ATX PostWill it be ready for the U.S. Grand Prix? Circuit of the Americas Formula 1 track is way behind schedule.
Editor’s Note: Kevin Benz also contributed to this story.
The Formula 1 track being built by Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in southeast Austin is dangerously behind schedule.
For months, Austin’s Formula 1 track owners (COTA) have officially reported construction as “on schedule.” It’s not. I’ve seen the June, 2011 construction schedule, and I’ve laid it out below in summary form. COTA can do it, but with 30+ years of engineering experience, I can say the track needs more than efficiency, it needs a little luck.
Bobby Epstein, the founding partner of Circuit of the Americas disagrees. CultureMap spoke to him by phone late this afternoon. “It’s not so much a matter of whether the circuit will be completed,” he said, “it will be completed. It’s really about how much it will cost if we need to accelerate the construction in order to finish.”
Last week all the world Formula 1 press reported that construction of Austin’s Circuit of the Americas was on schedule for an August completion. This was of course seen as very good news by anyone with an interest in Austin’s Nov. 18 United States Grand Prix, the penultimate round of the 2012 World Championship. “On schedule” is a matter of perspective.
“There’s very little float in the [construction] schedule,” responded William McAdoo, Senior Vice-President of Austin Commercial, the general contractor in charge of completing the circuit construction. “We have no time to spare and the weather is factor. We’re hoping for a long, hot summer and we’ll be { ...to continue reading this article: Article source: }
Article source: http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/01-24-12-23-45-f1-circuit-construction-way-behind-schedule-can-they-catch-up/