David Coulthard urges F1 to bring back New York’s abandoned ‘Eau Rouge rival’ back from the dead

David Coulthard is convinced that the New York street circuit would be the right addition to the F1 calendar.

David Coulthard urges F1 to bring back New York’s abandoned ‘Eau Rouge rival’ back from the dead

David Coulthard driving the RB7 in New York, image via CNN

Formula 1 is expanding in the United States. The 2023 F1 season has three races in the ‘Land of the Free.’ The sport is trying to make inroads to reap the commercial benefits of the US market. Former F1 driver David Coulthard reckons that there is an abandoned plan in New York that could work wonders for F1’s efforts in the country.

A decade ago, F1 looked to have a street race in New York under the leadership of Bernie Ecclestone. The 3.2-mile circuit was designed by Hermann Tilke and looked over the Hudson River, giving the fans a stellar view. This track, named the Port Imperial Street Circuit, was supposed to host the ‘Grand Prix of America’ in 2013, but disputes over the contract derailed the project, and it has been forgotten since.

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Coulthard drove on this track in a Red Bull RB7 in 2012 and praised the track for its challenging elevation changes of over 150 feet. The former Red Bull driver reckoned that this circuit could challenge Spa-Francorchamps’ iconic Eau Rouge. The 52-year-old said, “There was a section that made Eau Rouge at Spa look like kids’ stuff!”

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New York could sum up the US F1 calendar, says David Coulthard

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David Coulthard driving the RB7 in New York, image via CNN

David Coulthard believes that the New York track can perfectly complement the current rooster of American races. Subsequently, the 52-year-old was confident that four races in the United States could be the perfect number for the sport’s ambitions of gaining traction in the US. He said, “They’ll all have their own flavor, they have to. State to state in America is very different, so race to race – each event has to reflect that.”

The Briton compared the current US races on the calendar. David appreciated the conventional purpose-built Circuit of the Americas in Texas. At the same time, the 52-year-old believed that the Miami GP track provided a hybrid layout. Moreover, Coulthard was excited about the Las Vegas GP as the race goes through the iconic strip of the city. He stated, “The event [Las Vegas GP] will undoubtedly take over.”

Thus, David Coulthard is keen on getting F1 back to planning the New York race. Formula 1 is on an ambush in the United States as it looks to increase its viewership. These efforts have been met with success, but there is still a long way to go. Certainly, F1 can revisit the New York track and potentially consider finally racing in the city after over a decade from its initial plans.

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