Adam Cooper F1

Susan Combs and Tavo Hellmund (far right) at Silverstone in 2010

The saga of the US GP in Austin took another turn today when Texas State Comptroller Susan Combs confirmed that no state funds would be paid out in advance of the event.

The race was built around the expectation that the Major Events Trust Fund would pay an annual sum of $25m, which would in effect cover the sanctioning fee collected by Bernie Ecclestone. Such payments are always made well in advance of races and thus far none has been made to cover the inaugural Austin event.

Combs, who visited the 2010 British GP and met with Ecclestone, has been a keen supporter of the race, and has fought off any criticism of public money being used to fund an F1 race.

However in a statement today she appeared to be back pedalling in terms of that support. She makes it clear that the arrival of the New Jersey race in 2013 will have an impact and is clearly concerned about the behind the scenes dispute between Tavo Hellmund, the original driving force behind the race, and those involved in the Circuit of the Americas.

If the $25m is not forthcoming then the sums do not add up for those behind the Austin race and clearly the whole event could be under threat.

Combs’s statement reads as follows:

“It’s no secret that I’ve supported Texas hosting a Formula 1 race since 2008. I believe a well-organized event of this magnitude can be a tremendous benefit to Texas if done right. Investors, businesses and event organizers want to come to Texas because we’ve developed an economic climate that is attractive, our state is a great location for events, and we’ve got space and potential to grow.

“A tool for recruiting large events to the state is the Major Events Trust Fund (METF), which was created by the Texas Legislature in 2003. In the past two years, eligible METF recipients have included the NFL Super Bowl XLV, the NBA All-Star Game and the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four tournaments. The support provided by the METF comes from sales, hotel, beverage and other tax revenue generated by out-of-state visitors who attend the event.

“When the United States Grand Prix was formally announced, it was the only Formula 1 race scheduled in the U.S. During the past 18 months, organizers have taken many steps to bring high-profile motor racing to Central Texas, including the development of the Circuit of the Americas, and the announcement of the global MotoGP and V8 Supercar race series starting in 2013.

“The recent announcement of an annual Formula 1 race in New Jersey is a concern, as additional races have the potential to reduce the number of attendees to a Texas race, thereby decreasing the economic impact.  Additionally, the reports of a slowdown in construction at the Circuit of the Americas, and recently publicized disagreements between the race rights-holder and the circuit developers have prompted speculation about whether the Austin race will even occur. The ongoing controversies are a concern and we will continue to monitor them.

“Let me state clearly: We have not paid out any money for the Formula 1 event. The only dollars that can be spent on the United States Grand Prix are tax revenues attributable to the successful running of a race.  The state of Texas will not be paying any funds in advance of the event. Further, as is the case with all METF events, each application will be reviewed and analyzed for its likely economic impact and only after the race occurs would any funds be disbursed.

“If an METF application is submitted, it will be thoroughly vetted and economic impact data scrutinized based on the actual circumstances for that event. Ultimately, I am responsible for protecting the interests of Texas taxpayers, first and foremost. I will not allow taxpayer dollars to be placed at risk. My position on that has not changed.”

When Combs visited Silverstone this blog asked her about criticism of the F1 plans from Texas taxpayers.

“The legislation has been passed, it’s a done deal,” she said. That no longer seems to be the case…

Sebastian Vettel suffered his first retirement since Korea last year when a puncture and the ensuing damage saw him park at the end of the first lap in Abu Dhabi.

Team Christian Horner says the team still doesn’t know what caused the puncture, suggesting only that Vettel might have struck debris when he ran over the kerb.

“I accelerated out of the first corner and I lost very suddenly the pressure of the rear tyre, and there was nothing I can do,” said Vettel.

“As soon as I started turning in I knew something was wrong with the rear tyre. I caught it surprisingly, but the second time, I couldn’t do it any more. I spun off and on the way back I damaged the suspension so badly it was over.

“We need to understand why we got the puncture, and then there’s not much we can do.”

