That's what Charlie said Wednesday.

I'd bet he did. I would if I was in his shoes.

I can't see how they can be in breach the regulations without the official season having started.

Agree, that is why I think this mess will still be here in two weeks, unless USF1 finally gives in to Hurley. Maybe they have, the phone is temporarily disconnected (could be non-payment or they got tired of me calling and breathing into the phone heavily). kidding about the last part - I promise!

I would love to know what Dr. Warren thinks of all this mess, he is tweeting again, so maybe he will send something tomorrow with a bit of info.

Well it's certainly not as clear as that... USF1 already is what the regulations calls a 'competitor', and those have all sorts of obligations to meet.

This is the obvious rule that keeps coming back, but it's vague..



USF1 could well be already in breach of that rule.. this is why Whiting's visit and it's consequences are so interesting. It's pretty much all or nothing, and the visit might have established that it would be nothing in the long run anyway...

Let's hope... I couldn't care less about having more nothing. Let's have something instead!

"temporarily disconnected"

Depends on how long 'temporarily' is?

It's sure tough to run a business w/o a phone. I know they are going to do things differently, but that's over the top.

Quick someone run to Walgreens and buy USF1 a MagicJack ....no seriously.

Their main phone line is disconnected? Say fini.

There comes a time when you have to call it a day.

Say I own a business, and I'm doing fairly well for myself, but then a recession hits. I've worked my muscular buttocks off to get to this point, but now there's nothing I can do. I start losing customers, and with it, income. I have no money to pay my staff, no money to place new orders. I am effectively dead in the water. Now, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. I can try and ride the economic storm out, but I know it's going to be a rough time. I have to borrow money just to keep my head above the water and pay my staff. There's a real chance that my business isn't going to make it through. Now, do you think it is sensible that I keep my business open, drive myself further into debt and destory whatever reputation I have just so that someone else can live comfortably? It's not a difficult decision to make. I'd close my business down.

And how is USF1 any different? They have no money, no car, no sponsors and no time. They think they can make it by Spain, but that's in violation of the rules and requires the say-so of the FIA. That's their only hope, and if the FIA say no, what are they going to do then?

No you first cut expenses - go lean and mean; you may already be as lean as you can get because of your pants . If that means lay-offs (last resort), then you gotta do it. If you are drawing a 100k slaray then knock it down to 50k. Businesses are a long-term project. If you want a quick buck then try day trading. I prefer to be able to SELL the business when I decide to leave.

It's the same as your life (to an extent). You get ill (hopefully never). You will fight until you cannot breathe.

That's all Anderson/Windsor are doing. USF1 is on life support and they are fighting for the 'lives'. Good on them for trying.

Yes it does - it's the only thing that would make sense. One side has a car, the other has everything but a car, add the two together you got a F1 team, without each other they both got one big nothing.

But the problem is the people involved, too many oversized egos in one place.

What I'm questioning is whether or not USF1 has passed the point of no return. If they fight to survive, more power to them, but there comes a point where it's all over, red rover. To me, asking permission to violate the rules that everyone else is adhering to simply to get themselves to limping is past that point.

That is correct. Stefanovic spoke of "Government support", Bernie interpreted this as financial support when in reality it is only verbal support.

Stefanovic got access to some military facilities (i talked about it earlier here) and likely a promise that the Government won't put too many bureaucratic obstacles in his way.

But no money.


That's the Military Technology Institute in Zarkovo, the old Yugoslav Air Force's design bureau, that Stefanovic allegedly was given access to. It's not only the size and speed of these tunnels that makes them unsuitable for F1, they also lack a rolling road.

Beside these 5, there should be two more in the Mechanical Engineering University that have been built in the late 1940's.


Too bad the info on that page is outdated and incomplete.

Since the 1990's Utva has delivered:

- one G-4M advanced jet trainer/light attack prototype mockup, converted from a standard G-4 airframe with addition of wooden "missiles" and other parts and lacking necessary avionics suite; the airframe was later converted back to the standard specification, painted blue and used as a display plane for air shows; it was lost a few years ago in a fatal crash during acrobatic flight practice.

- one Lasta 95 basic trainer prototype, first of which took flight last year, the type was supposed to actually enter service by 1995 but Utva was unable to initiate production yet. There were another 5 airframes being built but were destroyed in 1999 by NATO.

These two are the only "real" aircraft (as in capable of carrying human pilots), Utva is mainly building UAV's nowadays (unmanned reconnaissance drones).

It's hard to see the Knutson/ESPN article as positive. As he notes, he and PW have been friends for more than 20 years and he has known KA for more than 20 years.

