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Formula One
F1: Tilke Designing $200m Austin Track
Veteran circuit designer Hermann Tilke will design the Austin, Texas venue that will host the US Grand Prix beginning in 2012...
Adam Cooper  | http://www.speedtv.com  |  Posted May 27, 2010   Balen (BEL)
Hermann Tilke will design the Austin, Texas track that will host the US Grand Prix in 2012. (Photo: LAT Photographic)
Veteran circuit designer Hermann Tilke will be responsible for the Austin F1 track, promoter Tavo Hellmund has confirmed to SPEEDtv.com. Hellmund also says the project is also much further along than has been assumed, and the track has already been drawn.

“This has been long in the works,” he said. “Everything is in place.”

Although the former racer told local media yesterday that three possible venues were still under consideration, that suggestion was apparently a smokescreen.

While several alternatives were under consideration, one site was settled on some time ago, and the land – over 800 acres – has already been purchased. Not only that but initial permissions for amenities such as water and waste, which are usually time-consuming affairs, have already been granted.

Although Hellmund has yet to divulge details of what he calls a "killer location," he confirmed that the site is to the east of the city, a few miles from the airport. It is said to be in hilly countryside that has provided Tilke with a good starting point for a design.

The German has been asked to create a fast circuit with challenging corners that resemble those of classic established circuits such as Silverstone, Hockenheim and Spa. It will be over three miles in length.

Tilke first sent a representative of his company to Austin around two years ago, and has made personal many visits since. He is currently looking for office space in the city in which to base the project.

Hellmund is adamant that Austin is an ideal location.

“Other than New York or LA, which already have 10m people, where are you going to find a place that within 150-mile radius you have three of the top 10 largest markets in the United States?" he said. "That is the wonderful thing. Our position between Canada and the United States, North, South and Central America, is unbelievable.

“You take that into account, you take into account the draw that Austin is, it’s the state capital, it’s in the hill country, it’s got a huge, huge vibe and tag of being the coolest place.”
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As reported previously, the race is set to benefit from the "Texas Major Events Trust Fund," which is intended to reimburse cities for costs they face when hosting big sporting events.

However, that relates only to specific events and does not have an impact on the cost of building the facility, which is apparently budgeted at $200m. The track build is being financed by private investors, and when completed, the venue is likely to be named after either Texas or Austin.

One of the key elements that has helped to generate funding is that aside from F1, the circuit will be used to help develop alternative fuels.

Hellmund has known Bernie Ecclestone since he was a teenager. His father was involved in promoting IndyCar and TransAm races in Mexico City, and also helped to bring F1 back to the country in 1988. Hellmund Sr. was also involved in the 1986 soccer World Cup and in organizing music events.

While the Austin project was greeted with some scepticism, Hellmund's enthusiasm for it is infectious and he certainly makes a credible case for it. It will be fascinating to see what happens next...

Adam Cooper notched up his 25th season as a racing journalist in 2009. Born in London, England, he saw his first F1 race at age 10 in 1976. He began freelancing for Autosport magazine in 1985 and was on the fulltime staff from 1987-92. He then went freelance again, initially spending two years in Japan before following the 1994 Champcar series from a base in Indianapolis. He has not missed a Grand Prix since Suzuka ‘94, a run that has extended to Abu Dhabi ’09. Adam has written books about Eddie Irvine, Piers Courage and Michael Schumacher and hosts a race preview show on Sirius XM. He has written about F1 for SPEEDtv.com since 2005. Check out Adam's Blog or follow him on Twitter

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