Vettel said he couldn’t speculate about how the race might have gone for him.

“It was a very, very good start, I was very happy with the car up to that point. It was just at the beginning of the race. It’s hard to say how quick we could have been. I think Mark had a very good race, his pace was good, so I think the car was in good shape.

“On the other hand Lewis and Fernando in front had strong pace. We didn’t have a chance. I can’t stand here and tell you what could have been, because in the end it didn’t happen because we didn’t make it much more than one lap.”

Circuit of The Americas president Steve Sexton has responded to negative comments from Bernie Ecclestone about the Austin project, while race founder Tavo Hellmund says the F1 boss has been “incredibly patient.”

Ecclestone says that there is a division between the company behind the track and Hellmund’s Full Throttle Productions, which has the contract for the event.

Sexton admitted that there are “challenges” with the project, but remains confident that all will be well.

“There is no question that if he wants the USGP race to happen here in 2012, it certainly will,” said Sexton in a statement quoted by the Statesman newspaper.

“Our funding is secured, and construction is on schedule, so we don’t understand Mr. Ecclestone’s comments. He has expressed great interest in the Austin race and in expanding the F1 brand into the United States.

“A project of this magnitude has its challenges and we have had ours, but the City, the County, our state officials, our employees and construction workers, and our community supporters are all counting on Circuit of The Americas to happen.”

Meanwhile The Statesman quoted Hellmund as saying: “Mr Ecclestone has been incredibly patient with the challenges here in Austin. Full Throttle Productions has worked tirelessly to bring the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix to Austin. It is now the responsibility of the Circuit of the Americas to make this project happen before Mr Ecclestone’s patience runs out.”

Fernando Alonso is confident that he can challenge for a podium in Abu Dhabi after qualifying in his customary fifth place, behind the Red Bulls and McLarens.

The Spaniard is sure that the Ferrari will be a more competitive package come the race. This is the only track on the schedule where he has yet to record a podium.

“It’s the average position of the whole year, I think it’s the ninth time that I start fifth,” said Alonso. “I think it’s the place we deserve today. In qualy we struggle a bit more, normally in the race we’re more competitive, so being today half a second from pole position, let’s say is good news maybe for us.

“Because tomorrow we should be more competitive, and again try to fight for the podium. We know it’s difficult because McLaren and Red Bull are very competitive, and extremely consistent also in the race pace, but we will do our best. Start and strategy are the normal key points of the race to get a podium.

“We started fifth in the last couple of races, in Suzuka and India we got a podium, in Korea, no, so it’s 50:50. Sometimes we get a podium, sometimes not, hopefully tomorrow it’s yes.”

Alonso is still not sure how effective the DRS zone will be: “Unfortunately I don’t think so, the circuit characteristic plus the DRS can help, but maybe it’s not enough distance with the DRS, that’s the first impression after yesterday’s practice, but this we need to confirm tomorrow. Hopefully it will work well and we’ll see a lot of action, especially with the double zone.”

Team bosses have downplayed suggestions from Bernie Ecclestone that the US GP in Austin is under threat.

Ecclestone has made no secret of the fact that there is a split in the Austin camp that has hindered progress.

“The people inside the company are not getting on,” he told this blog. “We need to see what they’re going to do.”

However others are keen to take a positive approach.

“America doesn’t need F1, we need America,” said Martin Whitmarsh. “So I think we’re excited about the prospect of going to the States. Bernie I’m sure is working very hard, on the Texas race and the New Jersey race.

“It’s in our programme, we assume we’re going there, and I suspect we will. As is often the case there is some posturing and negotiations, but that’s not our business. The calendar says we’re going there, that what we’re planning on, that’s what we’re looking forward to.”

“We’ve had no formal information,” said Ross Brawn. “When we talk to anyone involved in the project, they say it’s all going OK. There’s really not much comment we can make. We want to see the race happen.”

