An American F1 team?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Cap'n Jack
  • 157 comments
  • 14,323 views
Cap'n Jack

Cap'n Jack

Premium
Messages
10,216
Australia
South of the South
Messages
GoldMineGutted
... Apparently.

usf1logo-sep08.jpg

new Formula One team is under wraps in America and set to be launched officially later this month, it is reported on Wednesday.

The team, whose logo can be previewed at 'usf1.com', is fronted by F1 stalwart and broadcaster Peter Windsor, and American Ken Anderson, of IndyCar and NASCAR fame but also former Ligier Technical Director.

Briton Windsor, 56, has worked for Williams and Ferrari, but is best known today as a television pundit and writer.

The German website motorsport-total.com claims USF1 intends to make its Grand Prix debut in 2010, and already has the blessing of F1 Chief Executive Bernie Ecclestone.

The team will have the slogan 'Made In America' and be headquartered in the heart of NASCAR-country in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Reportedly, an agreement to use the new Windshear wind tunnel in North Carolina is already in place, while USF1 intends to be a showcase for American technology and US-born drivers.
Click to expand...

Source.

Would be great if this is true, even better if Honda finds a buyer too (22 car grid again)! I think it is a little strange that they plan to base the team in the US, unlike every other team, who are based in Europe.
 
Been there, discussed that:
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=107872

But interesting that it seems to actually be happening. I have to question though, how succesful will a US-based team be? There is a reason why all the rest of the teams are based in Europe. Surely it would make more sense to either create the team in Europe or buy a existing team (such as the obvious HondaF1 and STR)?
I realise it wouldn't be a "pure" US team, but does that really matter? Most of the teams aren't true French/Italian/Japanese/German teams because there are a high proportion of engineers from all over the place, mainly British if I remember right.

This is either set up for a dramatic failure in the same way as Michael Andretti or Parnelli or a great step forward for the US to start participating a bit more.

The base problem will also intensify as we gain more and more circuits further East from Europe, we may actually start seeing new teams be HQ'd in Asia as the majority of the tracks shift around the world.
 
Last edited:
I hope this goes through. It will bring the US fanbase again.
 
ill believe it when i see it announced, but what i want to know if it is true is who the engine supplier will be.
 
That would be fantastic, anyone know what car the possible team would be in? Very interesting who will surface as driver?

OK I'll toss my hat in the ring...I'm available. LOL
 
This could be interesting, maybe it'll be enough to get a F1 race back on this continent.
 
• Logo looks too much like "USFL", a short-lived alternative to the National Football League.

• Where's the site? All I see is a logo. They need a webmaster...me!

• Don't let Scott Speed drive, test only.

• I want more information before I go fanboy on this.
 
I don't like the whole USA thing. Why can't it just be the owner's names?
 
I suppose it would be a good thing, but if Michael Andretti has taught us anything, it's that you don't base yourself in America for a primarily European sport. Hopefully "USF1" won't do the same thing as Super Aguri did in their first season and recruit two drivers from Japan simply for the sake of having two Japanese drivers. If they can find two talented Americans who can hold their own in F1 cars, by all means, fine. But if their first driver is American and they can't find a second from the States, they shouldn't put a second American driver behind the wheel.
 
An American behind the wheel would definately spark the interest of all the non-F1 fans in these states. Keeping fingerscrossed on this one - F1 in America :) ,I'd be a happy camper
 
Omnis
I don't like the whole USA thing. Why can't it just be the owner's names?
Click to expand...

I said the same thing about "Force India"...F1 is not a national competition, that's what A1 is for!

And for god's sake don't bend over trying to find another Scott Speed - being American won't matter if they're bottom-rungers.
 
This would be great news, the more F1 teams there is the better the sport will be. Would they be open to trying to get Juan Pablo Montoya back??? (I know Columbian, but still)
 
GT4 genius
This would be great news, the more F1 teams there is the better the sport will be. Would they be open to trying to get Juan Pablo Montoya back??? (I know Columbian, but still)
Click to expand...

I for one would not object to Montoya being "our" driver.:)
 
SUPER NUMBBER
I said the same thing about "Force India"...F1 is not a national competition, that's what A1 is for!

And for god's sake don't bend over trying to find another Scott Speed - being American won't matter if they're bottom-rungers.
Click to expand...

I believe it's an interim name. Following most sponsorship trends, it'll probably be changed to suit.

SS wasn't as much of a bottom runger in his short time as many make him out to be. He wasn't for F1, that was quickly proven, but he wasn't bad by any stretch of the imagination. It would be nice to see some American talent though if this comes to fruition.
 
mu22stang
I believe it's an interim name. Following most sponsorship trends, it'll probably be changed to suit.

