Planet F1 are saying USF1 have asked the FIA for special dispensation to miss the fly aways and start in Spain...

The American market might be huge, but as I understand it, the viewer base and coverage are pretty small.

But the team are denying it.
http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-...rly-2010-races/

what i cannot understand (and been told from my family in the US) a lot of people who are joinging the USF1 team are people from ALMS, cart, indycar, nascar. even the team manager has no F1 experience, i am worried the team will lack any F1 people with actual F1 experience. will this be a factor in USf1 being competitive?? i dunno

Most news sources are reporting today that the team is denying the story and that the team has referred to the interview posted on www.formula1.com just a few days before the rumours. (Windsor confirms that USF1 will be in Bahrain in this interview).

Unless the FIA or the team confirms the story it's still just a rumour, and there is still no article on the website of the alleged source of the rumour (Italian La Gazzetta dello Sport).

It's already been talked about before and, as Clatter said, the team are denying it.

I don't see that as a major issue. I wouldn't expect any of the new teams to be competitive in their first season anyway, but I see no reason why those coming from other series shouldn't be able to easily adapt to F1. They may make a few mistakes along the way, but then so do the experienced teams.

But they would deny - or at least, if they are struggling, not let on the full situation until they need to.

I was listening to FiveLive yesterday and they were talking to some Porstmouth CEO or something and quite frankly, you'd think Portsmouth were safe in mid table with money to buy players if the right player came along the way he was spinning the situation and acting as if having your TV money being sent directly to clubs you owed money was normal.

If USF1 or Campos are struggling, which I'm not saying they are, they're going to deny most negative reports until the house of cards collapses and the mess is revealed. I'm not saying that's the case, but, I don't expect to see the teams themselves confirm that they are bust or the car is going to be 2 months late, until there is virtually no hope of reversing the situation.

Getting their heads around the rule book will be the first challenge!

USF1 granted extra test days, according to Autosport.com:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80799

For straight line testing.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80799

Outrageous.

Disgraceful, why not hand them a few points too - just to get them started, of course. Bloody FIA.

Rubbish reporting from Autosport! All the teams are allowed SIX days.

Sporting regs 22.1.a.iii

iii) eight six one day aerodynamic tests carried out on FIA approved straight line or constant
radius sites between 1 January 2010 and the end of the last Event of the Championship. Any
of these days may be substituted for four hours of wind-on full scale wind tunnel testing to be
carried out in a single twenty four hour period.

You can get the regs Here.

Whatever, I don't know how the FIA are going to police how many days straight line testing USF1 are going to do. There must be plenty of bits of tarmac in the middle of America, away from the watchful eyes of the governing body.

DITTO......WHY???


Or could it be because they know they won't make the grid so it really doesn't matter.....

When I saw that one:

http://www.motorsport-aktuell.com/images_msa/22190_1.jpg

I thought that USF1 had already been buried

the autosport link is dead/ shows no article....

I watched that too last night.. Bob said that after visiting the factory on Friday he thinks that if the usf1 car will perform as good as it looks then they should be in pretty good shape.. He also commented about the test in Alabama and the extra straight line tests granted by the FIA..
I think the car is completed by now..

I think the story has been taken down, but here's a copy. The facts are wrong though, All the teams get six days.

It's evident that you will continue to mock and put down the efforts of this team. There is no thorough reason to immediately add a negative spin to any positive news coming from this team other than your anti-...agenda..

Jonathan is wrong on that article I think.. That is not what Varsha said last night..

thanks for the article paste . interesting there going to test at barber, IRL has/had a test there last year..

Well don't hold out on us. What did Varsha say?

he mentioned about the US f1 team getting two extra straight line tests instead of the 6 and make use the WindTunnel as well..

So 8 aero days instead of 6? That they can exchange for full-scale wind-tunnel time, or PLUS full-scale wind-tunnel time?

Sorry about the questions, I realise you probably weren't sat taking notes. I just like as much detail as possible.

I know I didn't get all the details.. but I think what happened was that normally you get either the 6 days or the windtunnel hours.. The USF1 team is giving up some of his straight line test days but still get to use the Windtunnel.. I could be wrong but this is how I interpreted.

Cool, Thanks.

Great, now they only need to find a driver amont the ten candidates to run the test.

