New Jersey F1 Penciled In For Neveruary?

Formula One fans have been watching the  “will it or won’t it occur” saga of the Grand Prix New Jersey since its president, Leo Hindery Jr., initially announced the project in October 2011.

The street race would take location in Weehawken and West brand new York, N.J., across the Hudson River from Manhattan — America’s No. 1 news market, and F1 employer Bernie Ecclestone has very long coveted for the globe championship.

But doubts have plagued this deal from the offset. The initial plan to hold the competition in 2013 fell through due to a shortage of funding. In accordance to a document UBS financial services got ready in June this year and offered to prospective investors —  Hindery and his administration group are searching for $100 million to make the Grand Prix of America a truth.

Here’s the bad news, competition fans, though we await formal confirmation: It won’t take place, not next season anyway. The finding is simply not available for it, in accordance to heavy-hitting industry sources whom spoke on condition of privacy. Their need to stay nameless is constantly a journalist’s nightmare — and no shock in the clandestine industry of motorsports.

But wait, you state, the FIA released its 2014 F1 calendar in September; New Jersey is chalked in for June 1. Yes, but observe the “provisional” next to it? There’s an explanation, and it isn’t the “pending circuit approval” notation. No, New Jersey had to be included with this nevertheless unfinalized lineup because Hindery and Co. in September paid the FIA a $238,900 subscription cost. The cost — a pittance in F1 terms — just assured addition to this version of next years schedule nothing more.

Why spend the money if the Grand Prix won’t take place in 2014? Because they haven’t given up hope of securing money and seeing the red lights, eventually, maybe in 2015…

Indications of instability would be the final thing the team desires to show prospective investors or outright customers. (The UBS document states, “Incoming investors may decide to leverage the present [management] team’s expertise or could get 100 % of [Port Imperial Racing Associates,]” in other terms, the entire procedure.)

Savvy F1 observers will translate this provisional June 1 time as a between-the-lines message from often-mischievous Ecclestone, whom, just a month just before the calendar’s launch, emphatically said at Spa-Francorchamps that New Jersey’s time “never had been likely to be June.” For one thing, the date means F1 is planned to see Monaco, New Jersey and Canada on back-to-back-to-back weekends, a near logistical impossibility, in accordance to sport directors at Ferrari and Sauber. But if Ecclestone understands Port Imperial isn’t taking place, anywhere he lists it, then this provisional time is unimportant. June may asell be Neveruary.

Could he have lied? Numerous respect Ecclestone in unflattering terms, but one thing longtime F1 journalists do not accuse him of is lying blatantly whenever asked direct questions. And keep in mind, New Jersey had been on the provisional list last season also…

Where is Hindery? He has declined interviews repeatedly — also on Sept. 27, the time his competition showed up on the calendar. Much more between the outlines: If you invest many years working to deliver the world’s most widely used, glamorous and wealthiest motorsport to Metropolis, get it on the calendar and are confident it’s going to be on, wouldn’t your PR staff actively line up as numerous interviews as feasible? Light up the social network with news? Wouldn’t you stay in front side of the Manhattan skyline keeping another joyous if not self-congratulatory press meeting comparable to the initial one in October 2011 — and for which the late Speed TV interrupted its regularly planned development to broadcast live?

Absolutely. Hindery, nevertheless, appears like the very first competition promoter in history to think no-cost promotion a negative —  in New York City of all locations. At the opposing end of the promoter range, witness Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage, whom on Sept. 24 held a press conference to announce his track’s brand new (as well as the world’s biggest) HD movie screen.

It is known as (“Big Hoss”). And he mailed news people T-shirts to commemorate the, um, historic event. Sure, Gossage is a lot more of a natural-born carnival barker than simply about anybody remaining in American racing; you can’t expect every promoter to be like him. But an F1 competition in the Manhattan location? We got a canned statement attributed to Hindery: “The entire Grand Prix of America group is delighted to join the 2014 FIA calendar and we look ahead to bringing world-class Formula One racing to New Jersey.”

That’s it. honest…

Irrespective, time is almost up on any possibility of F1 visiting New Jersey next year. Ecclestone recently said “the $100 million has to be in by the end of November, as the last calendar will be released in December.”

There’s no explanation to think after two many years of  fundraising, with the total amount still not secured, that it is going to appear at the 11th hour.

The absence of action and notices — and Hindery’s silence — should be an obvious message to all!