SS wasn't as much of a bottom runger in his short time as many make him out to be. He wasn't for F1, that was quickly proven, but he wasn't bad by any stretch of the imagination. It would be nice to see some American talent though if this comes to fruition.
Click to expand...

He didn't win a race of any kind between 2004 and 2008, and completed 1.5 seasons of F1 without scoring a single point. He was even awful in A1 - scoring a best of 4th in 6 races (not even finishing three of them).
 
Famine
He didn't win a race of any kind between 2004 and 2008, and completed 1.5 seasons of F1 without scoring a single point. He was even awful in A1 - scoring a best of 4th in 6 races (not even finishing three of them).
Click to expand...

What is Scott Speed doing now?
 
GT4 genius
This would be great news, the more F1 teams there is the better the sport will be. Would they be open to trying to get Juan Pablo Montoya back??? (I know Columbian, but still)
Click to expand...

He left F1, he wasn't fired ;) He left because he got tired of F1, I don't expect him back ever again really, which is a shame.
But then again, with McLaren these things aren't so straightforward.

Is this team a likely place for Bourdais (or Sato, Barrichello and Button?) to go if he doesn't get the STR seat? Surely this team will have a car ready for testing by the end of the year?
 
He was dropped by McLaren when he went public with the deal he did to race Nascar the following season. That is being fired in my book.
 
Famine
He didn't win a race of any kind between 2004 and 2008, and completed 1.5 seasons of F1 without scoring a single point.
Click to expand...

Im not sure what you're on about but the STR1 was mediocre to begin with and the STR2 was an unreliable car. Only 2 of his 7 retirements in 2007 were actual collisions and its almost exactly the same for Liuzzi. 2008 was also much of the same for the STR2, suspension and engine failures for both Vettel & Bourdais.

I honestly believe SS had the talent to run mid field in F1 but his bad luck, attitude, bad blood between STR and his beef with Franz Tost really killed it for him. STR weren't innocent angels in this situation either but at least he has a seat in the sprint cup
 
Last edited:
Tired Tyres
He was dropped by McLaren when he went public with the deal he did to race Nascar the following season. That is being fired in my book.
Click to expand...

But he made the decision himself....it wasn't like he was kicked out of McLaren then he joined NASCAR. He clearly had the idea a long time before that and wasn't pleased the way things were going.
Either way, my point still stands, he won't be coming back to F1 or at least I very much doubt it.
 
Speed actually would have won the ARCA-RE/MAX series as a rookie if not for some dirty driving in the season finale.
 
I wonder if we get more tracks with turns now.
It seemes that we aren't the only ones.
Back in 06
Back in 2002 All American Racers, Dan Gurney's racing organisation in Santa Ana, announced plans to enter Formula 1. A few months later came the news that the people involved "were not prepared to commit to a situation which was not properly funded for at least three years." The dream of using an American Formula 1 team to be a showcase for American sponsors, technologies and engineering capability had failed. Nothing has been heard since.

In Canada Mercedes-Benz's racing chief Norbert Haug (who is related to Gurney by marriage) brought up the subject once again.

"I would love to have an American team - lets say if we could encourage a guy like Roger Penske. It is our second biggest market for Mercedes Benz and is obviously very important for our hosts Chrysler and we are producing a lot of cars over there and of course we want to support America and I think we need to explore America further in Formula 1 in the future, and my wish in the long term would be to develop an American team with American drivers, even American engine manufacture. That would be great."
Click to expand...
 
Scott Speed wouldn't have looked so bad if Sebastian Vettel hadn't looked so good in the same car; witnes the 2007 Chinese GP...
 
Pupik
Scott Speed wouldn't have looked so bad if Sebastian Vettel hadn't looked so good in the same car; witnes the 2007 Chinese GP...
Click to expand...

You dont think think he was extremely lucky in that race?

If Schumacher, Hamilton and Kubica didnt retire, let alone if it was a dry weekend, would this even be possible?
 
nissan tuner
Im not sure what you're on about but the STR1 was mediocre to begin with and the STR2 was an unreliable car. Only 2 of his 7 retirements in 2007 were actual collisions and its almost exactly the same for Liuzzi. 2008 was also much of the same for the STR2, suspension and engine failures for both Vettel & Bourdais.

I honestly believe SS had the talent to run mid field in F1 but his bad luck, attitude, bad blood between STR and his beef with Franz Tost really killed it for him. STR weren't innocent angels in this situation either but at least he has a seat in the sprint cup
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly. Everyone forgets SS's condition during this time, too. I mean honestly, could you keep your concentration when your having 60 bowel movements a day and trying to drive an F1 car with your butt 6 inches from the ground. His abilities as a driver, or lack thereof as some may say, were and are much better than on-paper facts suggest.
 

Latest Posts

Back