Circuit Of The Americas Archives

Ferrari Not a Circus Act During COTA Rain Delay Activities

October 28, 2015 by Shane Walters

Ferrari Not a Circus Act in Regards to Pit Road Play During USGP Rain Delay

Ferrari not a circus act this is Formula 1 says Ferrari Boss. Ferrari recently released statements in regards to the COTA pit lane play that teams took part in during the rain delay of the USGP. Cars could not enter the racing surface as Hurricane Patricia brought storms inland and halted the show.

Teams took to creating their own show via custom rowing boats, rain dancing and other forms of horseplay. The spontaneous form of entertainment was to entertain both themselves and the crowd who opted to stay and wait out the rain delay as rain filled their shoes. It was a nice spin to see the high tension sports of F1 suddenly become a free-spirit atmosphere. A new side of the real pit lane personalities that we don’t usually see.

Click here to view other rain delay photos

However, Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene is upset that others are having fun and is here to put them all in timeout. He has critiqued the other F1 teams saying this was not good for fans.

However, myself and the freezing but cheering Circuit of the Americas fans would very much disagree. That quote to me sounds like Ferrari might just being taking themselves a bit too serious. They come across, as usual, as the overly strict parent with a stick up their ass about everything.

Click here to read about the time Ferrari stopped DJ Deadmau5 and his Nyan Cat Ferrari

The following quotes are every bit of why I hate Ferrari, with a passion equal to those who love them. These pompous quotes and others like it are regularly spoken from the mouths of both Scuderia Ferrari and the auto maker themselves. It makes my blood pressure rise when I see Scuderia Ferrari step on the toes of the other teams and ask why are they having fun?

Here’s what Scuderia Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene had to say about rain activities at the USGP.

We are a Formula 1 team, not the Cirque du Soleil,” said Arrivabene. “It’s fine if somebody entertains the public, it’s absolutely fine.

But we signed autographs for all the people that were waiting, and we took some of the children in wheelchairs into our pit box.

We prefer to do these things, rather than simulating fishing and doing funny things for the TV. That is not really doing something for the fans.

– Maurizio Arrivabene

Well Mr. Maurizio as their asses are freezing on the soaked metal grandstands I’m sure it took a lot to convert their pain to laugher and cheers. Fans braved the lighting to watch the show. I sat comfortably from my living room and I’m here to tell you it was the most exciting part of the rain broadcast. I would like to say thank you to Sauber, Red Bull and the majority of the teams for entertaining me and millions of fans and fuck you to Ferrari who now shames people for having fun. I guess they are just upset that for once the cameras were not on their pit stalls and had to share the attention with the peasant teams.

Kimi Raikkonen says Ferrari is Not A Circus

Even Kimi Raikkonen hopped in on the pompous dialog. When asked why he did not take part in any of the pit-lane antics, Raikkonen said:

You want an honest answer? I think this is F1 and not the circus.

The people are obviously not happy when we’re not running but we cannot make them happy with whatever we do apart from running [on track] and we couldn’t give it because of the weather.

Sometimes, it’s no wonder when people start thinking about what F1 is, when these kind of things happen.

This was everyone’s choice but, for me, we are here racing and doing our work.

– Kimi Raikkonen

This comes from the same man who got drunk and fell off a boat at the Monaco Grand Prix several years ago. I love how Raikkonen speaks his mind, it’s my favorite part about him, there’s no filter. However, in this case his thoughts are just wrong.

This is exactly why I hate Ferrari as if I needed a new reason. I’ve decided to spend half my morning bashing them for putting all the other teams in timeout. I hope it goes viral and we all get to laugh at Ferrari together.

Written By: Shane Walters

Photos: F1

BLOG: Worlds Collide As Formula One Returns To America

2012 Formula One Returns To America (Circuit Of The Americas) The Track

November 15, 2012 by Shane Walters

It’s been five long years since the premier form of motorsports has crossed the pond into the United States. Primarily dominated by oval racing fans, America’s corn fields and high rise buildings alike are filled coast to coast with rabid fans who follow the NASCAR circuit. However, this form of oval racing fails to reach the radar of anyone on the other side of the ocean. Wherever the destination, Formula One brings the world with it.

During the 2008 season, F1 had 600 million sets of eyes glued on the television tube (per race), nearly double the U.S. population. In comparison, this makes the NASCAR viewing audience appear a small sewing circle at just 5 million. Furthermore, the cumulative F1 television audience was calculated to be 54 billion during the 2001 season.

F1 is the undisputed polar opposite of what the general American expects to see when they enter a racing circuit. Bumpers are replaced by wings, roofs replaced by helmets. Full blown rocket ships on wheels will enter the Circuit Of The Americas in Austin, Texas this weekend making the oversized NASCAR stock cars look like small ill-handling trucks. While in 2012 their isn’t much of anything stock on a stock car, F1 is the future of everything automotive. For years, these formula teams have laid new technology groundwork while simultaneously paving it for auto manufactures worldwide.

The purest form of racing in the United States isn’t done on pavement. Here our tracks are carved in dirt then covered in late models or sprint cars who slide sideways and turn right to go left. While we have an equally strong base of asphalt tracks and fans, the same types of cars will be found on both with a few minor changes.

Europe on the other hand grows their motorsports fan base through the use of karts, similar in size but much different than your Target shopping carts. These are really really fast karts, topping 125 miles per hour on a regular basis with built in, yet unnatural, seat warmers as these buttox holders scrape along the racing circuit. Karting is the only form of racing machines capable of reaching g forces equal to F1 cars as they turn on dimes simultaneously hopping over the curbs, chasing the hundredth of a second advantage.

These two very different worlds of motorsport will again collide this weekend for the first time in five years. Tomorrow, practice 1, cars will be unleashed on the shiny new circuit for the first time. The first purpose built Formula One track ever constructed in the United States. Built around a state-of-the-art 3.4-mile circuit track with capacity for 120,000 fans and an elevation change of 133 feet, the facility is designed for any and all classes of racing – from motor power, to human power.

Previously, the United States Grand Prix took place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, that was 2007. Two years prior arguably the most controversial sighting in Formula One history, as over half the sporting teams refused to compete. These teams were obligated to use a set of tires that were faulty for the IMS banking and sure to cause disaster. Only a handful of cars using a different brand of tires crossed through turn 1. Following the event, tensions ran extraordinarily high between track owner Tony George and F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone who was later quoted saying it did not matter to him whether or not there was a Grand Prix in America.

Most importantly, as an American I’m thrilled that for this weekend only it’s not required I stay up until 4AM just to watch a practice session.

Written By: Shane Walters