US F1 GP set to clash with NASCAR

MONZA, Italy (AP):

Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage lambasted Formula One bosses for their "infamous indifference" toward fans after the draft calendar for 2019 was revealed yesterday.

The schedule would flip the traditional autumn pairing of the races in Austin and Mexico City, putting the Mexican Grand Prix first for the first time.

Pushing the US Grand Prix back a week to November 3 would conflict with NASCAR's playoff race on the same day at Texas Motor Speedway, about a three-hour drive north of the Circuit of the Americas. A similar scenario happened in 2014.

"Shame on Formula One for doing this to the fans," Gossage said.

"Fans have recognised this as the NASCAR date on this weekend since its inception long before Circuit of the Americas was built.

"I would think a lot of fans myself included would enjoy going to both races. Now Formula One is making fans choose only one. Yet another bad call by Formula One showing their infamous indifference toward the fans."

TWO EVENTS

Circuit of the Americas President Bobby Epstein did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mexico City race organisers' are also likely to be unhappy as the Mexican GP would be on October 27, several days ahead of the national Dia de los Muertos holiday celebrations, despite their desire to link the two events.

The 21-race draft calendar is subject to approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council when it meets on October 12.

The order of races is otherwise very similar apart from the Chinese GP effectively swapping places with Bahrain and becoming the third destination on the circuit rather than the second. The race in Shanghai will be the 1,000th grand prix since F1's inception in 1950.