USF1 -- F1's All-American Challenger

[WhiteBlue]

Clearly that fact they have monetary problems leaves blame with management, but can anyone with a brain think that it would be easy to lock down a sponsor with Bernie touting how he doesn't think you have a chance?

That is the strange thing about the bashers. They have their eyes wide shut for Bernie's manipulations which are obvious.

[xpensive]

Quick question then, putting the dislike of Anderson/Windsor aside, does anyone actually think Stefan GP makes more financial sense that having USF1 on the grid?

Prodrive, Stefan GP, Lola.. even Litespeed made more financial sense than USF1.

Andrea Moda made more sense than this hopeless outfit.

I actually met Roger Penske once, we just happened to be in the same BA-lounge at Heathrow, both passing thru.

During that hour so of chit-chat, he came across as a most sincere personality, why I could never for the life of mine put him in the same classifieds as that x-draftman from Ligier of 20 years back.

[donskar]

Currently up on Autosport.com:

Anderson insisted that both co-founder Peter Windsor and investor Chad Hurley, who co-founded YouTube, are still involved with the project. Windsor told AUTOSPORT's Grapevine column earlier this week: "I am still with the team", while the latter responded with: "Peter is still here at the moment, not sure what he is up to, stay tuned."

Has Bernie worked to undermine USF1? Of course. Would anyone like to draw up a list of what Bernie would NOT do for a dollar/pound/franc? I have a matchbook cover you can use.

On Hurley: has it ever been revealed how much he actually invested? "Angel" or "seed" investors frequently put up a relatively small amount of money, then provide little more than "contacts" and general advice -- NOT detailed, day-to-day management input. (I had the misfortune to be in at the early stages of several dot-com startups -- let me show you my scars.) All that by way of saying that Hurley might well deserve little or no blame for this fiasco.

Does F1 NEED a US team? Of course not. Would a US team add a lot of interest to F1? Absolutely. Exhibit A: this endless thread.

[xpensive]

Good to hear from you Don, I's been a while. First thing I learned in business was to never, and I mean never, under-estimate personal incentives.

We don't know which children MrE might have with that Serbian gangsta-outfit with hands dripping from this and that, or whatever the Indianapolis-mogul could have whispered to Jean Todt over a dinner?

Adrian Campos is actually a rather handsome man, in the words of Sergio Leone, imagine he made a pass at MrE's x?

Think about it.

[countersteer]

More from SpeedTV...

Basically a re-hash of the NYT article...
http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/ ... our-races/

and...

Fat lady singing...
http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/ ... -finished/

Where to now? Campos gets the slot, USF1 is out... I'm betting a slot will open up over the coming year so maybe a return in 2011 (with new management)? That is, if anybody is willing to step up with funding.

I really like the idea of Rahal taking over the helm... Penske would be a dream. Rob Dyson would be an interesting outside shot.

Oh well... I really was hoping...

[Pandamasque]

Unless USA gives birth to a whole new team KA and PW will need 4 seasons break, not 4 races to get things done. Not putting this to an end asap will only result in more wasted money. They couldn't get it done in more than a year FFS! (which is of course only Bernie's fault... and mine, and xpensive's and, of course Nick Daman's and Declan Brennan's, clearly those cartoons had more destructive power than a few words of doubt from mrE). What kind of miracle USF1 expect to happen during these 2 months?

[WhiteBlue]

Those comics are just that, comics. Easily dismissed. It is more difficult to dismiss rumors spread by Bernie because people will always think no smoke without fire and run away with their cash.

[segedunum]

Those comics are just that, comics. Easily dismissed.

Then do so. You can't though, so you repeat it in the vain hope that it will somehow become fact.

It is more difficult to dismiss rumors spread by Bernie because people will always think no smoke without fire and run away with their cash.

This is something that is easily dismissed. Campos were doubted by Bernie just as much as USF1 were and they have all the same finance troubles - but they actually have a car built. Bernie's comments didn't affect them and didn't stop them from building a car, because what was happening was the truth. Owing to the fact that they have a car then Campos are a far more attractive than USF1 right now, and they might even get the finance they need because they've actually done some work that could well rescue them.

No matter how many times you try and make the link between what Bernie has said and USF1 not having a car I'm afraid it doesn't make it true. Campos having actually done some work, despite financial problems, and got a car that has outweighed any of Bernie's doubts.

Have I said 'got a car' or 'have a car' enough in those two paragraphs?

[nacho]

It would be interesting to know how much is missing of the car. Virgin had the same amount of time, let alone Lotus which had a lot less time and both have the car on the track already.



What is the actual problem of not getting the car ready and has that problem been fixed?

Bad organizing, lack of money, over ambitious design?

First time I heard they are going to make their own gearbox I thought it as amazingly ambitious given how many races they are supposed to last and how little testing there is before the season.

[Pup]

While I don't doubt that Bernie enjoyed having a dig or two at their expense, I think their problem with the negative publicity was in the way they reacted to it - which was entirely unconvincing. It should have been a warning to everyone at the time that they didn't have a good management structure, or the right caliber people running the place.

[xpensive]

More of the same pup, that run-in with Roger Penske at Hearhrow back in 2005 made one hell of an impression on me.

When I finally relized who that silver-haired man bringing me coffee actually was, I could have made his life a misery by asking xactly wow much he paid MrM for those March chassis back in 1975.

But the point is that i didn't. The same kinda respect I would have shown Carl Haas or any member of American racing.

Chit-chatting with Roger Penske in that lounge was pretty much like sitting on God's right hand to me, just waiting for Rick Mears to materialize.

And guess what. He did.

[void]

I don't believe that USFail1 will be racing at Spain, a team cannot be out of 4 races. I think it's better be Stefan GP then USF1.

[void]

We have only two good solutions for this: USF1 buys Stefan GP or Stefan GP buys USF1!

[ESPImperium]

Stefan GP will get the nod, lets be serious.

With Stefan GP testing on Thursday at Portamao with Nakajimma, id say they will be in Bahrain.

Monday and Tuesday will be crucial to the storyline.

[outer_bongolia]

Stefan GP will get the nod, lets be serious.

With Stefan GP testing on Thursday at Portamao with Nakajimma, id say they will be in Bahrain.

Monday and Tuesday will be crucial to the storyline.

I wonder if Stephan will pay something like 100k or so to get the rights to race from USF1. Bernie might just give the node straight out.