Grand Prix of America

This article is about the Grand Prix in New Jersey. For the Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, see United States Grand Prix.

Not to be confused with the Grand Prix Americas.

Grand Prix of America

Port Imperial Street Circuit
Race information
Laps	59
Circuit length	5.2 km (3.2 mi)
Race length	300.9 km (186.9 mi)
First held	2013

The Grand Prix of America is a Formula One World Championship race planned for June 2013 and beyond. The race will be held on a yet-to-be-constructed 3.2-mile street circuit through the New Jersey towns of West New York and Weehawken, along the Weehawken Port Imperial.^[1] The circuit offers the New York City skyline as a panoramic backdrop.

History

A Grand Prix in the New York metropolitan area was announced for the 1983 season, to be held either at the Meadowlands Sports Complex, Meadow Lake in Flushing Meadows, or Mitchel Field in Hempstead, Long Island (on the same site as the 1936 and 1937 Vanderbilt Cups).^[2][3] However the race was first postponed and then canceled^[4] as CART started their own race at the Meadowlands.^[5]

In May 2010 Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone announced plans to bring a Formula One race to New York City for the 2012 season. Ecclestone was quoted as saying the race would take place across the Hudson River in New Jersey, with the Manhattan skyline overlooking the circuit.^[6] Later that month, plans emerged for a circuit to be built in Jersey City's Liberty State Park,^[7][8] but those plans were abandoned shortly thereafter.^[9] While searching for a venue for the race, Staten Island, Floyd Bennett Field and Meadowlands were all explored, but none were considered viable.^[10]

In August 2011, The Wall Street Journal reported on a proposal for a street circuit in Weehawken and West New York, New Jersey, putting forward 2013 as a potential start date.^[11] Two months later, in October, The Wall Street Journal further reported that the race would be going ahead in June 2013.^[12] Other sources were much more cautionary, claiming that the race still needed approval from Hudson County officials before the race could go ahead. Later that month, a revised proposal was put forward,^[13] tracing a street circuit that ran through Port Imperial, climbing the Hudson Palisades to Boulevard East before descending the Palisades to rejoin Port Imperial Boulevard. On 25 October, it was officially confirmed that New Jersey will host the Grand Prix of America from 2013 onwards on a 3.2-mile (5.2-km) street circuit.^[1][14]

The event is on a ten-year contract, starting in June 2013 so as not to clash with the November running of the United States Grand Prix in Austin.^[15] It will be "paired" - held within one week of another event in the interests of cutting down on the costs of logistics - with the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.^[15]

Long-time NASCAR promoter Humpy Wheeler is a consultant to the race, which is expected to provide over USD $100 million annually to the economy of the area.^[16]

See also

• United States Grand Prix

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Elizalde, Pablo (2011-10-25). "New Jersey confirms F1 grand prix from the 2013 season". Autosport.com (Haymarket Press). Archived from the original on 25 October 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/62hv9VxtQ. Retrieved 2011-10-25. 
2. ^ "New York May Get '83 Auto Grand Prix". The New York Times. 28 October 1982. http://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/28/sports/new-york-may-get-83-auto-grand-prix.html. Retrieved 18 May 2011. 
3. ^ "New York Grand Prix scheduled". Reading Eagle. UPI: pp. 41, 47. 28 October 1982. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tdExAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zeMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4398,5763243. Retrieved 18 May 2011. 
4. ^ "No auto racing in New York". Boca Raton News: p. 2D. 3 June 1983. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3j9UAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uo0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5607,698774. Retrieved 18 May 2011. 
5. ^ Harris, Mike (29 June 1984). "U.S. Grand Prix success is vital to CART future". Daily News. AP (Bowling Green, KY): p. 1-B. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-DAqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TkcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3145,5557235. Retrieved 18 May 2011. 
6. ^ Lostia, Michele (25 March, 2010). "Ecclestone hoping for New York GP". Autosport.com. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/82366. 
7. ^ Collantine, Keith (4 May, 2010). "New York F1 track plans revealed – Jersey City bids for 2012 night race". F1 Fanatic. Archived from the original on 30 January 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5w707hQJk. Retrieved 4 May 2010. 
8. ^ Noble, Jonathan (4 NMay, 2010). "Jersey City eyes Formula 1 race". Autosport.com. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/83312. 
9. ^ Elizalde, Pablo (5 May, 2010). "Jersey City cans F1 grand prix plan". Autosport.com. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/83332. 
10. ^ Baime, A.J. (25 October 2011). "Formula One Roars To Banks of Hudson". The Wall Street Journal (News Corporation). http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204777904576653552767815670.html. Retrieved 26 October 2011. 
11. ^ Collantine, Keith (3 August 2011). "New plans for New York Grand Prix track in 2013". F1Fanatic. http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2011/08/03/new-jersey-f1-track-new-york/. Retrieved 2011-10-26. 
12. ^ Baime, A.J. (22 October 2011). "Formula One Is Coming to New Jersey in 2013". The Wall Street Journal. New York. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204618704576645651553992120.html?mod=googlenews_wsj. Retrieved 2011-10-26. 
13. ^ Reuters (25 October 2011). "Formula One to unveil New Jersey Grand Prix for 2013". The Guardian. London. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/oct/25/formula-one-new-jersey-gp. Retrieved 2011-10-26. 
14. ^ Schultz, Johnathon (October 26, 2011), "Plan for a New York Area Formula One Race Announced in New Jersey", The New York Times, http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/bid-for-a-new-york-area-formula-one-race-announced-in-new-jersey/?scp=1&sq=grand%20prix%20of%20america&st=cse, retrieved 2011-10-27 
15. ^ ^{a b} Saward, Joe (25 October 2011). "Details from New Jersey". Joe Saward on F1 (Joe Saward). http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2011/10/25/details-from-new-jersey/. Retrieved 2011-10-26. 
16. ^ Dopp, Terrence (25 October 2011). "Formula One Cars to Race in New Jersey in 2013, F1 CEO Ecclestone Says". New York: Bloomberg. http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-25/formula-one-s-grand-prix-of-america-to-be-run-in-new-jersey-near-manhattan?category=%2F. Retrieved 2011-10-26. 

External links

• Interview with Bob Varsha on the Grand Prix of America