Windsor? I'm sure the project is going to be a great success.

I see it as a challenge.

The new rules and coming regs make F1 more affordable.

This should be viewed as a "is the American racing industry full of wusses?" challenge.

If America can't put up some sort of a team out of the Ganassi/Penske + Charlotte based industry, it's embarrassing. As a matter of national pride. Fine, NASCAR is king in the U.S. - but apparently there really isn't any real racing spirit left, because no one in racing here feels it necessary to represent outside of the continent?

Sad.

We need two races here in the U.S., and a national team. You'd think as close-knit the racing community *appears* to be here one could arrange some sort of cooperative effort.

Wasn't he one of the people instrumental in Williams's success in the late 80s and early 90s?

I love the idea except the Windsor part.
Let's get a race back in Canada or Mexico and one more in the US and I can see it happening.

He was team manager.

I think Mansell, Piquet, Patrese, Williams, Head, Newey, Honda then Renault had slightly more to do with that success...

Thin air? Where is $100 million going to come from with the current economic doom-and-gloom? And surely if I was an investor it would be better to pump that into Honda?

Best web site ever

I love how everyone loves to declare a multiple championship winner as utterly incompetent, just because he used to ask dull questions on TV and wrote a weird article or two.

"...if I was an investor it would be better to pump that into Honda?"

You'd be throwing your money away then.
Better to start anew.

I think if they can get things rolling soon they could form a strong team. From the team I will support it 100%.

I would guess that getting a race back in the US will be part of their entry into F1. Any backers would want that to happen to see a return on their investment, and the teams support of the new team, kinda points to that as well, and allowing their sponsors to get greater exposure as well.

Where have I seen that number before?

Maybe Max has that amount available?

Yes, precisely what I was thinking

iirc, Windsor's lasting claim to fame from that time is the 'instrumental' role he played in releasing Nigel from the pits with one wheel not screwed on.

I hope you are right. I would support a real effort here in the US. Might even try to get a job there!!!!!

If Americans are not interested in Indy, a homegrown product, what makes you think they'd be interested in F1 ?
Trying to hammer a nail with your head can be described as being many things .... except a challenge.

shaggy

Despite the Tire Debacle well over 100,000 was interested in Indy the last time.

We're a nation raised on XBox, souped up with technology import cars, metal and Star Wars. WTF??? If Bernie and FOM can't figure out to market the highest technology-laden race cars driven on a planetary scale to the U.S. they're morons - or should admit they don't have a clue and let someone else run things that does.

I doubt it will happen, BUT
There is an amazing array of Talent around Charlotte/Concord
and they do have access to (probably the best) wind tunnel in the world
and even though there is no full scale testing, I am sure the good ol boys could
sneak it in, after all they ran moonshine for so long. lol

Are they going to use hemi motors and leaf spring suspension?

By the way, Peter Windsor isn't interested in this USF1 project: http://www.sidepodcast.com/2009/02/04/dail...#comment-185355

Ive seen something that I wonder if Stuart hasn't.

Care to elaborate?

Tell us more mate...

I just can't see how this thing can be financed (or justified) in the current climate. Be nice if I was wrong.

Starting from scratch seems a bit bonkers on the face of it.

As this week's Grapevine points out, only one team has made it from scratch in the past decade and that was Toyota.

Most others pick up the scratchings of defunct teams.

But you never know.

I wonder who'll drive?

It sure would be great to see Michael Andretti and Al Unser Jnr behind the wheel...

robby gordan says hai

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVx9vyIFWU0

baja says hai


the american racing industry isnt full of wusses, there just doing other (harder/more interesting) things

and im not american

How do you explain the difficulty of soccer breaking into the US ? Just because people don't like what you like, it does not mean that they are morons or that their leaders are morons.
The 100,000 who showed up at Indy probably includes all of F1 fans in the US. Insignificant.

If Americans don't like it, then Americans don't like it. We need to accept that simple fact.

Actually most of the people who went to the USGP, the Indy 500, whatever, go because the name. Most don't really care about the race itself. It is being at the race. To tell the guys around the watercooler at work. "Yeah, I spent Memorial Day weekend at the Indy 500." Not that it would impress anyone, as Indy is not Indy anymore, but you did something better than your co-worker, relative. I would bet 50-60 thousand at the USGP were like that. Another 100-150 thousand at the Indy 500, as I do not believe there ever was 400 thousand at the race ever.

You either are joking or have no clue WTH is going on. Both those guys have children that should be racing in F1. Heck even Unser the IIIrd is 26 and is probably too old to really get a fast track to F1 going.

Michael Andretti tried to play F1 16 years ago. Heck let's just bring back Patrese and Lauda. They can drive right?

This story smacks of bad journalism in order to increase some ad revenue or bump some blog hits. Utter tripe.

Oh man. Robby Gordon in F1. The mere thought brings a twinkle to my eye. At least it'd get him out of NASCAR!

I don't, because it is pretty much the biggest thing here outside of college football, isn't it?



That's self-indignation. You're describing your own inner feelings. I didn't say anything about U.S. leaders being morons, did I?



Citation?

Also, beside the point, the context was growing interest in F1 and the potential.




No, Americans like anything sold to them. Again, BERNIE and FOM are morons if they can't figure out how to market F1 to the U.S.

"Ok".

I have only lived 13 years in the USA, so possible that my experience is not a true barometer of the state of interest inF1.

