'Financially devastating weekend' for US GP company

  • Published on 29 Oct 2015 09:58
  • comments 3
  • By: Rob Veenstra

Lewis Hamilton left Austin with his childhood dream achieved, but for the race organisers it was an horror US grand prix. "It was a tough weekend," Circuit of the Americas chairman Bobby Epstein admitted.

Electrical storms and torrential rain, brought by the periphery of the huge Hurricane Patricia, meant that at one stage, fans were locked outside the track while cars practiced to empty grandstands. It was also the lowest race-day crowd in the four-year history of the US grand prix in Texas, as Epstein admitted it was a "financially devastating weekend for the company".

"We lost millions on concessions" that those fans would normally have purchased in normal weather, he said in an interview with the Austin American Statesman. "And we suffered from some fans having such a bad experience they won't be back, though I hope we can change their mind."

Another issue for the US grand prix was that, for the first time, it was paired with the return to the calendar of Mexico, while although also in North America already has an established and passionate local following. "The Mexico race hurt us," Epstein agrees. (GMM)

Replies (3)

Login to reply
  • TonyB

    Posts: 18

    Parking was $250 for the three days and it was flooded. For more than $80 a day, they should have paved the parking lot. Not sure I will go in 2016....

    • + 0
    • Oct 29 2015 - 16:54
    • khasmir

      Posts: 893

      WTF, that was not a normal parking was it? Don't know what the ticket prices are in the US but that's more than what we would pay in Belgium for basic tickets for the whole weekend.

      • + 0
      • Oct 29 2015 - 17:59
    • Thats outright ludicrous. No wonder the americans aren't too excited about F1 and the U.S GP. Even Hockenheim is cheaper, not to mention legendary Monaco.

      • + 0
      • Oct 29 2015 - 19:05

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
22 - Mar 24
Australia
5 - Apr 7
Japan
19 - Apr 21
China
3 - May 5
United States of America
17 - May 19
Italy
24 - May 26
Monaco
7 - Jun 9
Canada
21 - Jun 23
Spain
28 - Jun 30
Austria
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
30 - Sep 1
Italy
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
29 - Mar 2
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
19 - Apr 21
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
21 - Jun 23
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team Mercedes
  • Points 3,173
  • Podiums 127
  • Grand Prix 189
  • Country United Kingdom
  • Date of b. Jan 7 1985 (39)
  • Place of b. Tewin, United Kingdom
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.74 m
Show full profile
show sidebar