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Filed under: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Formula One

When the announcement came this summer that Austin, Texas, was going to host a Formula One race in 2012 there was a collective "whaaaaaat?" from the racing world. No one was more shocked than the promoter of the last U.S. Grand Prix, Joie Chitwood.

"I was as surprised as anyone,'' Chitwood (pictured right) told FanHouse.com. "Everything I had heard was that it would be somewhere on the East Coast or the West Coast in some waterfront location.

"Austin is about the same size and scope as Indianapolis and there's not even a facility built. It's still hard to believe, and to be honest, I'm not even sure it's really going to happen.''

Chitwood, now president of Daytona International Speedway, oversaw the USGP from 2000-2007 as Indianapolis Motor Speedway President. And he isn't alone in his doubts about the project, even as the state of Texas has already agreed to a controversial, $25 million-a-year, kick-in for the race's 10-year contract to help fund and sustain the event.

If a Formula One grand prix didn't work in America's greatest racing town Indianapolis -- or in a dozen other previous locales -- how's it going to play out in a city there's never even hosted a major auto race?

 

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Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, the winningest driver in the history of Formula One, has officially announced his return to the sport -- ending a three-year retirement with a newly signed three-year contract to drive for Mercedes that will reportedly pay the German $10 million in 2010.

"Apart from (his experience),'' Mercedes chief executive Nick Fry told the BBC, "we believe he's still got massive skill. ... we really think Michael will take us to the next step.''

The deal reunites Schumacher, 40, with Mercedes GP Petronas principle Ross Brawn, who served as technical director on all seven of Schumacher's world titles (two with Benetton and five with Ferrari).

And judging by the comments from the racing world, few would be surprised if Schumacher comes out of retirement to immediately contend for an unthinkable eighth F1 championship. At the least, he will be a well-needed adrenalin shot for the sport.

"Age will not be a factor in Michael's story,'' 1992 world champion Nigel Mansell told a British newspaper. "It wouldn't surprise me if Michael challenged for another world championship.''

 

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by Geoffrey Miller

Filed under: Other Racing Series

It's been nearly 14 years now since a major auto racing division decided to split and implode itself.

Naturally, that just means it's time for another series -- this time it's Formula One -- to set itself back 20, 30 or maybe 60 years.

Reading, however, the summary released Thursday night by the Formula 1 Teams Association, one could probably argue that FOTA is trying to avoid such a relapse thanks to new rules for the 2010 championship that F1 czars Bernie Eccelstone and Max Mosley have presented.

This Time, Formula 1 Split May Be Real originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 06:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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