Austin F1 track land secured

UPDATE Although Hellmund has yet to divulge details of what he calls a “killer location", he confirmed that the site is to the east of the city, a few miles from the airport. It is said to be in hilly countryside that has provided Tilke with a good starting point for a design.

The German has been asked to create a fast circuit with challenging corners that resemble those of classic established circuits such as Silverstone, Hockenheim and Spa. It will be over 3-miles in length.

Tilke first sent a representative of his company to Austin around two years ago, and has made personal many visits since. He is currently looking for office space in the city in which to base the project. Adam Cooper on F1

05/27/10 The group aiming to bring Formula One racing to Austin has secured a site and hired a German engineering firm known for building and redesigning F1 tracks, the attorney for the promoter said Wednesday.

Richard Suttle Jr., attorney for Full Throttle Productions of Austin, said it's "a safe assumption" that the land — in excess of 500 acres — lies along the Texas 130 corridor, but wouldn't say more about the location. "We're just not ready to disclose it yet," he said.

Engineering firm Tilke GmbH has designed numerous racetracks around the world, including Formula One tracks in Malaysia and Abu Dhabi; the name is almost synonymous with the sport. Racing industry insiders have estimated that constructing a new facility capable of holding an F1 race would cost upward of $250 million.