Bernie Ecclestone has indicated that the New Jersey F1 race could still have a future, despite the event appearing to be dead in the water.
Billed as the Grand Prix of America, the street race at Port Imperial appeared on the provisional calendar in both 2013 and 2014, only to be dropped on both occasions.
The main problem was that promoter Leo Hindery could not find the outside investment he had been seeking, and indeed at one stage Ecclestone organised a loan that provided some funding to get the project moving – a clear indication of just how keen he was to make the race happen.
However, that still wasn’t enough to save the event, and given its absence from the 2015 schedule it’s been widely assume that the plans had been abandoned.
However cable TV mogul Hindery met with Ecclestone on Friday morning in Montreal to discuss a possible way forward, and despite the already cramped calendar Bernie has indicated that the event could still have a future.
Ecclestone told this writer: “He’d like to see that race happen. We’ll have a look and see what we can do for him.”
Asked about the past financial arrangements with Hindery Bernie added: “He doesn’t owe us anything.”
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog 
Hope springs eternal, but a huge infusion of cash would be more useful.
And it had better be private source as neither NJ or NY should be dumping scarce tax $$$$ into Bernie’s fantasy.
Shame that Bernie’s not dead in the water too….instead of coming up for air and spouting crap.
All the ‘preparation’ that was being touted for this race was smoke and mirrors. This event will never happen. GeorgeK is correct, no public money will be spent on this.
If there had actually been a chance for this race to happen all the construction that went on would have been done in a way that would allow a track to be built quickly and easily. Instead the building claimed to be the pits is a parking garage for the ferry terminal with shops in the front; curbing and light poles have been installed that would be difficult to remove, etc. etc.
What a load of crap it’s a shame this nonsense ( F1 propaganda) is even being reported .
Go back and look at the real reasons the event never got off the ground, that is a more interesting story than this one.
So what you want about Bernie, once he fixates on something he usually manages to get his way. I wouldn’t be surprised if he became a “silent” partner in the real estate holdings and funded the deal out of his pocket, with whatever financing Hindry could come up with.
“SAY what you want……”
It is true that Bernie desperately wants an other US race, Texas caters to one market, but since the loss of Indy he has been trying to get a race that caters to the East, North East coast market.
Texas caters to RACE fans, I’m not sure what else it could do…
1stevec it’s called geography, the Texas race caters to one US market, Bernie wants another, in the North East. That’s why the US would warrant having two races. It’s called population size and total market.
You do realise there Bernie has two audiences at each race? The crowd in the stands and an even larger international audience watching on TV. It’s not practical for RACE fans to attend every race, hence the broadcast.
I hope Texas continues to draw at the track.I’s a great circuit, one of the few with great elevation changes. Allegedly the new Mexican GP may impact live attendance, i hope not.
I thought that too. The US & Mexican rounds are back to back. I guess Bernie has done his numbers and figured the Mexican round can’t peel off to much of the attendance in Austin.
@Peterg. Bernie doesn’t care if not one person shows up for the race; he gets his money up front from the track and it’s their problem to draw an audience. Think Korea, think India, think China, etc. Bernie gets all the trackside advertising revenues, Bernie gets the TV money, Bernie gets his track fee. Too bad if the race ;promoter doesn’t even break even. Look at Silverstone – used to be that F1 revenues supported other racing at the track, now it’s the other way around; all the small events help pay for F1.
Christopher Lee has died!!
He’ll be back.
Eventually so will Bernie. Or has he already? Continuously sucking the life blood out of F1.
Sorry, couldn’t resist. 🙂
I’ve always been of the opinion that the New Jersey race was just a club to beat the promoters of COTA up until there was an actual USGP. I suspect Bernie is doing more maneuvering, using this DOA venue as a goad to get something else that he wants more. That is his typical modus operandi.