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Report: First Austin F1 Race Pushed Back To November 2012

Artist's rendering of Circuit of the Americas provided by Full Throttle Productions

After several days of speculation, Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone says Austin’s first F1 race will happen in November 2012 instead of June 2012.  SpeedTV.com reports that the official justification is for fans and racers to avoid the blistering Texas summer.

[B]ut cynics have also suggested it will give race organizers more time to build the bespoke circuit in Austin. But an unintended side-effect of the move is a clause in Texas legislation that means state funding for the event can only be released one year in advance of the event.

That funding can only be used to cover costs associated with the race, and would not affect construction of the Circuit of the Americastrack, which organizers say is moving ahead as scheduled.

However, as EuroSport.com points out, Ecclestone's plans for the calendar remain provisional, and must still be approved later this year by the FIA's World Motor Sport Council.

Mayor Leffingwell issued a statement this morning praising the date switch.

“I am pleased that Formula One and Circuit of the Americas are now looking at an event date in the Fall, outside our Ozone Action Season,” Leffingwell said. “I believe this date will prove a better experience for the visitors coming to Austin, and is an environmentally sensitive decision.”

 

 

Nathan Bernier is the transportation reporter at KUT. He covers the big projects that are reshaping how we get around Austin, like the I-35 overhaul, the airport's rapid growth and the multibillion dollar transit expansion Project Connect. He also focuses on the daily changes that affect how we walk, bike and drive around the city. Got a tip? Email him at nbernier@kut.org. Follow him on Twitter @KUTnathan.
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