I don't buy it at this point. It seems to me most local European media are doing anything they can to bash the team. If Autosport or the BBC picks up the story, I'll believe it, otherwise, more of the same hogwash along the lines of "USF1 the only team to vote against selling their team".

From the James Allen blog of today

In today’s Gazzetta Sportiva, the Sunday edition of the Gazzetta dello Sport there is a suggestion that USF1 has applied to the FIA for a derogation to miss the early fly away races and start at the Spanish Grand Prix 2010 in April. This contradicts USF1 sporting director Peter Windsor’s assertion last week that the team will definitely be in Bahrain.

@ James Allen blog

Key word is Suggestion, doesn't mean it's a fact... yet.

Well, that's a shame if it's true. However, does it not prove that the operation is real? I realize that the bashing will now shift from the "fake/stunt" to "incompetent/uncompetitive". But to my mind, it proves the angry a-holes wrong. If true, yes they are having problems, but they are a real team having problems, not some imaginary/faux entity pulling the wool over everyone's eyes. IMO, if the argument shifts to "incompetent/uncompetitive", it will be no different than half of the fanboy threads that bash this or that team or driver and offer no insight or constructive discussion(a shame in itself).

It's quite a wake-up for all involved. One possibility is that Cosworth caused some portion of the delay. That could affect the other new teams, and to a lesser extent Williams - although I would expect them to be in a much better position to deal with such a delay from Cosworth.

As you say, if true, it ironically would prove they are serious about going racing. Sounds a bit unlikely though, I doubt the FIA would agree unless they really desperate to ensure numbers/get USF1 on the grid. Do Williams get any preferential treatment for Cosworth or are they equal customers along with the new teams? I would have expected to hear murmurings from them if they were unhappy with Cosworth's timescale?

Well, in the 70's, teams just turned up when they were ready and left when they had to.

But if this is the case, what Bernie was saying is right. Why is it that Bernie and Max are so good at predicting things.

Windsor said his job was done and they were waiting for Cosworth... As BrawnGP proved last year, it doesn't take ages to fit an engine to a car that is otherwise ready/on schedule.

Therefore, assuming Windsor didn't fill us up with crap, and the USF1 hardware is on schedule except for Cosworth, I think the remaining problem would be the money. I bet that finding money once they start skipping tests and races won't get any easier, so it may snowball into nothingness if the FIA and Bernie begin making concessions and grant USF1 some delay(s), something they probably won't do.

Windsor probably filled us with crap though, he's the only one whinging about Cosworth.. I doubt the real problem is a Cosworth problem.

I think Bernie may have been right afterall, the angry a-hole!

If true that's the beginning of the end for USF1.

They've been running to the same deadline as all the other teams.

Why are their circumstances exceptional?

Very disappointing if true they can't make the first four. Shoot this ailing horse if true and let Stefan in

USF1 is a damn joke, I said it since first we heard about Windsor setting up this team.

Firstly he said he wanted an experienced driver and now he says his intention is to let young drivers drive for them...

It's place should be given to Stefanovich, at least we wouldn't see a car lapping 3 seconds slower...

ha they are such a joke, but who really cares about this team

I can just hear some people's thoughts:

"YES! PLEASE let this be a sure-fire sign that the Americans are gonna fail!"

I haven't heard this "news" from any other source, not even the tabloid ones.

All I hear right now is Campos Meta may not make it with multiple sources, but nothing about USF1 missing the first 4 races.

You're right.

The man has his head so far up his own ass, and has been filling us with BS for most of his career in the sport.

Maybe those people are just cheering for Serbia?

It's not the Americans, it's Peter Windsor and Ken Anderson. That's why it was a bad idea from the get go to let them use that USF1 name.. (Bernie tried huh.. didn't he?)

To be honest, it would be pretty sad if they failed because the US probably wouldn't want to touch F1 for a good while, and that may end up actually playing in their favor.. Bernie might unwillingly bridge the gap if it isn't too wide.