However in the tri-state area I have met many many many Americans interested in Autoracing, they liked and loved NASCAR, CART, F1, Daytona 24 hours, spec series, non spec series, mom and pop racing, Dale Jr, Dale Sr, Rusty, Lauda, Schumacher, Villeneuve, Andretti, Gordon, Andretti, Andretti, Patrick, Rahal....... and on and on and on.

Point is that those in the US, who like racing likes all forms of racing, they will go see what is available close to where they live, some will make a trek once a season to a particular race, like I do with my brothers in Europe now every second year to see a F1 race.

They all follow F1, and would love for F1 to be in the US, when ever there is a race it have more spectators than most of the Tilke dromes around the world.

A fan is a fan is a fan regardless of country.

Theres a bit more info on the team here

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/news/pe...ather-pace.html

Nothing scientific, just my observations over 47yrs.
In the US, I would place F1's following equal to that of the LPGA tour. The LPGA just lost a MAJOR sponsor (Ginn Resorts). It sees attendance of ~135,000 at their majors and TV ratings of ~2.9.

In the US, F1 (like the LPGA tour) is a fringe sport. There is just not enough public interest to bring in the big sponsors here.

Just enjoy what we have right now, because it WILL change. Hopefully for the better, but with today's economic climate, probably not.

Come on, since leaving the bottle behind, Unser Jnr was heaps of potentional left...

I still do not understand why basing yourself in the US would work. The extra travel costs would be ridiculous. I remember reading that one of the major things Michael Andretti attributed to his lack of success in F1 was that he still lived in the US. The extra travel wore him down and affected his driving.

This sounds about as likely as Milka Duno driving for Newman-Haas.




Oh crap!

Well, now that is below the belt. Are Americans mindless drones ?

Are you saying you like F1 because you buy anything sold to you ? So, if Nascar were sold to you, would you also buy into it ? What would happen if Nascar were to go to Europe and fail ? Would it mean that the Frances are morons or that Europeans are morons ? Or what ?

With that attitude, do you still fail to understnad why Americans don't like F1 ?

Very simple. It (F1) is not American so it will never be relevant in the states.

I think it takes two things, an American Team and American drivers, it would matter but not as much as the former if there was no Nth American race. It would ignite further interest if an American manufacturer entered the fray, that is unlikely however right now but with a changing climate in the way the US see's itself in the long term with regards to motoring it may be attractive, though I would think a local category would have more chance of being successful along those lines.

If you take a look at the Major sports including motor sports in the USA there is a very close link to the grass roots of where the sports get their hero's and teams. You can go out on any given weekend and spectate at many of these events relatively easily, it would be difficult for F1 to overcome this if not impossible.

But does it need to, I am not sure why F1 has to have a US presence, it would be nice but it really doesn't matter a whole lot either way. There are so many sporting options right now its tight, you could basically watch or go to a Major sporting event everyday of the week if you really tried, its a tight market and for mine F1 doesn't offer enough to the US motor sport enthusiast for it to be the major motor sport in the country. Those that are fans have their own reasons but again for the mainstream there are way too many other options and some of them more exciting and value for money.

Given that the majority of the races take place in the wee morning hours in the states, it's easy to see why its an uphill battle. Not a lot of people are willing to set their alarm early on Sunday morning.

Way back in the distant past the US had two F1 races a year - IMSA was a going concern - road courses were being used and people went to them. The Trans Am was well attended - Furtehr back you had the Can-Am. It attracted the big names.

I was in Lime Rock in the spring of 1977 and Renault had a factory team there testing the Renault 5 Turbo. A Renault in the US!

There was interest and there were fans - and NASCAR was the hick series that only ran in the south.

Fast Forward 32 years later and the biggest game in town is NASCAR.

NASCAR was marketed and hyped and it grew itself a larger audience.

CART had a shot at it in the early 90's but then Tony George screwed that over.

There are fewer tracks and fewer series.

SpeedTV started as a general motorsport TV channel - but is now in the clutches of the NASCAR crowd.

It is easier to market a 4 corner race track - The seats can see more. It is an event with the tailgate parties - the camper crowd.

Personally 4 left turns is about as boring as it gets (next to the straight line crowd).

I don't care if they get Obama in the seat of an America F1 - it will not gather a following.

The team will not be able to compete properly if it is based in the US. There are effectivily no American drivers who can compete at the top of F1 and there minimal American drivers who think of F1 as a career path. You need a large pool of drivers to find the diamond in the rough.

When F1 gets ridiculed in a Will Ferrell movie it is over in the US.

In New Zealand, pretty much every race is at 12AM on a Sunday night. There's talk of the RWC fixtures being held later for European audiences in 2011. We can't win

Formula Uhn?

I actually quite like the 12am races, sure it means i'm tired Monday morning but it adds to the event of it, and it means that i'm not sitting inside on a sunny Sunday afternoon. It's a bit hard to make time for qualifying midnight on saturday though.

I think the best time is that of the east coast of Aus, that way they can go see the race in a bar.

I hear you brother. I've been getting up at 4:30 Sunday morning to watch F1 live for coming two decades now. No wonder there's not a lot of other folks willing to do that. I must be insane.

What's the point? You are confusing teams with series

In A1GP there is already US team ran by Michael Andretti. F1 is getting cheeper and whole this financial crisis is overrated anyway. This had to happen in order to move forward. Healthy part of the world was too healthy already and from time to time you need to hit some small sickness in order to improve your immunite system and get better.

You can gen engines for 5 mil. € from Cosworth, particularly from US factory in California and according to Anderson's background he seems to me knowing how to get chassis.

US triggered the 'crisis' and therefore they are ahead, including prospects when it will be gone. Maybe next year already?