Sad news today for American F1 fans who were hoping to watch a race live in a place that isn't Texas: the embattled Grand Prix of America at Port Imperial, aka the Grand Prix of New Jersey, won't be happening in 2014 after all. Sad face!
NBC Sports this morning reports that the finalized F1 calendar for next year does not include the planned June race in Weehawken, New Jersey, as well as the Grands Prix in Mexico and South Korea.
The last we heard about the New Jersey race, which has been a longshot for some time, was in September when the FIA included it on a provisional calendar. Now it seems it won't come to fruition, or at least, not quite yet.
The race's executive chairman and promoter, Leo Hindery, Jr. expressed his understandable disappointment in an email this morning.
"Our entire management team and our supporters in New Jersey, New York and throughout the Formula One community obviously want to see the inaugural Grand Prix of America at Port Imperial take place as soon as possible," he said. "Bringing a world-class race to the world's largest media market is a huge undertaking that has required balancing construction of our road course, without tapping any public money, with the Sport's own timing demands.
F1 honcho Bernie Ecclestone weighed in in that same email.
"There is great demand for a race in New Jersey and I have no doubt we'll be racing at Port Imperial in 2015," he said. "New races can take many years to get started, but there is significant momentum and we are close to realizing a New York City F1 race."
Sure thing, Bernie. Whatever you say.
At least we American fans still have the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin. It's scheduled for Nov. 2, and hopefully it won't be 90 degrees again like it was this last month. Here's the finalized F1 schedule, which concludes with the race in Abu Dhabi.
2014 FIA Formula One World Championship
March 16 – Australian Grand Prix
March 30 – Malaysian Grand Prix
April 6 – Bahrain Grand Prix
April 20 – Chinese Grand Prix
May 11 – Spanish Grand Prix
May 25 – Monaco Grand Prix
June 8 – Canadian Grand Prix
June 22 – Austrian Grand Prix
July 6 – British Grand Prix
July 20 – German Grand Prix at Hockenheim
July 27 – Hungarian Grand Prix
August 24 – Belgian Grand Prix
September 7 – Italian Grand Prix
September 21 – Singapore Grand Prix
October 5 – Japanese Grand Prix
October 12 – Russian Grand Prix
November 2 – United States Grand Prix
November 9 – Brazilian Grand Prix
November 23 – Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Photo credit AP