Maybe your post is the joke here... Have you already seen the races in 2010 since you know that the USF1 team is lapping 3 seconds slower???

There's a rumour about the team (and there have been plenty of rumours about the team) and people are already posting as if it was confirmed and calling the team a joke etc. If this is just a rumour, made up by some european newspaper, it's a bit preliminary to conclude that the team is a joke...

Point is, we don't know yet!

All aboard the fail boat...

James Allen says he will follow this up tomorrow, he will probably disturb Windsor's tight schedule with a mail or a phonecall... oh nooooes!

You're right, James Allen says he's on the case tomorrow morning.

No reason for the FIA to keep that kind of application secret, so I guess we'll soon know.

In a separate story, there is a suggestion in Gazzetta that USF1 has applied to the FIA for a derogation to miss the early fly away races and start at the Spanish Grand Prix in April. This contradicts USF1 sporting director Peter Windsor’s assertion last week that the team will definitely be in Bahrain. It’s Sunday today, but I will follow this up when the offices open on Monday.

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/

Maybe the question shouldn't be whether USF1 make it to the 2010 grid, it should be whether they'll give enough notice of their failure for Stefan GP to take their place!

If the rumours are true (a big if, I know) and USF1 already know that they are unable to get two F1 cars ready in time for the first race of 2010, any team who can guarantee that they'll have cars ready in time for Bahrain (and who are prepared to offer a bond/deposit to back up that guarantee) should be given their grid spot immediately!

Did USF1 have to pay that $50m bond for new teams, or was that not part of the deal when the FIA's offered the new grid spots?

Weren't those outrageous joining fees dropped a long time ago? There's something like half a million the FIA needed to receive back in November and I guess there were no problem with that..

Again, I'm not confirming or denying this latest rumor. We have a post citing James Allen's Blog referencing what Allen calls "a suggestion" in the Gazzetta. Though I think he may have been referring to a story that is not online yet, I don't see the story on the Gazzetta website.

So.....does anybody have any well referenced rumors, or are we just going to ejaculate on every heard-it-from-a-guy-who-heard-it-from-a-guy?

Yep, I can see how a news agency that is over 4800 miles away is the first to receive this breaking news.

They probably could even point to Charlotte on a map.

Seems to me the rumor is about someone sharing FIA information.. it wouldn't require any geography skills to then report that information..

I highlighted the only real fact in the story.

Yeah, I'm not sure which is why I was asking.

Super Aguri was certainly not cut any slack at all when it missed a race.

USF1 apparantly paid the entry fee, which would likely have left their finances in a pickle.

So how much was the entry fee this time around?

Half a million?

So what is their total budget? you seem to be stating as fact that the entry fee put them in a pickle, so what is their total budget for the year 2010. You don't have to post line items, but it would be nice , just their total allotment of available funds will suffice.

Read my post again, I said likely, I didn't say they were.

I think the entry fee was around 40 million something. The story was on SpeedTV ages ago when Nick Craw was talking about it.

So, what you were saying is unsubstantiated crap?

What we know as fact is that every time limit USF1 have set themselves they have failed to meet.
So yes while it is just a rumour the teams history suggests its highly likely.
I started by voting yes USF1 will make it to the 2010 grid and like most i took that to be the first race not the 4th 5th 6th or 18th race of the season.
I now would vote no they are unlikely to make the grid DUE TO THEIR HISTORY OF BROKEN DEADLINES.
That suggests far deeper problems than just never being able to figure out how long it takes to do anything.

Sorry Lazarus, What I am about to do will be unpleasant for both of us. In this case I agree with you.

The entry free was $440,000

As far as we know the team has operating capital for the year of at least 30 million. 20m from Hurley, 10m from Ecclestone. Plus another $8mill if Lopez signs.

Spend on Visible assets if circa 7million.

