Aldermen Say Chicago F1 Grand Prix Faces Uphill Battle

Jan.30 - A Chicago politician has thrown cold water on excited speculation about the potential for a fourth Formula 1 race in America.

Media outlets have noticed that F1's owner, Liberty Media, has trademarked several names recently, including 'Formula 1 Chicago Grand Prix'.

Last year, Nascar raced for the first time on the new Chicago Street Course in the city's CBD, centring around the large urban Grant Park in the Loop area.

Chicago's 2nd Ward Alderman Brian Hopkins, however, whilst admitting that talks with F1 about a potential Chicago GP may have been held, poured cold water on the rumours.

"I'm told that F1 typically requires a 10-year minimum deal," he told the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper. "And that appears to be non-negotiable.

"The conversation did not get much past that," Hopkins declared.

Public surveys after the first Nascar race, meanwhile, showed that enthusiasm for the event was muted. Another Alderman, Brendon Reilly, therefore thinks adding F1 to the roster is unlikely.

"It would have to be one or the other," he said.

Reilly also explained: "What we did with Nascar, welding manhole covers and smoothing over potholes and calling it a track - that doesn't work with F1. More complicated, thus higher price tag."

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