F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone is "in discussions about hosting a grand prix on the streets of Las Vegas," according to Christian Sylt of the London INDEPENDENT. Ecclestone said, "Vegas say they are ready to go and it would be on The Strip for sure." Sylt notes F1 last raced in Las Vegas in '82 "on a track in the Caesars Palace car park but it failed to get support from within the industry due to the makeshift, temporary nature of the course." A race on the streets would have "more permanence and do a better job of showing off the local landmarks." Just Marketing Int'l Founder & CEO Zak Brown said, “Vegas would be a fantastic addition to the F1 calendar and would be successful for so many people involved." A source added that F1 track designer Hermann Tilke "visited Las Vegas several times to work on the layout of the course, showing that the project is at an advanced stage." The source said, “Tilke has made a couple of site visits. I knew that if he had gone along there must be something to it." Sylt notes Ecclestone "has been trying to bring F1 back to Las Vegas for more than 20 years and it would give the sport the shot in the arm it needs to compete in the American racing scene which is dominated" by NASCAR (London INDEPENDENT, 10/21). In Las Vegas, Ron Kantowski writes, "Cue that beer commercial. Here we go (again)." Las Vegas Events President Pat Christenson said that he "has not been involved in discussions with Ecclestone" about bringing F1 back to Las Vegas (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 10/21).
ELECTRIC SLIDE: In Miami, David Smiley notes local leaders and Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag yesterday "announced the race track for the city’s first electric-car race, a sign that the city is inching closer" to the '15 FIA Formula E Miami ePRIX, planned for March 14 in downtown. The event is "three years in the making." Miami City Manager Daniel Alfonso said that a "contract between the race host and various local agencies, including the city, Florida Department of Education and AmericanAirlines Arena, is still in the works." But he said that the organizers of the race are "paying for the cost of holding the weekend event, which will include test drives but will only result in one day of street closures and detours" (MIAMI HERALD, 10/21).
