US F1 Update

[dave from mesa]

Guess it's a no-go.
http://www.racer.com/team-us-f1-shut...MC-RACER_DAILY

To bad!

[Don]

From MotorSport.com

" The team still does not have a chassis ready, and its capabilities had already been cut with staff reductions in recent weeks.

Things went from bad to worse today as the remaining staff at the team's facility in Charlotte, NC were told that they were being put on indefinite unpaid leave while the team goes through a reorganization. The laid-off staff are still technically employees of the team and will instead be eligible for state unemployment benefits. "

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=359112

[VRM]

That's too bad - I've been looking forward to this for a while. I wonder if this means that Peter Windsor will be back on Speed...

Steve

[Tommy]

I was hopeful for the USF1 effort, but I never fully accepted the idea that it would work. My skepticism was based on the following logic.
1. The nations of Europe are geographically like states in the USA. Thus, races in Italy, Spain, Monaco, Belgium, the UK, etc. are akin to races in Georgia, Florida, Texas, Tennessee and California. It makes sense that European car manufacturers would want to showcase their brands for a European audience. Thus, brands like Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari have invested heavily in F1 teams.
2. With only one F1 race in the USA, there is little reason for American car manufacturers to spend a lot to support a F1 team.
3. Without major support from a US car manufacturer, it is difficult to see how USF1 could afford the resources and talented people needed to be successful.

[Wayne Maybury]

Tommy

The only F1 race in North America is in Montreal. The US lost their race 2 years ago and the Canadian Grand Prix was actually chopped off the schedule for 2009 as Bernie thought he could make more money elsewhere that weekend. It turned out to be a disaster so Montreal is back this year.

Ford (Jaguar) backed out of F1 a few years back and there is no way GM or Chrysler are going to spend a dime on an F1 team. They are cutting back on NASCAR spending which is their bread and butter racing base. Toyota and Honda have also both exited F1 in the past year.

All of the car manufacturers involved in F1 consider North America to be an important market and they were very upset with Bernie when he cut the US GP and then when he also cut the Canadian GP last year. One of the big problems with F1 in the US is that Americans prefer stock car racing over open wheel racing. Even IRL has a difficult time making ends meet. US F1 was a very ambitious endevour but the team was facing stiff odds before they got started.

Wayne

[Wayne Maybury]

I watched part of a report on TV this morning and it was difficult to say if US F1 is dead or just in the ICU until next year. One way or the other, it sure doesn't look good.

Wayne

[Don]

Below, might be wishful thinking, Bernie and the new FIA President will make the determination , with political influence. Reports mention there are other Teams desiring the open slots, forgot what the maximum number of Teams is now set at. With the world wide locations of the F1 races, instead of all being in Europe, having a Team primarily based in Charlotte NC , with a smaller presence in Europe , was a possibility, if the funding had been sufficient and committed

" Team co-founder Ken Anderson has responded to reports of the demise of U.S. F1 by claiming that the reports are exaggerated and said that he still thinks he has a chance of deferring entry into Formula One until 2011. "

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20100302/F1/100309973