Formula One Antics

Yes, it's two days removed from the USGP debacle and I'm beginning to think I'm siding with with FIA on this one. I've read numerous articles and scoured the message boards that I'm active in and the bottom line is it is their responsibility to have a quality product for their drivers at all events. Any concessions made would have been totally unfair to the Bridgestone teams. It's a shame for us fans (especially those of us that traveled) but hopefully lessons will be learned from these errors. Here are two good pieces I found scouring the net: Bob Kravitz of the Indy Star doesn't want F1 coming back and these are the letters that went back and forth between Michelin and the FIA.

Now I enjoyed Kravitz' work immensely and he's far from a mainstream sports columnist waxing on something he knows little about. Writing in Indy almost forces one to be knowledgeable on motorsports. I hope he's wrong on this one. However, his opinion is one in the majority that I have read over the past two days on this fiasco. If this incident prevents the USGP from running again at Indy that will be truly said indeed.

And for once, Tony George isn't the bad guy here! George has every right to be upset at the mockery that was made of racing at the world's most famous racetrack.

For conspiracy theorists, this may be just what Bernie wanted. He has been politicking HARD to get a race to Las Vegas. With dwindling crowds at Indy, a return to two United States races on the F1 schedule would just be a repeat of the mistake that had F1 leave the states to begin with. He would have all the ammo he'd need to pull out of Indy and get the US race moved to Vegas. It could be Monaco North America with all the casinos and beautiful ladies and whatnot. Who knows, maybe they'll dress in white like household appliances!

What really irks me is that Scott Speed is really making waves at Red Bull Racing. His Friday driving work in Montreal and Indy was highly regarding and many pundits have him being the first American in a long time to have a full ride in F1. How sad would it be if F1 pulls out of Indy, the Vegas deal falls through and there is finally an American driver in the highest level of motorsports in the world and he won't have a race on his home soil?

Formula One just doesn't translate to mainstream American racing fans. I say, it's their loss. People that watch stock cars go around in circles want to see pure racing, they aren't concerned with technology and the things that make F1 go. I'm not bashing Nascar, I've been to quite a few events myself (Dover, Richmond, Martinsville), it's just different strokes for different folks.

One thing that would make a lot of people take notice would be an American driver in F1. Similar to Danica Patrick getting attention as a female at the Indy 500, if an American got an F1 ride, excelled to podium finishes or even a win, this would be something that would captivate a mainstream American racing audience.

Let's hope that this snafu at Indy didn't destroy the chance of seeing an American driver race in his own country. Personally, I'd love to have a giant Red Bull flag intertwined with old glory! I can hear the air horns now. Sweet music to my ears!