USA-F1 RACING: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announces Formula One race on the banks of the Hudson for 2013 season

Record ID: 593318

  • Title: USA-F1 RACING: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announces Formula One race on the banks of the Hudson for 2013 season
  • Date: 26th October 2011
  • Summary: WEEHAWKEN, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 25, 2011) (REUTERS) NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE AT PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE SAYING: "It's great to be able to see that in June of 2013 Formula 1 will be here for three days, a 3.2 mile road race right here, the Port Imperial and the Palisades in West New York and Weehawken. You can expect upwards of a hundred thousand people to attend each race over the three days beginning with practice on Friday, the qualifier on Saturday, and then the race on Sunday. And people from all over the world will be coming to New Jersey to see this race on this unique and exciting course that is a part of our state, and this will provide extraordinary benefits to our state not just economically but once again to prove to everyone that the New Jersey comeback has begun and is in full tilt as we speak." FORMULA ONE COMMENTATOR STEVE MATCHETT AT PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMULA ONE COMMENTATOR STEVE MATCHETT SAYING: "Having seen the layout of the track here at Port Imperial, I have to say that it is absolutely staggering. It is beautiful. Formula One, as you know, is very much a TV sport and it looks for tremendous backdrops, and if we take Singapore as the example, really this year, of the classic night race -- we have one race a year under nightlights, under lights at night, which is Singapore -- and the backdrop looks absolutely spectacular. As we look behind us here at the cityscape of Manhattan, it is going to be something that the whole world will recognize instantly, and it's going to be a tremendous backdrop to this race." PRESS AT EVENT (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE SAYING: "In terms of safety, I can't worry about the safety of the drivers, I'll leave that to these guys. they understand how to do that. You all know my driving record. The good news is I won't be driving in the grand prix, so folks are going to be, I think, very relieved about that." PAN OF MANHATTAN SKYLINE, BACKDROP OF RACE COURSE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING IN MIDDLE OF MANHATTAN
  • Embargoed: 10th November 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA5RXMSVVIQKSAHPMUJZ4XI513M
  • Story Text: New Jersey will host a round of the Formula One world championship from 2013, the state governor Chris Christie confirmed on Tuesday (October 25).
    Christie made the announcement, along with the mayors of New Jersey towns West New York and Weehawken, by the banks of the Hudson River where the street-circuit race will be held.
    "It's great to be able to see that in June of 2013 Formula 1 will be here for three days, a 3.2 mile road race right here, the Port Imperial and the Palisades in West New York and Weehawken. You can expect upwards of a hundred thousand people to attend each race over the three days beginning with practice on Friday, the qualifier on Saturday, and then the race on Sunday," the governor announced.
    Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has yet to confirm the new race has been approved but has long supported the idea of holding a race against the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline.
    The U.S. has not hosted a Formula One race since Indianapolis in 2007 but is scheduled to stage a Grand Prix at Austin, Texas from next year.
    The proposed course should offer easy access to New York city residents and visitors staying in central hotels.
    "People from all over the world will be coming to New Jersey to see this race on this unique and exciting course that is a part of our state, and this will provide extraordinary benefits to our state not just economically but once again to prove to everyone that the New Jersey comeback has begun and is in full tilt as we speak," said Christie.
    The U.S. returns to the Formula One calendar next year with a stop in Austin, Texas, but the New Jersey race will provide a cost-effective way to win the event with the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.
    "Having seen the layout of the track here at Port Imperial, I have to say that it is absolutely staggering. It is beautiful," said F1 commentator, Steve Matchett.
    "As we look behind us here at the cityscape of Manhattan, it is going to be something that the whole world will recognize instantly, and it's going to be a tremendous backdrop to this race," added Matchett.
    F1 had previously held races in the state of New York at the track at Watkins Glen in Schuyler County, some 250 miles from New York City.
    Watkins Glen International held the United States Grand Prix from 1961 to 1980 while F1 races have also been held at Long Beach in California, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas, Phoenix and Indianapolis.
    The last F1 race in the U.S. was held at Indianapolis in 2007 and was won by British McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton.
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