Two-race U.S. Platform

Under the auspices of Formula One Management, FOM, an unprecedented second race was announced before  the Circuit of the Americas was even completed, a second race on the east coast,  through the urban-residential streets of Weehawken, New Jersey, directly across the Hudson river from Manhattan skyscrapers.

On October 25, 2011, then New Jersey Governor Chris Christy confirmed the race in a press conference, on the shores of the Hudson River.

The proposed New Jersey race was actually named, The Grand Prix of America, a different name, in order to create a completely implausible, illogical, and indefensible separation from the U.S. Grand Prix at Austin.

The announcement of the New Jersey race was perceived, particularly in Texas, as the  undermining of COTA.  Ironically enough, what was then deemed an appallingly unacceptable proposal; of an additional race to that of Austin, Texas, is today, an utterly uncontested and accepted eventuality.

The objective of a second race was to gain public interest and increase commercial market share within America, which almost 10 years later F1 is still trying to figure out how to accomplish.

As a result, the Weehawken Grand Prix, and a long sought after two-race U.S. platform involving the New York Tri-State area, never materialized.  Since driving 20 F1 cars on narrow, residential, partly tree-lined streets, past semi-detached middle-class homes, in Weehawken, New Jersey, while pretending it's a New York event, is almost as crazy as proposing a beautiful expansive ocean front park, in which, a large-scale temporary F1 venue can be created, where the race would benefit the park, which by the way, actually is in New York.

In either case, both the New Jersey and the U.S. Grand Prix at Jones Beach proposals, are attempting to solve the holy grail of F1 in America:

How to elevate F1 in America; making it visible, recognizable and popular, while sustaining F1, until it returns the following year?

One answer is having multiple races, which seems almost simplistic, since there has never been a shortage of major cities or existing venues, including established street circuits, with which to achieve a second race.

You see, after 60 years, chipping away at deeply rooted historical problems by adding a race, may not be what's needed without having first truly addressed:

• the lack of awareness and understanding of F1
• the monumental lack of self-promotion by F1 in America
• the impeding effects of F1's departure

Therefore, the attempt at a two-race U.S. platform, comprised of Texas & New Jersey, most certainly did not consider these issues.  Now, it remains to be seen if the newly proposed race in Miami can?

Nevertheless, the Texas & New Jersey combination was an attempt at realizing, in part, 7 concepts at the core of the U.S. Grand Prix at Jones Beach proposal:

1. F1 One belongs in New York
2. multiple F1 races are needed in America
3. sustainability through a stable two-race U.S. platform
4. a permanent, advertising presence in Manhattan
   ( a new, visible F1 beacon for America and the world. )
5. counteract Formula One's absence from America
6. confidently grow F1 within the immense, still untapped American market
7. finally bridge Formula One Racing to non-motorsports audiences    (particularly to women as a new and fashionable entertainment option)

After so many decades, Manhattan, the media capital, and the pure magic of Jones Beach (where the circuit would be surrounded by elevated grandstands offering the majority of spectators a full view of the race) have the combined ability to achieve these objectives, and provide F1 a sustainable future by:

• trumpeting-in F1 before & during its annual arrival
• amplifying F1 during its time in America
• reinforcing F1 long after it departs the U.S. and the region

Then, repeating this unparalleled and cumulative support-cycle year after year, not only for the benefit of the North American races, but for all  F1 races. 

Effectively keeping America permanently connected to Formula One and all its races going on around the world, and the world, permanently connected to F1's presence in Manhattan, Jones Beach, and Austin, Texas.

The realization of a two-race U.S. platform in America requires everything possible to secure the highest probability of success. So the U.S. Grand Prix at Jones Beach proposal offers a daring, drastically different, all encompassing local, national, regional, and global solution.

Since the Formula One model in America has historically been one of division, this proposal seeks to be one of unity.  By creating the first ever, sustainable, two-race U.S. platform built upon a dual-position strategy (Jones Beach & Manhattan), and embellished with a "Double GP".  Both races, united, under one banner:

• The U.S. Grand Prix at Austin, Texas.
• The U.S. Grand Prix at Jones Beach, New York.

The Double GP is yet another aspect of this proposal meant to magnify F1 in America, which in-turn, will contribute to greater newsworthiness, proper large-scale marketing and re-branding.

Both the Texas and New York races will support each other, and in unison, constitute the basis of a stable, and sustainable, two-race U.S. platform.

On the regional level, Formula One would be supported further, by the proposed creation of the unprecedented Formula One America's Cup.  Based on an historic 4 North American races, Montreal, Canada, Mexico City, Mexico, and the proposed Double GP of Austin, Texas and Jones Beach, New York.

A unique, regionally centric, independent point or best-of competition, within  the F1 World Championship, providing a much needed assimilating factor for American and regional audiences.  (Again, only possible or effective if F1 is in New York.)

In time, the proposed Formula One America's Cup (Silver trophy cup could be commissioned from Tiffany.) may very well become one of the most important anchoring components of F1 in America, as well as an instant-icon, while creating a new, pivotal aspect for American news & media outlets to report on.

In addition, this proposed dual-position strategy for F1, of  Jones Beach and Manhattan, would be validated further when the Jones Beach Tower is draped annually with 187 foot / 57  m long, 25 foot / 7.6 m wide banners of the teams, sponsors, and F1 venues, blowing in the summer wind of the Atlantic Ocean.  Or, when the Empire State Building is illuminated during race weekend, red for Scuderia Ferrari, silver for the Silver Arrows of Mercedes Racing, red blue and yellow for Red Bull Racing, or even red white and blue for the Circuit of the Americas, then the world will know F1 is in NY. 

Nine years ago, the Texas Major Events Fund partially rejected the notion of a second race to that of Austin, yet F1 has been actively seeking a second race for years, having recently announced a new venue at the Dolphin Stadium in Miami, which was subsequently put on hold. 

Therefore, a race-name-change exception must have been granted, otherwise we are right back to the New Jersey scenario of 2011.

If a name-change exception was granted, then a further exception allowing for a mutually beneficial, commercially stable, and historic Double GP, with both cities sharing the U.S. Grand Prix title, can also be granted.

Justified, by the mutual sustainability factor, the immense benefit to both cities, immense growth potential, and commercial stability.  But also due to F1 being, not a domestic  racing series, but the premiere global  racing series.