When Bernie Talks, People Listen: F1 Confirmed For Austin In 2012

It is official: Formula One will indeed be heading to Austin on November 18, 2012. Hallelujah. Sanity prevailed in all of this. Circuit officials reached an agreement with Bernie Ecclestone just hours before the World Motor Sports Council confirmed the 2012 F1 calendar. The race organizers survived the last gasp extension from Ecclestone. All systems are go once again. Whew.

Though no official contract details have been released, the rumor mill is full of reports of anywhere from $25 to $35 million per year. The original contract proposal from Ecclestone – while Tavo Hellmund was an integral part of the planning – was $25 million per year, a relative steal in F1 terms these days.

But when Bernie talks, people listen – especially if they are intent on bringing a Formula One race to their locale.

For those who don’t know, Bernie Ecclestone is ruthless in his negotiations – and always has been according to common knowledge in the F1 paddock. There are many countries willing to throw bushels of money at him in order to bring F1 to their part of the world. No wonder he was about to give up on Austin. Negotiate? Why? It’s his game, he owns the ball, and he decides where he plays. Pretty simple.

When Bernie talks, people listen. I would go so far as to say that I would bet that even E.F. Hutton listens – and he is usually the one doing the talking!

In an interview with the Austin American-Statesman, Bobby Epstein stated that “Mr. Ecclestone is a masterful negotiator. He fights hard for his company’s best interests … I’m glad that, in time for 2012, we were able to reach a mutually acceptable deal.”

“Masterful negotiator” would be an understatement. And was the deal “mutually acceptable”? Or did Ecclestone pull his best Rod Tidwell impersonation and say to Jerry Maguire:

“Show me the money, Bobby!”

In all fairness and seriousness, it really doesn’t matter at this point. The deal is done, there is a signed contract, and it is “game on” time. There are many Formula One fans across the United States – across central Texas – that are very happy today. We can all start counting down the days until we will have the beauty and technological wonder of Formula One here in Austin.

Photo credits: Alan / Falcon