Comments on: USF1: The case for

By: Gman

Gman — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:11:08 +0000

muckymuck,

Hey, if it pays the bills, it works JD is perhaps best known for their farm equipment and home lawn mowers, but they are CAT’s biggest domestic competitor in the heavy equipment market.

However, I don’t think “John Deere Green” is exactly the type of presence Bernie would welcome in F1

By: muckymuck

muckymuck — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:01:08 +0000

How about John Deere? Haha…that would make me laugh.

By: muckymuck

muckymuck — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 19:59:06 +0000

Gman, you’re right…it’s Martin not Nigel. I had a friend named Nigel and confused their names. And you’re right about FedEx too…I confused their colors with USPS. A very confusing day indeed

I guess I can’t let anything slip here…you get called out on it if you do!

By: Martin Bell

Martin Bell — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 18:39:47 +0000

I was, of course, refering to the Pollock/Reynard assertion that BAR would win their first race. Perhaps I’m a bit older than some of the contributors here.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 18:05:59 +0000

Martin, one team already tried saying that they would win a race in their first year. That team was BAR-Mecachrome. After 10 year they had 1 win that they, like Danica Patrick’s sole victory, was pure luck and not talent based.

I wish USF1 failure not because an American F1 team is a bad idea, but because Peter Windsor has pipe dreams, no backing, and a fantasy about being based in Charlotte. That won’t capture the redneck NASCAR crowd, and the team will flounder so much American grand prix fans will continue to support their, Ferrari or McLaren favorites.

Get sponsorship, get a race shop, get an engine, hire chassis engineers, start prelim designs and then opine about starting an F1 team.

In this American economy, with those spectacularly subpar drivers, and Peter Windsor behind it, it will fail. If the team somehow buys a chassis and engine, without sponsorship, and without deep pockets(which Windsor does not have) it will go belly up before they even get lapped at their first race.

By: Martin Bell

Martin Bell — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 18:05:08 +0000

Well, who ever thought that setting up an F1 team was so easy!!!!! An afternoon in the shed, a few phone calls and i’m all set. I found an old IKEA shelf unit called a “Danica” which I have used for the chassis, it’s an attractive unit, but i’m not sure it’s up to the job. For the suspension I found a set of “hope springs” which together with a set of “wheels of fortune” complete the running gear. I have had to outsource some components, notably some aerodynamic devices from a company called “a wing and a prayer” Finally, i’ve been around my local Mercedes, BMW, Ferrari, Renault and Toyota dealers looking for an engine. To be honest, their responses were a bit disappointing. One in particular threatened to “set the dogs on me” if I didn’t leave immediatly. So now the question must be- Who’s most likely to be on the grid in 2010, USF1, Honda, or me? I mean, how hard can it be?

By: Arthur954

Arthur954 — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 13:20:30 +0000

Yes he´s from Colombia — however he has been racing for years in the U.S. and I think many racing fans in the America consider him part of the landscape so to say
Maybe ? and I don´t know if he is technical or not or simply a fast driver
In any case they absolutely need an experienced fast F1 driver to test the cars in the U.S.
Cheers !

By: Martin Bell

Martin Bell — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 12:27:57 +0000

I can see that I need to choose my words more carefully. By “essentially European activity” what I mean is that F1 has a European style and ethos, not that it is geographically European. I think the problem with Americans is that they assume that everybody else in the World wants to be American. I was merely suggesting that we should celebrate what is good and right about F1, and not wish for it to become more American. Besides, there are plenty of American sporting events billed as a “world championship” or “world series” which have no international status.

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 10:41:31 +0000

I just think that we should be proud of the fact that F1 is an essentially European activity

I couldn’t disagree with that sentiment more – F1 has more credibility the more international it becomes. I want races, teams and drivers in America and South Africa and Mexico and and and…

By: Martin Bell

Martin Bell — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 07:47:07 +0000

yeah, chris is right, what USF1 need is a bit more optimism. How about a statement like; “We will win our first race” That should do the trick. Actually, I might set up an F1 team!!!! I have no sponsors, no money, no drivers, no factory, no engine, am completely clueless about the challenges ahead, and live in the middle of nowhere. I seem to have the right start. All I need is a suit, so off to Oxfam today, check down the back of the sofa for some cash to set up a rubbish website and I’m in business. Dead easy this F1 game. See you on the grid next year. (now I think about it, there’s a month before the Aus. GP, surely that’s enough time for me to build a car? Hang on there while I have a look in the shed)