Passport, please. Back in the US, it's F1!

Start your engines, wait there's beer?

So next weekend marks the historic return of F1 to the US. Technology companies are banking on its success. Energy companies are banking on its success. Telecoms are banking on its success. Pension funds are literally banking on its success. And yes, the world of autosport is banking on its success.

While no longer sponsored by Fosters Lager (think MillerCoors here in the US), this promises to be an overwhelmingly action and star packed weekend. Collective Soul is playing!?!? Yes! Ron Howard will be there!?!? Yes! A tribute to Leslie, too!?!? Well, maybe not, but our fond regards and warmest wishes to Leslie's memory and eclectic style. We miss you, man!

Savor the sophisticated flavor

This isn't the white trash crowd of NASCAR, think more along the lines of subtle sophistication, it's more high brow, perhaps Lowenbrau. Perhaps not, but we are fans of anything Euro except the actual Euro and we embrace anything resembling Euro trash. Shiny pants and berets aside, the USGP has been absent after 2007 when Bernie Ecclestone declared Indianapolis to be less than ideal (no effin' way, oh that Bernie) and Tony George saw no financial incentive (the Brickyard is bleeding red) to continue hosting the 3-day event. The result? We watched from home and invited friends to our makeshift pubs in hopes of a Schumacher comeback and a maturing of Scott Speed on a re-broadcast courtesy of SpeedTV.

A sad departure, but wait there's more

Schumi retired in 2006 and Speed was no longer seen as "driver development" material in the up and coming Toro Rosso Red Bull team. Instead he had been replaced by test driver Sebastien Vettel. Fast forward, and yes, that same test driver became a 2-time world champion. Under Team Principal, Christian Horner, it's the Infiniti FX50 driving Vettel that has helped to build an outstanding Red Bull team with stablemate and motorcycle stuntman, Aussie Mark Webber. 


Bring it home to Texas (so don't blow it, man)

So the crowd is poised to cheer the return of F1 to the Circuit of the Americas. Austin, Texas plays host to a sold out crowd. A global event, Austin has a great opportunity to showcase everything that it is, and only a faint memory remains of everything that Indianapolis was not. It's a tight race with Vettel poised to take the 2012 F1 championship and Fernando Alonso waiting to reclaim some painful second place career finishes. Both drivers are seeking that third title (Vettel: 2010, 2011; Alonso: 2005, 2006) and it's a battle between the Infiniti branded Renault of Vettel (yes I said branded and not powered by) and the Scuderia burner from Ferrari. 

I am hoping for a Ferrari FF giveaway (and I do love the FF), but I'll be happy with a picture of me, Opie, and the grid girls from SAP! Wait, Ellison is sponsoring this? The grid girls from Oracle it is!  Don't mess this up for us, Larry!

See you there and long live Williams BMW!