Circuit of The Americas today announced that it has been declared ready to host the 2012 F1 United States GP by Charlie Whiting, who directs racing, safety and technical matters for the FIA. Whiting visited the Central Texas racing circuit as part of a scheduled pre-race inspection and approved the circuit for “Grade 1” status, hence appropriate to host an F1 race.
Fixed your link...WilliamsF1 wrote:[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8tLbjd7Vo4[/youtube]
Lot of clatter about a soccer stadium within the complex
He's very colorful. Did you catch his reference to the bouncing "T"s & bumpin' "A"s in the last video? It was interesting in this video how he painted every corner from 12-19 as a heavy passing area.strad wrote:Could do without that guys commentary..
The front wheels are in the air...zztopless wrote:Makes it appear as though the Red Bull is running negative rake...?Pup wrote:Austin via Codemasters...
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash ... 6667_n.jpg
I think the game is scheduled for September. You can pre-order from Amazon for $50 + $4,000 psl.
Is that Mark Weber?skgoa wrote:The front wheels are in the air...zztopless wrote:Makes it appear as though the Red Bull is running negative rake...?Pup wrote:Austin via Codemasters...
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash ... 6667_n.jpg
I think the game is scheduled for September. You can pre-order from Amazon for $50 + $4,000 psl.
When the U.S. Grand Prix Formula One race arrives here in November, it will come with one of the largest emergency and traffic management operations ever in Travis County, public safety and hospital officials said.
Most of the costs for protecting the drivers and the public — likely to total hundreds of thousands of dollars — will be covered by Circuit of the Americas, the racetrack's owner, officials said.
About 120,000 people are expected to descend on southeastern Travis County for the race Nov. 16-18. A few hundred more firefighters, paramedics, law enforcement officers and hospital employees are expected all three days as well.
A veritable emergency room is being built on-site, with plans for nine ambulances at the facility as well as a STAR Flight helicopter.
University Medical Center Brackenridge, the home of the region's trauma center, is negotiating a contract with the track owner that could involve sharing costs of supplies and medical personnel at the site near Elroy.
"You're probably better off having a heart attack at the racetrack than at home," said Dr. Stephen Olvey, F1's medical director and an associate professor of neurology and neurosurgery at the University of Miami.
Olvey, who spoke to more than 200 medical professionals Friday at the Austin Trauma & Critical Care Conference, said he's been impressed with Austin's medical and safety personnel.
"It will be one of the safest, if not the safest, track in the circuit," Olvey said.
The mass gathering permit submitted recently to county officials by Circuit of the Americas includes new details about the law enforcement, firefighter and paramedic presence that weekend.
The plan includes about 50 firefighters, 70 paramedics from Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services and up to 200 law enforcement officers from the Travis County sheriff's office and other agencies.
‘A small city'
EMS Assistant Chief James Shamard said his agency staffs more than 200 events a year, including University of Texas football games, this week's Republic of Texas Biker Rally, the Austin City Limits Music Festival and South by Southwest.
F1 "is clearly the biggest," Shamard said. The area around the track "is going to be a small city for four or five days. There will literally be people there around the clock."
EMS has a three-year contract with Circuit of the Americans for $51,800 a year to provide ambulances and paramedic teams, Shamard said. The teams not only will handle possible crashes but also will be in the stands in case of medical problems, such as heatstroke.
The doctors and hospital nurses won't need special training because "it's still trauma," said Dr. Carlos Brown, the trauma medical director at Brackenridge and the assistant medical director for the F1 race. "It will expand on our ability to take care of injuries and enables us all to be better doctors and nurses."
Brown is going to Canada this week to get a behind-the-scenes look at medical professional staffing this weekend at the Montreal Grand Prix.
Travis County STAR Flight plans to ask the Travis County Commissioners Court today to approve a $375-an-hour contract with Circuit of the Americas to cover helicopter and crew costs, said Casey Ping, STAR Flight's program director.
A STAR Flight helicopter will be at the race; another helicopter will be on standby from AirLIFE of San Antonio, Ping said.