Fernando Alonso helped to turn the first corner in Abu Dhabi into a ‘wall of champions’ after he joined Sebastian Vettel in spinning into the TecPro barrier.

While Vettel’s car got away virtually unscathed, Alonso suffered damage to the left rear corner.

Both drivers admitted that they had got a bit too close to the kerb.

“I think I braked on the outside of the corner,” said the Ferrari driver. “There is a kerb on the outside, in braking, and looking at the videos all of us that had incidents there or were running off line, we braked on the outside kerb. We try to maximise the track in all the corners, but we need to be very careful in Turn One tomorrow, when we arrive to Q3, and be a little bit calm on that braking.”

As for the overall performance, Alonso said he was happy with progress, having finished FP2 in third place.

“Generally speaking the car performed quite well, we had a small Friday with not many set-up changes or anything like that, we were quite comfortable from the beginning, Felipe and me, and time wise I think we should be reasonably competitive tomorrow.

“Maybe the starting position doesn’t change because the third row of the grid is maybe our normal position to start. But maybe we are a little bit closer than we thought before coming here, because we were quite afraid of this circuit and how competitive we could be here, and it seems that the car is performing well. I’m reasonably happy for that.”

Alonso said he felt that DRS might not be effective come the race.

“For the DRS obviously we need to wait for Sunday, it’s not fair now to say it will work or not. First impression is that it’s maybe a little bit short, the distance available for the DRS, and it will not be easy to overtake. Maybe with a little bit more metres it will be a better solution. But obviously that’s a first feeling – we don’t know.”

Sebastian Vettel admitted he’s been pushing a little too hard after crashing in FP2 in Abu Dhabi tonight.

Vettel slid sideways into the barrier at the first corner, and while he was not able to get going, the mechanics were later able to retrieve the car and enable to him to get out again in the last five minutes.

It was the fourth time this year that the German has crashed on a Friday, after Turkey, Canada and Japan.

“I lost the car at the entrance,” said Vettel. “I was obviously a little bit too wide, a little bit too much on the kerb, and I lost the rear. I couldn’t catch the car any more. I was quite lucky to get out again at the end, there wasn’t any damage apart from the front wing, which was good information. So we’ll see what we can do now.”

Despite fellow World Champion Fernando Alonso having a similar crash at the same place, Vettel said there was no problem with a change of track surface or anything of that nature.

“No I think I was just a bit too greedy, I wanted a bit too much of the entrance, I was a bit too late and too much on the kerbs. If you just brush it a little bit it’s fine, you can see there are some black marks as well, but if you go a little bit beyond that, there’s dust on it, it’s not asphalt, so there’s less grip. I wanted a bit too much.”

Fernando Alonso insisted today that Abu Dhabi holds no bad vibes him, despite it being the race where the 2010 World Championship slipped away.

The Spaniard pointed out that the title was lost over a full season rather than the one race.

“With respect to last year’s there’s not any special motivation to do well here,” said Alonso. “I’m still convinced that last year we didn’t lose the championship here in Abu Dhabi. We were not very competitive, we finished seventh. Maybe our realistic result last year was fifth.

“But in Valencia or Silverstone for example we were fighting for a podium, and we scored two zeroes there. So I think we lost the championship there, and not here in Abu Dhabi.

“Motivation is very high always, to get a podium especially. I have 72 podiums so far, so 72 trophies at home from all the circuits in the calendar, apart from Abu Dhabi. There is only one trophy missing at home, and hopefully this year and in the next coming years I can put Abu Dhabi as well there.”

Asked what went through his mind when he first arrived back one year on, Fernando said he liked the venue.

“When I arrived here I felt very good. I arrived last night, I went to sleep, and this morning I woke up and I went to the swimming pool here in the hotel. From there I saw the paddock, with the boats here, with the colours, I saw the asphalt with the blue paint on the outside. Nice temperature. And I said what a wonderful place to host a race.

