2010 new teams discussion

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Ardius
Its clearly become a matter of days now for USF1...
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It could be even less time than that - Charlie Whiting has reported flown to America to audit the team's readiness.
 
Reports are that Hurley is talking with Stefanovic. Anderson and Windsor are said to be opposing because they don't want to see an American team die, but I think they have no ground to stand on.
 
It appears Stefanoviç is starting a war of words with USF1 to pressure the FIA into letting them on the grid.

http://planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5986989,00.html

Now, there's a couple of things on my mind:

1) I disagree with the original selection process. As I said before, Prodrive and Lola deserved an entry much more than Campos or USF1.

2) Still, I don't want USF1 to fail. They did what was required of them to get a spot; regardless of how twisted the selection process was. Anything beyond that is on the FIA, for not checking the viability of the entry.

3) I realize they're on the edge of the abyss. So Stefanoviç does have a point in the sense that USF1's struggles demonstrate a failure in the part of the FIA.

4) Stefan GP doesn't deserve a spot on the grid. If you're gonna start over and select new teams, at least make sure you do it right (see #1). A fair process gives Prodrive/Lola an equal chance to Stefan GP, and they shouldn't allow an opportunistic investor ahead of those who submitted an entry originally, just by staging a show out of being "ready to race".
 
This USF1 is a joke, I'm from the US and I didn't believe a word they said. Windsor is an a$$ and if you've watched Speed you'll know, and he's not even american. They're trying to pass off as a US team and Lopez is not even from the US, why not Scott Speed or any of the Indy guys or even new unfound talent. Ever since this USF1 fake was started I was sure it was going to fail and now they didn't only fail but they are blocking the way for the "Serbian vultures" Stefan GP. USF1 is a cheap team that does not deserve the right to be in Formula 1 and what is the point of missing 4 races, even 1 race is a big deal. Sorry I'm just pissed and will wait for a REAL US team.
 
Best chance you have of a real US team is Penske....
 
Zoran has blamed "other investors" for a break down in negogiations between Stefan and USF1.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81769

autosport
Stefanovic has also revealed that he had discussed a merger with US F1 - which has a 2010 entry but has asked to miss the first four races as its programme is a long way behind schedule. He said these talks had now collapsed despite positive approaches from US F1 investor Chad Hurley.

"Yes, it is true we had some discussions stretching over many days, but these broke down completely on Thursday afternoon European time due to the inflexibility of certain players," Stefanovic said.

"I stress it was not Chad Hurley, who was open to discussions with us, but some of the other stakeholders who sabotaged the talks."
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In other words, Windsor and/or Anderson have put the bullet through both teams...
 
Just do the decent thing, USF1, and GIVE UP.

Of all the 🤬🤬🤬:censored:from a 🤬🤬🤬:censored:best served at room temperature with 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 teams in the world, why oh why did these guys get a grid slot? Almost everyone else on the reserve list is miles ahead of them already!

🤬!
 
SUPER NUMBBER
4) Stefan GP doesn't deserve a spot on the grid. If you're gonna start over and select new teams, at least make sure you do it right (see #1). A fair process gives Prodrive/Lola an equal chance to Stefan GP, and they shouldn't allow an opportunistic investor ahead of those who submitted an entry originally, just by staging a show out of being "ready to race".
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A "fair process" might give Prodrive and Lola a beter chance at the grid, but ifthe FIA revoked USF1's entry tomorrow and started the selection prcess again, Stefan would still be the team to make the grid.

Why?

Because they're the only entity that could make it to Bahrain. None of the other applicants have a car, a team, or infrastructure.
 
Unfortunately thanks to the last minute failings of teams like USF1 and Campos, they have ONLY made it that much more difficult for future teams to enter the sport 👎
 
interludes
A "fair process" might give Prodrive and Lola a beter chance at the grid, but ifthe FIA revoked USF1's entry tomorrow and started the selection prcess again, Stefan would still be the team to make the grid.

Why?

Because they're the only entity that could make it to Bahrain. None of the other applicants have a car, a team, or infrastructure.
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And that as a result of the FIA's botched selection in the first place.

There's no doubt in my mind that if Prodrive or Lola would've been selected, not only would they be up to speed, they'd be head and shoulders above all the new teams. Stefan GP bought Toyota F1, but there's no proof right now that they're able to build on that; Prodrive I can almost certainly guarantee they wouldn't be just another backmarker.
 
interludes
A "fair process" might give Prodrive and Lola a beter chance at the grid, but ifthe FIA revoked USF1's entry tomorrow and started the selection prcess again, Stefan would still be the team to make the grid.