Safety on the track
Race safety has improved significantly since 1984, when research prompted stronger cars, changes in driver positioning, and the use of fire-retardant materials and padding around drivers, Olvey said at Friday's conference. Today, drivers often walk away from horrific crashes, including ones that split the car in half, Olvey said.
But deaths still happen.
The most recent high-profile fatality on an American track occurred last year when British driver Dan Wheldon died at the IndyCar World Championship in Las Vegas. The last time an F1 driver was killed in a crash was in 1994.
Circuit of the Americas will pay at least $77,000 to Travis County Fire Rescue for three days, according to the permit. That will cover 45 to 50 firefighters, along with several fire engines, brush trucks and rescue trucks, said Ken Bailey, the chief of Travis County Fire Rescue.
Bailey said that some firefighters will be specially trained by F1 officials on extinguishing fires and removing drivers from burning cars.
Protecting neighbors
But the biggest challenge for firefighters, Bailey said, will be maintaining a presence at the track while still protecting about 30,000 residents in the surrounding communities. The fire department will double up on its staffing that weekend and call in extra help from outside agencies if needed.
The cost of fire service outside the track will come out of the fire department's pocket, but officials expect an increase in sales and property tax revenue from the track to offset costs, Bailey said.
"Our goal is to continue the level of service for the people living in this area," Bailey said. "Our concern is how this will affect fire protection for Mrs. Smith down the street, especially if the roads are choked with traffic."
Organizers expect most attendees to arrive in buses. Only those with prepaid suites, certain ticket holders, race participants, news media and other designees will park in the site's 17,000 spaces, a transportation plan says. For most others, park-and-ride lots are planned at the Travis County Exposition Center and at state-owned garages near Waterloo Park downtown. Shuttle buses will make round trips.
Bailey said emergency crews want a dedicated lane of traffic on FM 812. They're still trying to figure out routes on Elroy Road, which circles the track, and access to such neighborhoods as Stoney Ridge in case of a fire. If necessary, they will station a fire unit outside the subdivision, he said.
Tonight, the Del Valle School board will hear a request from Circuit of the Americas to rent the district's parking lots.
District administrators have proposed canceling classes Nov. 16 to accommodate traffic, but board member Rebecca Birch said she is concerned about halting classes. A decision is expected July 19.
Travis County sheriff's deputies will work overtime to manage traffic, parking, communications, dignitary and VIP escort, and law enforcement responses, according to the plan, which also calls for the sheriff's office to coordinate off-duty officers from other agencies.
Circuit of the Americas is paying the county for 120 to 200 officers, said sheriff's Maj. Phyllis Clair. Those costs could be $200,000.
Deputies also will increase staffing in the surrounding community to protect residents.
"You could kind of think of it as a UT football game," Clair said, "three days in a row."
The whole of south east travis county will be at the track so it will be okhairy_scotsman wrote: That will take most, if not all of their resources. So who covers ESD11's large territory (Southeast Travis County) during the race?
That sounds about right. I have hotels on courtesy hold in Austin, and one in Georgetown. Georgetown is almost $100 US a night less than Austin. If Hairy or anyone else has some insight into whether the 24 mile drive to Austin is going to cause me misery I would certainly welcome any and all opinions. I can afford either, but I could use the money saved to budget into other expenses for this event.strad wrote:Could do without that guys commentary...
On another note
I Talked with a friend who is just back from Austin...He said that they are not really gouging on the hotel prices that with discount he paid $225 and that Austin is a fairly expensive place to play.
Same distance from Elroy, but coming from Round Rock you'll need to go through or around Austin.Mr Alcatraz wrote:That sounds about right. I have hotels on courtesy hold in Austin, and one in Georgetown. Georgetown is almost $100 US a night less than Austin. If Hairy or anyone else has some insight into whether the 24 mile drive to Austin is going to cause me misery I would certainly welcome any and all opinions. I can afford either, but I could use the money saved to budget into other expenses for this event.strad wrote:Could do without that guys commentary...
On another note
I Talked with a friend who is just back from Austin...He said that they are not really gouging on the hotel prices that with discount he paid $225 and that Austin is a fairly expensive place to play.
Edit: Actually the locations are Round Rock, and San Marcos.