Not uncommon in writing articles to put some of the interesting/relevant/damaging things toward the bottom and in getting near the end, Knutson writes:

"Although I have tried to get an update on what has been happening in recent weeks - I have telephoned and emailed Anderson, Windsor and others at the team - but they have not responded."

"...I still believe that the team can succeed if major changes are made."

"I think that the team needs to hire a top notch F1 sponsor-hunter and marketing guru who knows the F1 business from the inside out."

(My understanding--and I could be wrong--was that those things are/were PW's job.)

"Obviously it needs to find money fast, and it needs a well thought-out restructure on the personnel front."

To me, that's all pretty damning, relative to PW and KA.

i thought PW was the PR/sponsor/marketing guy and Kenny was the technical guy

Nice summary.

But it's just like you said:

Two cars on collision course, playing "who is gonna blink first".

Why the hell can't Dave Richards get an F1 entry and those clowns over at USF1 can?!

Richards could probably bank roll and entry from his own wallet. He has more infrastructure than Lotus and Virgin put together; he has experience and history most team managers would kill for, he got Button to 3rd in the WDC and most importantly he actually cares about his reputation. I don't claim to know too much about the goings on at USF1 - I'm not sure the people who work there (if there are any) don't either, but I know they have made a laughing stock of US involvement in F1.

Ridiculous bad mouthing of the whole of European motor racing industry; bizarre claims that they would put everyone to shame in the blink of an eye and some very suspect photos of worried looking personnel inspecting something that is mostly obscured from view.

Bernie, once again you've proved dollar signs have clouded your thinking. Sounds like Dana Patrick knew something Bernie didn't.

By all means, let's have an American team in F1 - I think it would be great to have some trans-Atlantic rivalry, but please let one of the many able business/technical principles put the project together and run it in a quiet, thoughtful and intelligent manner.

What we have just witnessed is Boss Hog sticking wings on the General Lee and holding a ticker-tape parade through Hazard County.

It's shame, Ms Patrick would have made a great Daisy Duke...

David Richards - the man who has managed to throw himself out of F1 just as quickly that he has entered it on numerous occasions?

His latest bid to re-enter F1 failed because he built his team on doing what is not allowed - buy an off the shelf car and engine combination.

Ecclestone didn't get to choose which teams were accepted, that was the FIA's job.

Bernie was critical of USF1 from day one, basically.

So that part of your rant doesn't add up..

No the General Lee runs.

Now just why in the world would you think that just cause the phone is disconnected.....that it reflects negatively upon a business.....maybe they just found the ringing to be distracting from all that thought and work into figuring out how to get those wheels on the car....Duh...

Simple. Any idiot should be able to see the simple changes needed:

Hire Ross Brawn, buy a little known car company called Mercedes-Benz........




just where do those wheels go anyway....

That Knutson article was cringeworthy... he pretty much repeated everything USF1 initially said (which is mostly true IMO, Charlotte and USA has a lot to offer) yet he COMPLETELY avoided to put any blame on Anderson and Windsor.. and that's after all the insider(s) revelations..

It's nice that he wants to cover up the mess of his friends but that just didn't work, did it?

here are the things im saying about felipe mc gough..
La Voz del Interior

the best part??

That guy is saying McGough is a liar, right?

Looks like McGough was to Pechito what Windsor was to USF1... desperate lies..

Not that this discussion is about DR, but the last time he was kicked out of F1, he didn't do anything wrong, in my opinion. The affect his sacking had on the team was visibly apparent.

yep.. this guy is the owner of Corsa Magazine and the TRV6 Series...
McGough did it again.. 1998 (Fontana) 2010 (Lopez) .. and the worst part of it... back in september was a rumor about Esteban Gurrieri getting a Toro Rosso seat..there was the trigger of the whole Lopez operation.... and of course Gurrieri not got any sponsorship money. and no seat at all.. or.. this man ruins the carrer both of them . JML and EG.. besides Fontana of course..

I seem to remember that it was McGough who gave out the mid-Feb crash test date info.
And who also said that they knew that Bahrain was an impossibility as soon as they visited Charlotte in early Feb.

Can anyone recall whether or not there were statements made by McGough AFTER the visit that suggested he even then continued to believe USF1's delivery promises?

Urtubey one of the sponsor is angry becose he made a payment 15 Febrary and at this point the team know that they will not be in Bahrein.
eimin, the firs movements in the project of F1 for Pechito are from the begining of 2009, I hear the firs news in August.
guerrieri never had a real posibilty, the owner of the team ultimate were he was racing last years was trying to buy some team, he was trying to buy mannor before and that was the more solid chance for Guerrieri, The team of Pechito not negotiate with Virgin Becouse Guerrieri people was in talks with that team.