“And also the flight was very convenient. Maybe because we came from India and Korea, which was not very comfortable, the flight etc, with five hours drive. When I arrived here I said what a wonderful place. I know it’s strange because we lost the championship, but that was honestly my first impression. Maybe tomorrow I’ll change that…”

Alonso said that he still wants to beat Jenson Button to second in the championship, mainly as a reward for the team.

“Definitely, it’s something, it’s better second that fourth or fifth. But we are competitive people, we like to win, and when we cannot arrive first, it’s not the same. It’s much more important to learn things for next year, to gain half a tenth for next year with some checks than to finish second in the championship.

“But at the same point I see all the guys, all the mechanics and the engineers really pushing to help me to arrive to this second place, because we know the tough year we had, we know the problems we faced in some parts of the year. I see an atmosphere in the team really motivated to help me gets second in the drivers’ championship. For them I will try to do my best for sure.”

Lewis Hamilton has made some fascinating revelations about his state of mind when he stressed how happy team mate Jenson Button is thanks to the group he has built around him.

Hamilton’s  frank admissions came after he was asked if Jenson’s success this year had made his own difficult season even harder to take.

“There’s not a lot of people who really understand the issues I’ve had this year and the problems I’ve been going through,” Hamilton said. “And which I’ve been going through for the last two years. I just can comment on them because it’s not really the place or time to do so.

“But Jenson’s done a great job to get things in the right place. He’s got his dad there, who’s there every single race, he’s got his management there, he’s got his friends, he’s got his girlfriend there all the time. He’s in a really, really… He’s got a great bubble around him, which he is really happy with.

“With that he’s able to go out and perform without any worries on his mind. Which I did have at one point, and lost that bubble, and I don’t have that around me at the moment. I’m working on having that for the future. The conscious and subconscious part of your mind is very important in this business.”

Intriguingly Lewis said he wouldn’t work with a sports psychologist to address his issues: “I would never work with a sports psychologist, I never have and I never will. But it is a priority for me to create that atmosphere around myself. Because it’s a happy bubble, you’re happy with your friends and your family and the people you love most. It’s just a big, positive bubble which I need to get around me.

“I feel positive every time I arrive – a lot of the time I feel positive. But subconsciously you’re perhaps less positive and less happy. So that’s something that I’m definitely going to try to correct before next season starts.”

Hamilton admitted he wasn’t happy with his season, and said a couple of wins to finish it off could turn things around.

“It would make a big difference, if I was able to have a clean two races without seeing the stewards, and without having a penalty. On top of that, winning, I think it would be really beautiful, it would be really nice.

“I know I’m up against the toughest drivers in the business, and I know that anything can happen. I’m aware that something can happen, I’m just going to try and go out there and avoid any of those obstacles.”

Rubens Barrichello says he’s still willing to wait for news from Williams about a possible contract extension into next season.

Despite the likes of Kimi Raikkonen and Adrian Sutil being linked to his seat Barrichello remains optimistic, and is refusing to concede that the Brazilian GP might be his last.

“I’m just waiting for people to call,” said the Brazilian today. “The only thing I have in mind is the year that I’m going to have ahead. I’m thinking like I did in 2008, just positive. I might go to the Brazilian GP without any confirmation or without anything, but I’m not saying goodbye to my fans. I want to be there next year.

“I just have to wait and see. The team have myself very motivated and just waiting for an answer. If God wishes, I will be on the grid for my 20^th year.”

Barrichello admitted that he was talking to teams up and down the paddock.

“I talked to all of them, to be honest. There’s no point in telling you who I’m talking to. It’s just nice situation to be in, to be talking to competitive teams. If I was on my first or second year I would be very worried, but it’s been such a long time… Life is too good to be moaning about the problems and why they haven’t signed me just yet. I’m just concentrating on the positive, really.”

Asked if he thought Kimi Raikkonen really wanted to come back, Rubens said: “I don’t know. To be honest I never talked to Kimi when he was racing, and he never talked to me! I believe that he had very little talks with the team, by any means.”