Another take on the rumours....

http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/...ore-grid-slots/



What is true remains to be seen, but he has a point in why Stefan GP suddenly started talking again today about allowing 14 teams...

I know.. it was always in the FIA regs.

There is something fishy going on with that though... why was that nonsense ever allowed to circulate?

All the speculation regarding the concorde agreement is based on stuff that is always leaked to the press for a reason.

It's impossible to predict what is going to happen on that front, I wouldn't completely rule it out ATM...

For instance maybe Anderson and Windsor would want to be able to miss 3 races and argue the case that they can... you never know..

Windsor himself denies that. Already before that, it became clear that USF1 would miss at least the first three races (with their own chassis).

This kinda backs up what Joe Saward wrote:

http://www.motorsport-total.com/f1/splitte...1_10021603.html



Posted 15 minutes ago on Motorsport Total...

Yay! I actually said something that might come true! I am teh business expert.

Yep time for Chad to fire some people namely Ken and Peter, and call Penske for a few temp employees, call Andretti over with a few temp employees, get the job done and go racing. We will know the truth soon enough, but it is possible that the car is not far enough along to be saved in time for the season, hence Dallara being in the picture. They might have tubs, but are missing wishbones, CV joints, wings, etc.

This is a shame if true, some good people put in some hard work. I still think we are days away from knowing the whole story, or maybe another story again, but one thing we know... Dr. Warren is the man with the plan, he said we would get info this week, and here it is! lol

There is no time to bastardize cars 20 days before the season... if the plan is to save USF1 they have to look at the Stefan-Toyota cars, or the Dallara..

If Ken Anderson is shown the door then I'm sure thats the end of his type 1... kinda like the Falcon all over again..

Well German press (motorsport.total) are speculating like mad now.
Apparently the USF1 premises are up for sale, and what do Colin Kolles and Geoff Williss have to do with the whole thing? (Both were in Jerez last week).
They also say Hurley has the cash but no chassis- Campos has non cash but a chassis deal with Dallara which has been on hold since january due to non payment.
Stefan has the Toyota remains.
I dunno but i think 'Bernie and all parties are trying to rescue all and make two teams out of three possibles........who knows........maybe our spies in the paddock next week can fish something out.........

Going to rain on my parade again are ya?

Sorry lol

Ok so now my biggest mystery is what car is Dr. Warren working on? Did he switch back to Nascar in the middle of the night? I do not hold him in the same boat as Peter and Ken. http://twitter.com/ericswarren

Which is why the FIA clarified it last Wednesday.

It could possibly be that after the FIA clarified it, things went into overdrive. We dont know what was told to CH.

Edit it took me ages to post that as I got distracted and things have moved on since.

His next tweet:

Big week ahead this week, things should become a lot clearer. Looking forward to it. 2:24 PM Feb 14th from web

Is fairly open to interpretations.

Well what if both teams would be safe if they missed the first three, getting them on solid ground to last the season or longer. Campos still has the most work to do in that regards it seems, new chassis from Dallara again for next year due to new rules. Stefan is pushing the issue as well, being a catalyst of sorts, had he not been here maybe the FIA would be singing a different tune. It would not be the first time in the history of the sport a team needed to miss a race.

There is always show up at the track and retire with a failure, but then you really would have to have cars that actually move.

The other thing that could get dangerous, if you bring the sport into disrepute clause.

I wonder how many would like me would now change their vote on USF1 making any race this year.
If there was a third choice of not a hope in hell unless they get outside help i would be voting for that right now.

Whatever is going on, gotta laugh @ 3 different sources saying Windsor is gone, and then himself denying it...

Isn't that pathetic or what? hahaaha

The way I'm reading it is that Dallera have the car but nobody has paid for it. Campos have the contract with Dallera. All Campos were lacking was funding.

USF1 appear to have been lacking a bit in the funding direction, plus they haven't got a full car.

Campos can offer those. Both USF1 and Campos have a pay driver each.

Campos already have a European base to ship to the last test in Barcelona. Merge the 2 and the potential is there to make the last test.

Stefan are already there to do their tests but are lacking tyres. There would have to be some very hasty moves but it is actually possible for all 12 teams to make the final test in Barcelona. However this could depend on the weather. Literally!

Stefan needs to buy the name, and USF1 needs to buy the team (along with the race staff, base, and cars). Not sure if USF1 or Campos has engines, so if they merge it is a slight loss for Cosworth, not sure how they would seek damages. Campos would not win anything really if they bought USF1 however, other than some sweet equipment (or as some would say a furniture factory).

What if Chad Hurley pays off Campos's debt, and then gets rights to use the cars for a few races as well, paying Dallara overtime to pump out 4 cars so they can both race. Though that would need FIA approval I imagine.