I am really shocked that so many informed and intelligent people didn't see through this "USF1" SCAM some time ago.
Yes…SCAM… fits nicely. Peter Windsor knows at least as much as the next dork what goes on in a proper F1 operation. Don't try to convince me that he ever REALLY thought he was going racing at that level. If he did, his detachment from reality was clinical and dangerous and he should be seen by professionals (real professionals like Peter Sauber or Frank Williams)

These guys stole opportunity from real efforts that might have otherwise materialized, credibility from the whole concept of America in F1, and maybe money from sponsors, drivers, vendors and investors (who all should have known better if they were a bit more Zen and a bit less "hopeful").

The good thing is that we surely never have to listen to Peters smug pitlane interviews that never exposed more than his resentment/jealousy towards the real stars of the sport.

You folks who silently participated in this "ruse" (intentionally or otherwise) by NOT erupting into belly laughs when "investigating" or "reporting on" the "operation" in Charlotte will have their chance to explain themselves. Do you have a clue....or do you DON't have a clue?

Steve Matchett and Bob Varsha (others).....c'mon guys. You have both been to McLaren International. How could you walk into that community college computer lab and NOT say "wait a minute old pal, something smells funny". Those CNC mills were marketing tools....not production tools. How is it possible for you to see what was being passed off as an F1 effort and not be a little skeptical at least (or just start slapping your knees and pointing your fingers as if Windsor announced Oprah as a candidate for a race seat...he might as well have).
I understand there were lots of good folks who saw this through rose colored visors. The drivers, fans, many of the employees surely wanted this to be real so badly that they "parked" their intuition.

Lesson Learned?

To me worst thing that there isnt any acction of any sort from FIA yet..nothign,like they still belive in USF1 dream

Actually, there has certainly been action. We simply haven't seen anything yet. But you can bet that the wheels are in motion behind closed doors. The matter of USF1 is a complex issue, and is not something that can simply be resolved overnight. The FIA need to take Charlie Whiting's report, digest it, consider the options, and take action. Their lawyers are said to be looking at the legal consequences of any move they make.

So don't mistake silence for inactivity.

I didnt doubt that there is talks behinde a sceene but I mean acction in sence of some statement or similar ..

Didn't I read somewhere that JML could always return to his former series in case the USF1 seat wouldn't materialize? In that case one could hardly claim JML's career to be ruined. More a case of a temporary hiccup. McGough might have told lies in the process but entering F1 was always going to be very difficult for JML anyway.

You have some personal involvement here???

That the management has failed (if that's the case) doesn't mean that everyone of the 70 (now 60) employees are morons and incapable of manufacturing a F1 car or that the equipment was "marketing tools". If your statements is correct, that would have to mean that no manufacturing at all has been done and that the 60+ employees have just been the equivalent of extras at a movie production... Have you done a tour of the factory since you understand the situation so much better than those who have been there? We have been through the debate over the USF1 videos, but there is actually several parts there. Someone must have made those... So I guess that for a visitor, they could see that the facilities actually had what it takes with regards to equipment (remember that the team is also outsourcing) and employees. What they couldn't see as easily was how far behind schedule they where (a few months ago).

It's very common for large projects to fall behind schedule, the hard part about that in racing is that you have a race day date to meet. But falling behind schedule doesn't equal a complete lack of technical resources, just poor planning or financial problems etc.

Let's wait and see what Whiting reports before making judgements of your kind....

And you've reached your conclusion by?

My definition of a scam is pretending to set up some organisation, gaing funds on the basis of a non-exsistrent organisation. Diong that with prior knowledge is a scam.

What USF1 have done is a sham. They have tried and failed.

If you can prove that it is a fraudulent scam, then please do.

We know that it looks like there are a lot of legal cases may end up being involved. However if this was a scam then it would have had to have been devised before they even entered their applications to the FIA.

Any grounds of fraud is a different kettle of fish. An example if someone signed a document on 14th Feb and donated funds that day under the pretence that the crash tests would be done between 15th-18th Feb and that they would be on the grid in Bahrain, then there is a possibility that they can claim they have given funds on a fraudulent base.

I dont know the US las on that but in the UK I believe it would be classed as fraud.

Unless the contract includes attentions to his dangerous business, how difficult it is and so on, that the team is determined to operate at its best etc...


Strange thing was that USF1 argued with FIA that one of four option was to go racing in 2010, which to me is another fault statement...

USF1 is not a scam. A scam, or confidence trick, is "an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence"; to defraud someone is " an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual". USF1 have nothing to gain in failing to show up on the grid. They will make no money out of it, and have already shown an aversion to selling their grid slot. They were never in the championship to make money, and if fraud - which requires intent - was their intended purpose, they picked the wrong industry. So unless you can prove that USF1 was created for the sole purpose of theft, please do not go accusing people of criminal activity. If nothing else, it reflects very poorly on your person. Using such loaded and uninformed terminology is already making me dislike you.