The rumour makes sense with how far the team appear to be behind, but is far from confirmed.

I'm waiting before I celebrate.

"Agree"........"agree" ....

Anyways, they probably leased most of the capital equipment which would bring that $7m guesstimate down quite a bit.

They will be testing in Barber Motorsports Park well before the season

They are not building the engine or gearbox or ecu or brakes and they have money

Why did you think they will not complete the car!!!??? It's just a few bits of carbon, some plumbing, some aux systems, exhaust, some suspension and some bodywork!

That's why they delivered an "Early November roller" so easily

from Noble's Twitter:

John Anderson has just been announced as team manager for USF1.

"He's worked for Bill Alsup, Gerry Forsyth, Barry Green, Dan Gurney, Mike Curb, Rick Galles, A.J. Foyt Jr., Kenny Bernstein, Bruce McCaw and more, racking up two open-wheel championships and two Indy 500 wins, among other successes.
Most recently, Anderson was the team manager for Gil de Ferran's American Le Mans Series (ALMS) organization."

http://www.usgpe.com/news/john-anderson-ra...us-f1-team.html

USF1 is not short of cash by any means. They have Chad Hurley as an investor, Bernie's money, potential driver money, and they have some deals with various partners in the Charlotte area. They've signed a few sponsors from what I hear, Best Buy being the largest.

I find it funny how people are attempting to spread negative news, when tomorrow USF1 is going to announce the signing of John Anderson as their Team Manager: http://www.usgpe.com/news/john-anderson-ra...us-f1-team.html.

Sorry, noticed the early poster Dulok posted this.

I'm new to this forum, and ive read the last few pages of this thread. Being an American, I can not believe the absolute hostility towards USF1. Its like you guys dont want to see any F1 support from the US. I understand you dont like the people running it, but come on! Having the US involved in F1 can only be a good thing!

Anyway with these latest rumors, dont believe them, they are just rumors, nothing more. If we get solid evidence from the FIA or others then you guys can burn these guys. Until then, hold your tongues.

Well, once again it just shows how prone USF1 are to criticism.

If, at any point in this season, a USF1 car does a Sato-on-Alonso on Lewis, Jenson or any of the big boys, even as a Canadian, I might literally wet my pants. I definitely expected the hostility towards any serious American effort in F1, but that doesn't make it any less annoying.

Welcome to the forum.

Regarding all the negative posts towards the USF1 team and also sometimes the US, I think it says more about the posters than it does about the topic they post about. To be honest I feel embarassed being a European when I read what some people post on here. If they only had any substance to what they say but it's mostly just their own biased opinion (about lack of uniforms, people on photos just being people off the street, their finances etc. nothing backed up by any facts whatsoever..). If you ask them to back up their claims by facts some of them just attacks you, some don't reply etc. They accuse Windsor of being a prat, not realizing that they are doing exactly the same (or worse) than what they are accusing Windsor of doing

Take this latest rumour.
Just days after the team announces that they will test at Barber in february, have once again said that they will DEFINITELY be in Bahrain (see interview on the official www.formula1.com website), some European newspaper reportedly (the story is NOT on the newspapers webpage) writes about a rumour about the team having applied to the FIA to start the season in Spain.
So we have what the team says on one hand and a unconfirmed rumour on the other. Some seem to WANT to believe the rumours and posts like it has been confirmed by both the FIA and the team

And it seems like so many also have a inside knowledge of the teams finances

I am a cautious optimist regarding the USF1 team and really hope they will make it.

Yes, like your totally unfounded posts on page 40 about their financial situation after the entry fee (which you thought where 40 million)

I think most doom posters have a thing about Peter Windsor. Rumours tend to get encouraged and blown up, which is not good. I tend to stay away from this thread on the whole, and rely solely on official releases / statements. So far USF1 will be at Bahrain, and I surely hope this will remain to be the case.

Oh well, one story debunked I guess.

Will be interesting to see what the FIA has to say.