The other reason for Stefan to push for a 14th entry, whether he needs it or not, is he can not get F1 spec tyres from Bridgestone to test in Portimao. So until he is an official entry he can't even test.

Dunno man, I've not posted about Speed's TV schedule.

I would say with almost certainty that Cosworth has not built all the engines needed for the race season. Therefore the only thing that would really go up would be the built in cost per engine of development and testing, the rest of the incremental costs like materials, machining, and labor will not been realized for engines they don't make.

Anyhow I believe they both paid some sort of down payment, with some suggesting it was 1/2 of the total cost, and therefore Cosworth should be able to deduct any development costs from that sum.

Which engines are Stefan supposed to be running with?

If its Cosworth and they can pay, then Cosworth has enough engines to supply both Stefan and whatever the other team will be called.

Thats if these reports are actually true.

re-badged Toyotas just like the cars.

Aren't Stefan planning to run rebadged Toyotas? Sure I read that somewhere.

Beat me to it!

They painted the one car a lighter shade of red compared to the Ferrari, can you imagine..

New poll up over at Speed: http://formula-one.speedtv.com/ Towards the right middle.

Speaking of colors, let's say this "merger" happens...

What colors do we think USFCampos will have on they're livery?

How awful would Blue, Yellow and Red look (Spanish and American racing colors)?

Considering Campos didn't have much to do the last few months, with Dallara building their chassis and all, I wonder if they managed to put together all the ancillary bits that are required to race. Just think of all the things seen and unseen that the teams take to the track to complete a race weekend. Campos probably has some scaled back versions due to their GP2 experience, and Stefan has Toyota's stuff, however if USF1 hasn't come close to finishing a car I doubt they have had the time. For example:

Pit wall setup, engineer's data monitoring trailer, tire warmers, brake coolers, compressed air sytems, radio com's system, the many rollers with tools, fabricate special tools, driver monitors, parts cabinets, special shipping containers for wings and chassis components, not to mention a functional PR dept to handle sponsors and drivers.

With all that stuff to deal with, and having seen mistakes from veteran teams, it's almost a blessing we don't have refueling this year\. I can only imagine the pit-lane hose dragging, fire, etc. that may have occurred.

I think the way out would be for Stefan to pay Campos to run Stefan's Toyota cars under Campos's entry slot.
Stefan and Bernie both believe he has the money. (Though possibly in cash, and used notes at that.)
Campos has the experience of previously doing the actual nitty-gritty of running a team. This time he'd be doing it in F1. It would be a step up, really!
Stefan gets his name on the cars, and can be as obvious as Branson around the paddock.
That little lot should, in principle, be do-able.
And the FIA wouldn't be able to object to Stefan because 1/ he's just the team owner and 2/ they haven't got a Flabbio test in place yet. Maybe Senna and Nakajima to drive.

But it leaves the Dallara cars idle and not paid for.
The Campos/Stefan link can't happen unless it provides for the Dallaras.
Enter Hurley. "I'll pay the bills at Dallara, and take the cars, so you two can do your deal".
And if he can get all the drawings, tooling, moulds, etc out of Dallara, then he could actually, just possibly, run the show from Charlotte. And all his spares, updates, etc could be "Made in the US of A".
Apart from a car, I don't know what else USF1 currently lack. Like trackside stuff and people. Maybe the Charlotte Jobcentre is the ideal place to recruit willing hands at short notice.
Maybe that's what Willis's list was all about.

Anyway, doing things that way would mean that everyone got something.
Stefan gets in.
Campos gets his bills paid and stays in the game.
Dallara would get paid and released from further involvement - which should satisfy them.
Hurley gets to see something for what he has invested, and there is a 'US' team competing, with the prospect of a US designed and built chassis for next year. And if Hurley can come up with the operating budget, he has a "going concern" to unload to some other mug punter, should he wish to. There is an 'exit strategy' of sorts for him - which is at least potentially better than pulling the plug and walking away.
And the Argentine government hit squad can return to barracks. There will be a car for Lopez, just not exactly the one he was expecting.


I simply don't see the patriotic Serb Stefan entering as "USF1", or selling up to Hurley. Would Toyota let him? What happens to Cologne?
But Bridgestone have put pressure on him from a direction he didn't expect, so he's now looking for a deal, like everyone else.
And I don't see Hurley buying the whole of Campos just to get their chassis (and Senna).
This scheme seems like the best option for everyone.
And if it is, I'd expect the participants to have worked it out long before me.

But this is pure sloe gin fuelled analysis speculation. (Pure sloe gin and pure speculation!)
I'm not claiming that any of it came from three independent, anonymous and unverifiable sources.
But its fun!


