19/06/2004
NEWS STORY
With teams already dreading the prospect of a 19 race calendar in 2005, and the distinct possibility of 20 races in 2006, team bosses were asked how they felt about a second GP in the USA, as in the old days, when there was often an East and West coast round.
"From Ford's point of view we would be delighted to have another American race," admitted Jaguar team principal Tony Purnell. "It is an American company and it is the biggest market for Jaguar.
"I think the only caution is that Americans like to be entertained," he added, "and if we don't entertain them it won't catch on - simple as that."
"I think we would all support it providing it didn't increase the calendar size," said Ron Dennis. "A west coast race would be very beneficial to the commercial interests of all of our teams and probably Formula One as a whole."
"I think we have also got to look at how we get better penetration into American per se," said David Richards. "Someone was telling a story at lunchtime about how little awareness there was of Formula One despite the fact that we are here this weekend and we were in Montreal last weekend. Will it help us to have an extra race in the west coast? Well, I am sure it will do but there is still an awful lot of work to do with what we are doing already and as far as extra events are concerned I have a slightly different view on this. I would rather do extra events and far less testing. I think extra events actually drive revenue and increase the value to everyone and testing does absolutely none of that."
"I think the west coast race would be great," admitted Paul Stoddart, 2but I echo Ron's thoughts that we need to look very carefully at the calendar. I mean, 18 races is a killer, we don't do a lot of testing so I look at it from a purely race point of view and I look at people that are getting severely burned out and I fear 20 races, I really do."
"If you are going to have another race in America will you please have it in Boston," laughed Eddie Jordan, "so that I can get more Paddies on board because it is ridiculous going off to the west coast of America, it doesn't suit me at all! Thank you very much!"
On a serious note, the Irishman believes that F1 has to get closer to the people.
"We have to get our act together," he said. "We do realise in an American context that we are not close enough to the people. We must make sure that we think carefully about this. We understand we have technology and we have new fangled cars and stuff but we also have to reach out and make that extra effort. That is part of the American culture and it is not for them to change, it is for us to change."