USF1 -- F1's All-American Challenger

[Pup]

I'd think it's rather Anderson, refusing to admit another defeat.

This, from Stephan's website...

“If case we don’t receive the chance to compete in Bahrain, and also when some of the teams fail to show up, somebody should be in a trouble explaining what is happen to all of us.

“And dreamers from USA will have to explain their actions, because they are deliberately weakening F1 with dreaming of perfect world and fairytales about success. And success doesn’t come by talking but with hard work and lot of guts.”

[marcush.]

of course one would try and save the franchise for a possible USF1 outfit ,and zoran not really has a big choice at this time...
So he could have played a friendly card with the possibility to play hardball later in the year when Anderson failed to deliver.
How can Anderson possibly deny Hurley forging a bond between the two outfits? has hurley dated his doughter or what?
Now it seems two idiots end with empty hands and call each other dreamers...

who on earth does moderate those talks and allows grown up men ruin millions of dollars possibly not their own with childish behaviour? let alone ruin their allready questionable repution in the process as well....happy search for a next employment ..or negotiating with fia...the field is burnt.

[Mr Alcatraz]

I'd think it's rather Anderson, refusing to admit another defeat.

With tears in his eyes also.

[outer_bongolia]

But the question remains. With two weeks to go and a possible replacement team, is there a path for FIA to take? Or do they have to wait until the quals start in Bahrain and say "oops"?

[madtown77]

Stefan has no chance to be on the grid this year. Their bid was rejected and even if USF1 drops out the FIA would start a new round of selections.
I find it funny that stefan likes to say it it put forth so much hard work when all the did was get a government handout and buy someone else's car.

[Pup]

But they are the only ones even remotely capable of fielding a car this year. The FIA might decide that's unimportant (I'd agree), but it's the one real card Stephan has to play. It makes sense for him to push for this year's entry, because otherwise, he really will have to compete with other potential entries. Plus his car will then be a year old.

And of course, Stephan is USF1's only hope of salvaging anything out of their effort. Otherwise, the entry goes poof and the rest goes to the liquidator.

[greenpower dude reloaded]

I suspect, and I'm sure in the 100 and something pages it will have been mentioned, but I would suspect they opened up 13 places with the aim of having say 11/12 teams max.

With Greenpower we open up 50 places at some events to which 50+ teams try to enter 50 gain positions every team much like USF1, Campos etc all say "YES WE WILL DEFFINATELY BE THERE" they then put out stuff about the build of there vehicle and for whatever reason race day comes and yeilds 38 cars. Every time.

With it being pretty obvious that the corporate guys were likely to step down it was vital they didn't end up with 14 car grids, which was possible so they opened it up to more people.

I'd say so far it's gone very well. The return of a historic mark and a company they have always been trying to tempt in to F1 has a team.

So if they ask for 13 teams they will have done that to get less. I suspect they could handle that many at a push but it'd probably be a real squeeze in the pits.

[segedunum]

"I stress it was not Chad Hurley, who was open to discussions with us, but some of the other stakeholders who sabotaged the talks."

Mr Windsor? Mr. Anderson? Is there anything either of you would like to share with the class?

I think that's pretty clear, don't you? Chad Hurley has been specifically excluded from blame.

[segedunum]

I find it funny that stefan likes to say it it put forth so much hard work when all the did was get a government handout and buy someone else's car.

Like it or not, Stefan have a car and a workable solution for getting themselves on the grid whereas USF1 went in a direction that wouldn't get them to a Bahrain GP in a million years. Besides, this thread is not about StefanGP so shifting your bitterness towards them won't be productive.

[WhiteBlue]

Stefan has no chance to be on the grid this year. Their bid was rejected and even if USF1 drops out the FIA would start a new round of selections.
I find it funny that stefan likes to say it it put forth so much hard work when all the did was get a government handout and buy someone else's car.

