels.

I've been seeing quite a few commercials lately for alternative fuels in between coverage of the gulf oil spill. Houston can still be the big oil oil city. Austin can be the alternative fuel city. How fitting and it ties in with Austin's desire to be a green city.

[ATXboom]

http://m.statesman.com/statesman/db_43071/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=E7ZdYIqp&src=cat

[StoOgE]

RE: the hotel situation:

It's absolutely true that most hotels in central Texas will be filled by this event. the metroplex has the same issue when the Nascar race comes into town.

Sounds like it will be on 130 which should surprise exactly nobody. They need land where it is plentiful and cheap and very few people live. 130 from about Walter E Long South fits that bill.

[Mopacs]

Thanks for posting those photos, videos and links Stooge. It truly gives us a sense of the F-1 experience and I'm extremely impressed and enthused with the possibilities.

As LSM mentions, the Walter E Long Lake area would make for a relatively scenic backdrop, given the rolling terrain (as much as you can expect in the coastal plains/Blackland Prairie to the east of the city).

Example of the terrain elevations in the vicinity of the lake and 130 (not sure if this land is available for the track):
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=30.307022,-97.577004&spn=0.028788,0.066047&t=p&z=15

And if you have Google Earth installed, you can get a sense of the terrain with this link to G-maps:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=30.30...25444,-97.5689012,176.9,-23.507,81.658,0
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=f&ecpo...84,-97.571238&spn=0.001799,0.004128&z=19

[Raining Inside]

I can't help thinking that we are being sold a monorail. I hope I'm wrong. I want to see more specific financial info and dirt turning. The developer has never said that the site is paid for and that financing is secured.

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by Raining Inside

I can't help thinking that we are being sold a monorail. I hope I'm wrong. I want to see more specific financial info and dirt turning. The developer has never said that the site is paid for and that financing is secured.

He has actually said that the land has already been purchased and he and his lawyer have said financing is already secured.

I think the bigger issue is whether or not Bernie is playing Austin off of New York to try and squeeze money out of New York and move the race there when Austin isn't ready to go in 2 years. If dirt isn't turning in the next 2-3 months there is no chance of the race being held in 2012.

Bernie actually gave an interview to speed before the race in Istanbul this AM and it seems the support from the governors office was a key factor in Austin getting the race. He probably feels more comfortable knowing the state is willing to put up some money because he knows the tracks can't turn a profit on their own. Putting the race on a track that goes belly up because they have no support (and can NY really afford to give any?) does him no good.

He almost got stuck moving the race to Donnington Park in England before they filed bankruptcy halfway through repaving the course. He may be gunshy of courses without government support.

All that said, I think there is a 60/40 chance we get the race.. there are a lot of moving parts, but it isn't as though it is going to cost the state of city a thing if it doesn't pan out.

[austin242]

I have a feeling its going to be at 71 and I30 Right next to the river just a feeling tho.

[WAustinResident]

So when will be know the official plot? someone should be looking at county records, where is our forensic accounting team!!!

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by WAustinResident

So when will be know the official plot? someone should be looking at county records, where is our forensic accounting team!!!

My guess is the property was probably purchased in several lots under different entitiy names that will make it next to impossible to figure out without doing some really crazy investigative work.

From what I am picking up through my normal F1 blogs, this was announced much sooner than anyone in Austin was ready for. Bernie got pissed that the NY track leaked the info that they were under heavy consideration so he decided to go ahead with this announcement.