Once a Formula One wasteland, the United States is suddenly being viewed as a land of promise for the world's glamour circuit with Formula 1 commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone calling for up to three races in the US.
After a five-year hiatus, F1 makes its long-awaited return to America this weekend, resurrecting the US Grand Prix and along with it hopes that the series may finally be ready to conquer a market it has long coveted. With the new $400 million Circuit of the Americas providing a spectacular venue, a successful race in the Texas capital could lead to even more grands prix with possible races in New York and Los Angeles.

Ecclestone hopeful
F1 teams up and down the Austin paddock could not hide their delight at being back in the U.S. while Ecclestone gushed a new found enthusiasm for a market he had previously dismissed.

"The Americas are probably big enough to have five or six grands prix," Ecclestone told reporters. "We're trying to get something sorted out in New Jersey/New York, we've had a lot of requests.

"Maybe we can do something in LA (Los Angeles) in the future.

"It's a shame it (New Jersey) didn't go through as planned, it won't happen in 2013 and hopefully we can resurrect it in 2014."