As people can read at Will Buxtons blog the FiA have already informed the race organizers at Bahrain that Stefan GP will not race there. This is a very clear indication that Stefan will not race on their own ticket this year. Honestly, I would have been surprised by anything else.

Translated to the USF1 situation it can only mean that a still possible merger must use the USF1 ticket and the Stefan assets (at least until the US build machine is ready). At this configuration of forces USF1 would be unwise to agree to a minority share holding, which probably is the issue that caused the talks to brake down.

Unrealistic as he has been from day one Stevanovic probably thinks he can buy or black mail his way on the grid. USF1 is far away from running out of options. They can keep this in the air for several more weeks until their franchise gets terminated.

As Stefanovich keeps running up bills without purpose he will become more inclined to accept a minority share in USF1. If he finally rejects the option USF1 can still return their franchise and ask for a favourable considerartion of a 2011 application. In this case the championship will run with 12 teams or we will have another public round of assessments which I find unlikely.

[kishigae]

New from Argentina.

http://www.corsaonline.com.ar/2010/02/2 ... fusion.php

In summary:
- There will be no merger between Campos and USF1
- Chad Hurley didn't accept to be a minority shareholder
- Chandhok would bring $15m to Campos which would add to additional funds being requested to Senna and his sponsors
It is interesting that there is no mention to Windsor and Anderson in all this. CORSA online claims to source this information from a trusted source within Lopez's team.

[The FOZ]

I wonder if Stefan has unintentionally set himself up to be a fall guy. All the while, he's been trying to appear ready, willing, and able, to better increase his chances of getting a grid slot - making himself a constant reminder to Campos and USF1 that if they don't get it together, there's someone else waiting in the wings.

The FIA clearly used him to their advantage in that regard. If there is substance to the report that they are not going to let him join the grid - why didn't they tell him that sooner?

My guess is they want Stefan to spend a bunch of money, turn him away at the last minute, rendering his operation essentially worthless, giving USF1 an opening to buy out his entire operation.

[WhiteBlue]

If there is substance to the report that they are not going to let him join the grid - why didn't they tell him that sooner?

There was nothing to tell. He did not get an entry. He was told. He then went off to ready the team for 2010. At that time he said he would do it regardless of getting an entry for 2010.

By one sided action you cannot change your status with the governing body. They are by no means obliged to tell him that he is wasting his money (or the Serbian tax payers, if that is more true).

[The FOZ]

There was nothing to tell. He did not get an entry. He was told. He then went off to ready the team for 2010. At that time he said he would do it regardless of getting an entry for 2010.

By one sided action you cannot change your status with the governing body. They are by no means obliged to tell him that he is wasting his money (or the Serbian tax payers, if that is more true).

That's fair. The FIA hasn't changed their position on him.

As I remember, though, Bernie has been encouraging Stefan, if not directly, than by slagging Campos and USF1 in the media for months now...

USF1 does hold far more commercial potential for Bernie, so he would have more to gain with USF1 making the grid.

[WhiteBlue]

There was nothing to tell. He did not get an entry. He was told. He then went off to ready the team for 2010. At that time he said he would do it regardless of getting an entry for 2010.

By one sided action you cannot change your status with the governing body. They are by no means obliged to tell him that he is wasting his money (or the Serbian tax payers, if that is more true).

That's fair. The FIA hasn't changed their position on him.

As I remember, though, Bernie has been encouraging Stefan, if not directly, than by slagging Campos and USF1 in the media for months now...

USF1 does hold far more commercial potential for Bernie, so he would have more to gain with USF1 making the grid.

I don't believe that Bernie would be pleased if USF1 make the season. This is my reasoning. The US sponsor money all goes to the teams, not to Bernie. But a successfull US team would put huge pressure on Bernie to agree to a USGP. The revenue from that race will be minimal because Americans do not pay substantial ticket prices on F1 level and will get no government subsidy. So Serbia would be much more convenient for Bernie.