F1 USA Team to join in 2010?

[Fr0ZzZeN]

"A new Formula One team is under wraps in America and set to be launched officially later this month, it is reported on Wednesday.

The team, whose logo can be previewed at 'usf1.com', is fronted by F1 stalwart and broadcaster Peter Windsor, and American Ken Anderson, of IndyCar and NASCAR fame but also former Ligier Technical Director."

"The German website motorsport-total.com claims USF1 intends to make its Grand Prix debut in 2010, and already has the blessing of F1 Chief Executive Bernie Ecclestone."

Good for the sport I think, we need more teams and an independent team from the US is a nice addition to the grid. Hopefully this will also bring about the return of the US GP.

[swca92]

If this is true its great news.Not only does it give Formula 1 another team which is good in terms of competition and increasing numbers,it will also get more interest in F1 in America,which can only help.I already envision Anderson and maybe Mike Gascoyne running the technical side of things,with perhaps Scott Speed and Andretti as drivers and lots of American sponsors or sponsors trying to do well in America financing the team.But Super Aguri was supposed to be a "Team Japan" and it failed,so we have to be cautious.

[TwistedArmco]

Yeah, these rumours were abound a while ago, when it was touted as Anderson-Honda. In hindsight, maybe we should have taken the rumours more seriously.

I wonder why he doesn't want to just take over Honda, and use their car for a year before going to their own for 2010, but I guess sponsorship is the issue there.

So it looks like at least we're going to have 10+ teams in 2010, but you know I really could see this becoming another Prodrive. New sponsorship for F1? From America?

[donald29]

Seems good like you say, another independent and maybe a step towards USGP, but I don't like the "USF1" team name, with Force India as well, I don't want F1 to start becoming like A1GP.

[Fr0ZzZeN]

I hope it happens but as James says, please don't call it USF1 or F1USA. More importantly though, they will add numbers to a dwindling field.

[megasyxx]

good f1....good for the fans

[iceman1]

Nice step , it would help in establishing a North American GP again .

[e10rice]

As an American i wanna be happy about this, but i just cant be. Or at least not yet.....I dont want the rug pulled out from under my feet when this thing falls through. I must say i wont be dropping my support for Kimi and Ferrari if it does happen, but i'll follow them as my second team. But really its to early to read into this, and yes the USF1 has got to go. We're hated enough already and going in to some of the countries F1 visits with USF1 plastered all over a car or truck is just asking for trouble. We would need a well known American Sponor on the car, hopefully one that is not only well known in America but also the world and has a good standing outside of the states. Time to wait and see.

[Irishf1]

I'm happy that a new team is attempting to enter F1, but please, don't call it USF1 or something like that. They'd get battered by everyone except themselves.

I predict them trying to be an "All American" style team, like in sports cars. However, I doubt they'll be many for American drivers who want to be driving in F1, so the team will be like Super Aguri and search for drivers of other nationalitys. Sponsors should be something not hard to find, even in this Economy.

Fans are the main problem. I currentaly live in America and have F1 friends, but to be honest, most people don't even know F1 exists, or think its the same as IndyCars/NASCAR. Unless the US grand prix comes back and they have more races on FOX (main broadcasting channel), fans are not going to come around.

[Fr0ZzZeN]

Somehow I cant see this team being too successful. Trying to do everything the American way can work in some circumstances but F1's base is Europe and there has to be a reason everyone works from there. Apparantly the team and wind tunnel will be on American soil, I cant see the reasoning for this especially as there are no US grand prix's

[iceman1]

Autoblog claims to have more information about putative American F1 team USF1:

The USF1’s mission is to stand apart from the other 11 teams by hyping U.S. technology under the tagline of “Made in America.” The vehicle will be designed and built in the States and piloted by a duo of American drivers.
The main operational center would be based in Charlotte, NC, where several associated companies and research universities could help develop the racecar. In Europe, USF1 will work out of the newly erected Epsilon motorsports facility located outside of Bilbao, Spain.

Max Mosley’s given a little bit more away about the team:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/73135

[metalhead188]

this is great... all American sounds hard but isnt really all that complex... SCCA designed their own single seat car and they are a sports car club so we have the know how the only thing missing is someone to put it together... get a chassis designed and go out and convince Ford to come back to F1 as an engine supplier... have marco and AJ Almindinger as the drivers... the hardest part of the whole thing is finding a sponsor... oh and base it as close to VIR as possible

[e10rice]

Being based in N.C. would be great for me since i only live a few hours from there but the use of "Made in America" is a joke. You only set yourself up to be a joke the day you hire a non-american driver or get a non-american sponsor. So just keep it as a team based out of America running an american engine. Question now is who is gonna supply the team the goods? Cant wait to see if Ford comes knocking again only to disapoint.

Hey metalhead where are you located since you want it to be based as close as possible to VIR? I go there about once a year. Wish i could go more.

[metalhead188]

Richmond, Va... im at VIR about a dozen times a year... reason why i say that is duw to the VIPER program going on they had to expand by the means of dynos, 7 post rigs, skid pad, oh and a race complex... oh and a racetrack where if you can run fast there you can run fast anywhere

[e10rice]

Thats cool to have someone else in the state of Va who likes F1. Their very hard to come buy considering we're in the heart of NASCAR. So do you run in the Viper program or do you just go to watch the races? I gonna have to check it out? is it on the VIR web site or does it have its own?