Formula 1 has always had somewhat of a split identity. Part show business, part technical showcase, and part the most dangerous sport in the world. Even the race events that fill up the race calendar are juxtaposed.

The glitz and glamour of the tightly packed city circuit of Monaco is light years away from the barren desert Abu Dhabi race or the freshly laid concrete of the Korean Grand Prix, yet they mingle and intertwine across the year, each one building the narrative established at the last race.

Bernie Ecclestone has always ensured that the sport plays a game of cat and mouse with new Eastern money replacing the traditional European powers. Merely a decade ago, 11 of the 17 races were held at European circuits, but this year races like the Indian and Korean Grand Prix are fixtures on the calendar where the Austrian, French and San Marino races once stood.

But with trouble brewing in the Middle East forcing the cancelation of the season opening Bahrain Grand Prix and financial trouble shackling the once free spending Arab nations, where does the future of the sport lay?

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel has an idea of where he would lead the F1 circus to next.

The German told formula1.com:“Everybody knows New York and it would be awesome to be part of such a race. The paddock in Central Park and racing along Fifth Avenue, all the way down to Washington Square. Manhattan is not that big so we could have a circuit passing all the important landmarks.”

The prospect of a New York street race is one would excite even the most hardened of race fans and there was a time when it looked like it could happen. The city that never sleeps would fit snugly into the world of playboy racers and the quickest cars on earth, but as soon as the idea began to take flight, Ecclestone shot it down.

For a brief time it looked a possibility. Speculation of Ecclestone visiting Mayor Michael Bloomberg coincided with rumours circulating that the Australian Grand Prix wouldn’t be able to host the race in the future raised hopes of the most spectacular of races becoming a reality.

However the sport’s ringmaster issued a complete denial that a race could be held on Staten Island in the near future, saying the reports were “100% not true”.

“Everybody knows New York and it would be awesome to be part of such a race. The paddock in Central Park and racing along Fifth Avenue, all the way down to Washington Square.” - Sebastian Vettel

In truth America has always had a difficult relationship with Formula 1. A country deeply rooted with their own motorsport history and identity has always been sceptical of the European invasion and has been reluctant to embrace it. Matters were brought to a head in 2005, when a packed Indianapolis motor speedway stadium witnessed one of the most controversial moments in the sports recent history.

All 20 cars lined up on the grid as normal, waiting to start the race, but after the parade lap 16 cars pulled into the pits and refused to race after tyre suppliers Michelin issued a warning beforehand revealing the tyres they had provided weren’t safe, while the six remaining Bridgsestone users remained on track and finished the race in front of 120,000 irate Americans. If Formula 1 was previously greeted with suspicion it now faced a barrage of criticism and soon after in 2007, it left the country for good.

While plans of a future event in the country are underway, Ecclestone insists he will continue to scour Asia and further East in search of new race venues. Street circuits quicken the pulses of race fans, as the tight, enclosed corners capture the raw aggression and sheer scale of sound that bellows from modern Formula 1 cars, and a New York race would be the crown jewel, even above the historic Monaco race.

Race fans will continue to dream of New York lights bouncing off screaming Formula 1 cars but will likely be given freshly built grandstands in far away locations.

So where would you like to see a Formula 1 race next year?

Related posts: