Summer in Texas

Well, the good news is that the date for the first US Grand Prix since 2007 has been set.  The bad news is that the date is June 17th.  For those of you who don’t know what summer is like here in central Texas, let me enlighten you.  The record high for that date was set in 2008 at 101 degrees Fahrenheit.  The problem is that we’ve seen even higher temperatures around that time frame…as much as 106F.  This isn’t the best weather to be racing in and it’s definitely not the best weather in which to watch an F1 race.

Someone asked me if the engineers would have problems with the heat, and short answer is yes.  Of course it’s F1 and the engineers will find a way to deal with it, but the heat will create a number of different problems that will need to be overcome.  The track will get even hotter than the ambient temperature and this will cause problems for the tires.  Cooling the engine will be more difficult and teams are already having issues cooling the KERS regenerative braking systems, so they don’t need another hurdle to overcome.  The drivers will also have to deal with ridiculous in-car heat levels.  Yes, the teams will be able to overcome these issues, but we don’t want to throw too many hurdles in their way because we want them to ENJOY coming here, not to dread it.

Then there are the spectators. Do you want to sit outside in triple-digit heat with minimal shade?  I didn’t think so.   This is the real problem.  In order for F1 to be successful here in America it needs to establish a fan base.  People new to the sport need to have the best possible memories of the race.  If all they can remember from the race is being beaten down by the extreme heat and paying $5 for a bottle of water, they aren’t going to want to come back.  The organizers are going to have to make the race earlier in the season or far later.  That may pose some difficulties in scheduling alongside the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, but it will make far more sense in the long term.

The cockpit of a Formula 1 car is around 122 degrees when ambient temperature is around 85-90.  Imagine what it would be like in 103 degree heat...