The F1 Grand Prix of America race slated for New Jersey -- initially announced in '11 -- "now won’t start its engines" before '16 at the earliest, according to John Brennan of the Bergen RECORD. Former New Jersey Sports & Exhibition Authority Chair Carl Goldberg on Thursday said there was "no possibility" of a race taking place next year. F1 Grand Prix of America Exec Chair Leo Hindery said that he "was still committed" to staging the race. The revelation of "yet another postponement in the plan to bring open-wheel racing to the Hudson River waterfront comes on the heels of the emergence of a local potential competitor." In the years since the race was first announced, the Weehawken waterfront "has seen a flurry of real-estate development." It is "unknown what, if any, obstacles that new construction poses for race planners" (Bergen RECORD, 7/25).
SCHEDULING STRATEGY: F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone revealed that a race in Baku, Azerbaijan, "will be added" to the schedule in '16. FORBES' Christian Sylt noted the news "addresses concerns that the F1 calendar could exceed its limit of 20 races next year as a result of the recent addition of the Mexican Grand Prix" (FORBES.com, 7/24).