Interesting times!

http://www.motorsport-total.com/f1/splitte...1_10021603.html

Quick and dirty summary: USF1 won't make it to Bahrain without any external help. Owner Chad Hurley allegedly pulled the plug, so employees are waiting for their money. Brian Bonner, who was responsible for acquisition and strategic alliances since April 2009, left the team.

Bonner was a contractor and judging from the looks of things didn't or couldn't muster any support. The Pechito lead came from Bernard. Not surprising that was supposed to get sponsors is the first one out. If indeed they are going to run it on angel money they wouldn't need to pay a retainer for a marketing firm. Hurley is going to have better sources if they are trying to lure some US tech firms to use the team as a platform for outside the US if/when they can get the team on at least a somewhat solid basis.

Poor Lopez when he arrives at the team tomorrow, but yay, another interesting day for us in the news spin!

This guy Dieter writes for Autosport right?.. does this mean that we should expect an official press release about this new rumor on this website tomorrow or is this just simply what those guys think is happening but unconfirmed.

It's what Rencken thinks might happen based on what he's heard. Still lots of holes in the story. The one thing that seems most apparent at this point is that USF1 either need to get some help to finish the Type 1 or need to buy a car to use this year.

Poor Pechito.. that was CK said 10 days ago..this sentence convinced me about the truth of his says..
its a disgrace for all of us (the ppl of Argentina)

im so sad..

I think he is stupid all right. If after trying THREE times he still is not able to get it right, well....he's stupid if you ask me.

What makes you they actually have or will have a car?? Virgin does. USF1??? If they have anything, why don't they show it? Unless is a very secret project that so perfect that does not need to be tested at all.

I wonder what USF1 brings to the table. One driver?

Exactly... what do USF1 have to bring to the table in any potential deal. Their backer? A driver with confirmed sponsorship? What else? A base way out of the loop, tied to non-F1 specialist suppliers; no car, no race team structure, an awful and failed management structure? How can anybody see, in any deal to be done, that USF1 has any realistic part in it?

A disappointment, yes. But there is no disgrace for the people or government of Argentina.

What incentive is there for Hurley to invest more money if he's not going to be able to at least leverage the initial investment? It's likely to take another 10-15 mil to pull it off if the go the route of buying a car instead of finishing what they have. If he wants to get out he'll stop funding and they'll close shop. If he want to salvage his original investment he'll buck up, change the structure and get on with it. His motivation for funding was due largely to the US aspect of the team. I doubt he would ditch what he has only to invest in another non US team.

Here there is something I found on an other site:

"A freelance reporter called Barber today to inquire about media credentials for the USF1 test.

Well.....the test was NEVER been scheduled. USF1 ONLY inquired on the what dates were available. Barber staff gave them the dates and track rental rates.

USF1 has NEVER called back to schedule or discuss any possible dates or tried to rent the track. The track has been getting calls asking about the 20th of February. The track is tied up that day and this date cannot (even if requested) can be used.

Just more BS from Windsor/USF1

Welcome to last month. The interest was such the track had to issue a release stating they didn't have any dates yet. Unless they crash test this week (which seems unlikely) they'll need to go to a plan B or fold.

This is my point as well, there is no "USF1 chassis", never was, just a buck. Then a video of two guys putting together two halves of a shell on top of a dust-bin, how could anyone with any technical experience from anywhere buy that?

- The American chopper techn level, images of machined wishbones and uprights, ball-joints and a front birdcage?
- What's with those in-house CNC's anyway, it's not like you need 3000 wheelnuts for two F1 cars, do you?
- Basically the same SolidWorks image of the car recycled over and over again, get outta here!

Dallara are no strangers to the American market and the only thinkable reason Hurley would have to spend more money, is to keep the USF1-moniker, ditch PW and KA and buy the cars from Dallara. Then he can hire Steiner and Willis to run it from anywhere, while Campos can sell their entry to Stefan and everyone's happy. Then keep Lopez and the stolen 8 MUSD and hire an experienced driver with some US-connection like Indy 500 winner Villeneuve?

But the point is, there's absolutely no need to be in Charlotte, nothing there

Raz

One of the most important Paper in Argentina and from near the city where pechito lives bring a bad new for all pechito fans. USF1 will not be in F1 this Year.

news Paper La voz del Interior Argentina

How do they know this? Who from USF1 confirmed this to the paper?

Excellent points Rasputin, there is hope for this forum if more posts like that rise to the top. Logic.

I dont know the sources, but imagine that the third more importante newspaper from your country published a big new like this without a good source or without check the info.

Come'on you know posting a logical interpretation based on the poor visual evidence and lies make you a hater.