The story is back on Autosport now:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80805

Why is it so outrageous that the other teams and the FIA have agreed that USF1 can have those xtra days of straight line testing? Surely it's a good thing that a new team can conduct a few more tests? I'm sure the other new teams would also have been allowed such tests if they applied.

[EDIT] USF1's case is so bad that extra days may not help them make to the grid. [/EDIT]

this is a good gesture by the FIA.. With so many teams bailing out it is understandable that they want to create an environment that is welcoming to new entrants..

Not much of a conspiracy theory, but I think the FIA is going to bend over to USF1 as much a possible.

WHY???

They realize the success/failure of the team will determine the next 10 years or so of F1.

See, in the US (I'm American BTW), AOWR is near it's death. Even a title sponsor and promise of a new car won't save it if no one is watching (The Indy 500 is the only time IndyCar is relevant and even last year had it's worst TV ratings ever.)

People are tiring of WWE Nascar with staged cautions (allegedly), rule changes on the fly, and the Jimmie Johnson dynasty (not Nascar's fault there)

Even if Bernie is apathetic, the FIA knows that they have their best opportunity ever to get Americans interested in Formula 1. However they need a way to make F1 relevant to Americans. There isn't a USGP at the moment, nor are there any American drivers. The only way they could tap into the American market (beyond it's niche audience) is with an American team. Forget any theory on money or preparedness, THIS IS WHY USF1 GOT A GRID SPOT!!!

If USF1 fails, then there is no hope for F1 in the United States for a long time. There won't be a USGP, and there won't be an American driver (unless Rossi destroys everyone in GP2). While some car manufacturers are gone, I'm sure Ferrari and Mercedes are still interested in selling cars in the US (Renaults aren't sold in America to my awareness)

Case in point, USF1 success = Money from a market that will slip away if they fail.

But all teams that are new should get the extra test days too, USF1 CHOSE to be based in America, they should not be rewarded for a business decision

I have no objection to USF1 getting extra testing but so should 1Malaysia, Virgin and Campos

I doubt a typical American with the money to buy a car like that is going to factor in Peter Windsor's ugly mug or 2 pay drivers trundling around seconds off the pace into his decision

I am sure they can ask and won't be denied..

It's a forum for debate.

Why railroad it by getting personal all the time?

Yes, good post - however I still feel it's wrong to waive competition rules just because one team chooses to base itself outside Europe.

rules have to change/adapt to make f1 a truly global competition otherwise it will remain European centric.. I am sure this is what the FIA have in mind.. Malaysia is also building their car in Asia so that is two teams already going outside the cluster.. IF they do good, there are more chances for having other US teams join in the future (Ganassi/ Penske ??) or from other continents.. - I know .. I know some of you hate this concept..

When were there no chances for a US team to enter?

Positive discrimination is still discrimination.

and when did I say there were no chances before.. ?

I think over there it's called affirmative action!

I don't believe this to be true. USF1 is the only team that planned to enter before all the budget-cap/two-tier-rules talk started, which then drew the other three new teams.

I've no problem with rules adapting, I do think it's wrong to waive the rules except in exceptional (e.g. Honda's withdrawal) circumstances. Allowing USF1 a couple of extra straight line tests is not necessary, and all teams should be able to compete under the same restrictions.

And when has that happened in USF1's case?

There has not been any mention of that the extra days have to do with them being based in the US?

Yes, as it also is when they only have FIA pre season test in Europe...

Which is why I reckon the model of having an American base for a F1 team just won't work.

There are the benefits which have been spoken off, like a cheaper labour force, and the expertise of Charlotte..

But being isolated makes life difficult, especially for group testing scenarios.

Wow I think you're on to something there. Come to think of it, all the tests are in Spain!!!
What about the other teams!!
The FIA are clearly biased toward Campos!!!

DFV, You have truly exposed the corruption in the system. We all owe you a debt of thanks.

Oh really? Werent' you the one that said that ALL the technology is coming from the USofA nowadays? Now it's a disadvantage?

Got a link for that? Gascoyne (I fly every day from UK to Cologne and back) is actually designing and building and living in a Proton factory?

The way I read the article, it sounds like: the regulations say six days. The teams informally agreed to reduce this to four ("the latest agreement, which has yet to be put into the regulations"). The teams agreed to let USF1 use the six. It doesn't sound like the FIA was even really involved in this.