Why?

Because they're the only entity that could make it to Bahrain. None of the other applicants have a car, a team, or infrastructure.
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Thats the point though - Stefan should not be instantly allowed just because they are ready now. Entries are not just about being ready, they need to be financially stable and relatively competitive.
Its too late now, they should be moving to look at 2011 entires now. (and this time let people use the engines they want!)

The FIA won't give Stefan an entry anyway because its not going to do the sport any good, he is not going to turn up to Bahrain with a competitive package and he is not going to last the season. Toyota are not going to sell him their facilities and they are not going to fund him either or build him all the parts without payment.
I doubt Toyota's support will go beyond 2010 either.
 
Ardius
Thats the point though - Stefan should not be instantly allowed just because they are ready now. Entries are not just about being ready, they need to be financially stable and relatively competitive.
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If Stefan are financially stable, why shouln't they be allowed in? They've won over Bernie Ecclestone and Chad Hurley seems keen, so it's not like they're some super-secretive and shady outfit like QADBAK was. Competitiveness is a little harder to judge because we'd have to see it on-track first, but the S-01 is based on the abandoned TF110 chassis, if it isn't just a straight TF110.

Ardius
Toyota are not going to sell him their facilities and they are not going to fund him either or build him all the parts without payment.
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While it is believed Stefanovic hasn't paid Toyota yet, I'd say there's a very simle explanation for that: Stefanovic doesn't want to pay unless he gets a grid entry.
 
interludes
If Stefan are financially stable, why shouln't they be allowed in? They've won over Bernie Ecclestone and Chad Hurley seems keen, so it's not like they're some super-secretive and shady outfit like QADBAK was. Competitiveness is a little harder to judge because we'd have to see it on-track first, but the S-01 is based on the abandoned TF110 chassis, if it isn't just a straight TF110.
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Because:
1. They failed to get a grid entry the first time around - what makes it fair to the other entries that the entry process can be ignored for some ragged outfit that refused to give up? They aren't even on the reserve list, I don't even know if the FIA can actually let Stefan in even if they took away USF1's entry.
2. They feature various "shady" characters (Coughlan, Ryan...Stefan himself).
3. There is no proof they are financially stable.
4. Its so late before the season that there is no chance the car and team will be ready, how far off the pace will they be? How developed was Toyota's design?
5. Because its so late, we are almost into the 2011 entry period, surely it makes more sense to go through that entry process instead? If Stefan really could make it, they should have no problem hanging on a year.

Bernie has little say in the selection process, so it doesn't matter what he says. Some believe he is secretly funding Stefan but there is little evidence for this. Hurley was most likely attempting to grab the TF110 designs in a deal to try and keep USF1 alive.
Not as shady as QADBAK? Have you even been following Zoran? There is a lot of mystery to his funding and supposed "Serbian government backing".
 
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Stefan have relesed another press release - in much better English - apologising for the outburst and basically saying "Okay, we'll shut up from now on".
 
USF1 have alegedly requested permission to defer their entry until 2011:

http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-usf1-asks-for-delay-until-2011/

I wonder how the FIA is going to respond to this. First they wanted to miss 4 races without any significant fines. Now they want miss all 19 races, not be subject to any fines due to their lack of racing this season, and have the FIA hold their spot by paying what looks like a bribe. It just keeps getting more and more pathetic.
 
Wow - that is a development...

It says that Campos aren't likely to be there too - but they don't appear to have asked for a delay yet...

C.
 
I wouldn't even care if Stefan actually turned out to be the devil himself, and all his workers to be ex-convicts and hamburgerlers, I just want to see a 26 car grid at Bahrain.

And be as it might, Stefan knows how to play this game, insofar as what we have seen. I have absolutely no reason to doubt that he couldn't last a season.
 
Screw USF1, they did nothing but embarrass America in the motorsports world. I hope Campos makes it though, only because they have Bruno. If Campos' boat sinks as well, hopefully Bruno can make it in with Stefan GP, if they get the spot.
 
yeti
It says that Campos aren't likely to be there too - but they don't appear to have asked for a delay yet...
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Nobody else is reporting it, and bear in mind that this is from SPEED TV who have been trumpeting the USF1 cause - Bob Varsha seems to have been their media champion (or he would be, if Peter Windsor wasn't) - and from the looks of things, they seem to have made some pretty big assumptions. Colin Kolles has said that they have funding in placeand that they were talking with Chad Hurley, but things didn't work out. SPEED seem to have assumed that because Campos don't have Hurley's money, they're screwed. However, I believe Hurley's European sojurn was an attempt to acquire first the Dallara and later the Toyota chassis as opposed to actually investing in a new team.
 