Peter Windsor has been a journalist for twenty years. I'd say his ideas on how to run a team are slightly out-dated, wouldn't you?


We all have perfect 20/20 hindsight, don't we. But consider this: what was true a year ago may not be necessarily true now. Until you have actually seen all fifteen applications to the grid, you are in no position to accuse USF1 of being less worthy than anyone else.


I'd say it's you who doesn't have a clue since you've already mistaken incompetence for crime. Given that logic, all of us should be locked up because we all have our moments of stupidity. And accusing people of being accessories simply because they don't share your opinion is a pretty poor precedent to set.


So you're of the belief that the machinery were props, the employees paid actors and the images we saw on computer monitors were pre-rendered animations.

USF1 was a legitimate effort. The problem was that they were let down by severe and chronic mismanagement. No more, no less.

Yeah those CNC's... For them who knows a bit about industrial production, it's obvious those were for show only.
Why? Because there is no need for them, that's why. There's very little metal (and less machining when uprights and
such parts are investment-cast today) in a modern F1 car and the few parts you need you simply outsource.

That CNC-workshop at "USF1" looked as if they were planning on manufacturing 30 000 wheel-nuts or something.
But please note, no serious autoclave in sight, what does that tell you?

But at the end of the day, only one Q remains, were they that stupid or that smart?

Raz

13.7 If in the opinion of the F1 Commission a competitor fails to operate his team in a manner compatible with the standards of the Championship or in any way brings the Championship into disrepute, the FIA may exclude such competitor from the Championship forthwith.

There seems to be some posting using this rule as a basis for exclusion of USF1, usually immediately or shortly thereafter. The next scheduled meeting of the F1 Commission is March 10 in Bahrain. All the members of the F1 commission would have to be fully knowledgeable of the facts in the case. A short quote on who makes up the commission comes from one of their press releases on the FIA website.

"The FIA today hosted the first meeting of the F1 Commission in its new structure since the signing of the 2009 Concorde Agreement. Chaired by Commission President Bernie Ecclestone and with FIA President Jean Todt in attendance, the F1 Commission is made up of key championship stakeholders from F1 teams, promoters, suppliers and sponsors."

So using the March 10 date that would be the first time the full group would have a chance to act on USF1 even though they will not start the official process of missing a race until the following day. If they recommend expulsion The FIA would then have to gather all the appropriate people including USF1 for a hearing to issue a ruling. Doesn't seem like 13.7 is very useful in resolving the situation in the short term. USF1 may have all kinds of breaches on intent but not much by the letter.

Yeap, USF1 has petitioned the FIA to defer the team's entry into the sport until 2011.

Apparently USF1 have asked the FIA to defer their entry until 2011 with a 7 figure sum from Chad Hurley as a guarantee of their participation next season.

http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-...lay-until-2011/

Poor Stefan GP, they have a team ready to go, and USF1 have been bailed out by Chad because they were too incompetant to get a car on the grid this year, why Chad?

Hurley putting together a surety bond of $9,999,999 or less doesn't instill that much confidence, especially considering that USF1 will probably lose JML's money.

Is it a possibility that Stefan GP can be given USF1's place this year and then a 14th spot is opened up in 2011 for the US team?

I propose a toast..



Hang on, we'll need a toaster for that, better delay the toast until 2011.

The only I see Hurley going along with this is if Anderson commits to leave the team.

Well all this makes sense now why Charlie Whiting vistited the team, he wasn't inspecting to see if they could compete this season, he was reviewing whether they have the means to compete at all after recieving the petition to defer entry.

With everything that got out about Ken Anderson and Peter Windsor, it'll be a massive shame if they are allowed to carry on doing their 'magic'.. what kind of message would that send lol?

Where is Speed getting the information on Campos not making the grid? Granted I have my doubts, but where did they find this magical info?

If the FIA agree to this, it better be with different management in place... Although John Anderson which was recently hired is not a bad choice, along with Dr. Warren as he has a nice CV as well. This is a twist that I honestly thought about, but did not see them playing.

Comes at a weird time as well, knowing that Charlie was just at the factory a few days ago. More news soon I suppose.. Argh!

Let Stefan race if neither Campos or USF1 show up?



Nah, he can stay, just not in any capacity that would bother the design of the car though. Personally if he caused all this mess, I would not shed a tear, but Hurley could restructure things his way with other F1 veterans in place to make sure things run well.

High-end toasters with machined bodies?