Ardius
Not as shady as QADBAK? Have you even been following Zoran? There is a lot of mystery to his funding and supposed "Serbian government backing".
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I wouldn't be surprised if the same people behind QADBAK tried to evade the due process by pressing the FIA to allow a new team without applying.
 
New teams always risky.

Remember Jacques Villeneuve's (I believe mistake) move to the at the time new Brtish American Racing entry into F1 (then became Sauber Petronas; then became BMW; then went BMW; and now Sauber!)!
 
BlacqueJacques
New teams always risky.

Remember Jacques Villeneuve's (I believe mistake) move to the at the time new Brtish American Racing entry into F1 (then became Sauber Petronas; then became BMW; then went BMW; and now Sauber!)!
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:confused: What a confusing sentence.
Villenueve: Williams > BAR > Renault > Sauber > BMW Sauber
BAR: BAR > Honda > Brawn > Mercedes
Sauber: Sauber > BMW Sauber > Sauber

Not sure which you are referring to, but anyway, yes Villenueve screwed his career at BAR, but to be fair, he was promised a lot there. He failed to lead the team as much as the team failed to provide on its promises. It was only when David Richards and Prodrive ran BAR that it started making some progress, and then Jacques was massively out of favour with the team (especially after the Button comments).

I think Stefan are ultimately worse than BAR was, at least BAR had decent backing from Reynard, 555, Lucky Strike and later Honda. They were rubbish, but they weren't mysterious like Stefan is.
 
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Roo
I'm fairly sure it was
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Not from Villenueve's period with the team ;)

And to be honest, I don't even know what really remained of Tyrrell after the buyout, did many of the staff even stay? I remember there being a lot of disgruntled personnel at the time in 1998, what with the "Tosser" stuff and all.
 
Latest news on Lotus, courtesy of Turun Sanomat (and various forum members on other F1 forums):
Turun Sanomat
- Heikki says the car might lack more grip in comparison to the leaders than the Minardi he tested in his first F1 test. Lack of downforce is the problem.

- He has never started a season with so little driving. Couldn't do a race simulation, Jarno got one together which was interrupted by raining.

- He has no idea how the different tires degrade and how different fuel weights affect it because the lack of race simulations. He feels he gained experience in tyre saving when driving with McLaren.

- Hydraulic problems have been the main issue in reliability. Xtrac's system is not up to it and not up to date. Causing problems with diffs, power steering and gearbox.

- They will get their own hydraulic system in 2 or 3 months and he's hoping for a new gearbox too which is designed with their aerodynamics. The current is off the shelf.

- Trulli says they shaved a second of their lap time on Friday just by set-up work. But gains from there are limited, he's waiting for the upgrades. They know what they need to do, but says it's a different thing when they can get the work done.

- Trulli says it was a miracle in itself to get the car designed and running on track in five months.
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Lots of work to do for Lotus then, but a good start all things considered.

Oh and:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81802
CNN sponsors Lotus.
 
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http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=359089&FS=F1
Campos to change thier name to Hispania Racing F1 Team. The artical also predicts they'll sign Karun Chandhok as a driver, which seems a bit strange to me. Chandhok seems a nice guy, I follow him on Twitter, but his GP2 results havn't exactly been amazing and I can think of many better potential drivers.
 
Their considering Chandhok because he has lots of sponsorship money, and they're considering replacing Senna with Lopez too for the same reason, which does not seem fair at all.
 
Ardius
Not from Villenueve's period with the team ;)
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Ah, gotcha.

Ardius
And to be honest, I don't even know what really remained of Tyrrell after the buyout, did many of the staff even stay? I remember there being a lot of disgruntled personnel at the time in 1998, what with the "Tosser" stuff and all.
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Autosport ran quite a lengthy article on the BAR / Honda story when Honda pulled out, I'll see if I can dig it up - it mentions the transition from Tyrrell to BAR quite a bit.
 
PeterJB
Their considering Chandhok because he has lots of sponsorship money, and they're considering replacing Senna with Lopez too for the same reason, which does not seem fair at all.
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Not fair, but I guess they need the money if it comes down to it.
 
Hispania F1 is as bad as US F1 ... I just hope this doesn't happen:

Tyrrell > BAR > Honda > Brawn > Mercedes > Germany Racing F1 Team :yuck:
 
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