USF1 CLOSED

[CAL]

FIA's Charlie Whiting, USF1 has acknowledged that it is not able to contest any of the 2010 season and has applied to delay its official entry until 2011.

And it's getting ugly between USF1 who doesn't have a pot to piss in and Stefan GP who has a car ready to go.

Edited March 3, 2010 by CAL

[elan]

That is indeed too bad. F-1 needs an American team more than they realize. One can only hope they can make it next year.

[CAL]

That is indeed too bad. F-1 needs an American team more than they realize. One can only hope they can make it next year.

I agree, but don't hold your breath the Anderson/Windsor camp could produce toaster ovens muchless a F1 car.

[Bernard Kron]

Bummer, 'though not surprising. My usual F1 sources (Pitpass and Autosport websites) have so far not made mention of this development. Where'd you hear of it?

Crawling around the web a bit revealed the latest rumor, that USF1 has offered to pay a "7 figure" fee for the right to miss 2010 entirely and keep their slot for 2011!

Stefan GP, of course, will be at Bahrain with at least one (but perhaps not two, apparently) of its 2010 spec Toyotas, a bravado move, but of little help to anyone unless they can get the second car built and running. Even then, if the FIA knuckled under and allowed them to race it would still prove tremendously embarrassing to the FIA and only underscore the questionable selection process that resulted in the four teams, two of which have as yet been unable to run a car. Stefan GP's drivers are purported to be Kazuki Nakashima and that old warhorse Jacques Villeneuve, neither of which could have turned a wheel since Bridgestone wouldn't supply Stefan GP with 2010 F1 spec tires.

My opinion is that, in order to maintain any credibility, the only choice the FIA has is to deny USF1's request, slam the door on Stefan GP and put up the final slot for selection to run in 2011. If USF1 thinks they can compete they can go through the selection process all over again along with anyone else interested in the slot. Running 24 cars this year is still many more than they have run in recent years. Hopefully Nick Wirth and Virgin Racing will solve their chronic reliability (hydraulics) problems and the Malaysian "Lotus" Racing team will develop pace. At least they were able to show up for testing! As for Campos, I guess they've paid their bill to Dallara and will be in Bahrain with two cars, even if they have never run before.

It's all terribly sordid and hopefully will have proven to be the last hurrah of the corruption and madness of the Mosley era. If Mosley's replacement, Jean Todt, had any ideas of continuing the policies and politics of Max Mosley this should put an end to it.

Edited March 1, 2010 by gbk1

[CAL]

Bummer, 'though not surprising. My usual F1 sources (Pitpass and Autosport websites) have so far not made mention of this development. Where'd you hear of it?

Crawling around the web a bit revealed the latest rumor, that USF1 has offered to pay a "7 figure" fee for the right to miss 2010 entirely and keep their slot for 2011!

Stefan GP, of course, will be at Bahrain with at least one (but perhaps not two, apparently) of its 2010 spec Toyotas, a bravado move, but of little help to anyone unless they can get the second car built and running. Even then, if the FIA knuckled under and allowed them to race it would still prove tremendously embarrassing to the FIA and only underscore the questionable selection process that resulted in the four teams, two of which have as yet been unable to run a car. Stefan GP's drivers are purported to be Kazuki Nakashima and that old warhorse Jacques Villeneuve, neither of which could have turned a wheel since Bridgestone wouldn't supply Stefan GP with 2010 F1 spec tires.

My opinion is that, in order to maintain any credibility, the only choice the FIA has is to deny USF1's request, slam the door on Stefan GP and put up the final slot for selection to run in 2011. If USF1 thinks they can compete they can go through the selection process all over again along with anyone else interested in the slot. Running 24 cars this year is still many more than they have run in recent years. Hopefully Nick Wirth and Virgin Racing will solve their chronic reliability (hydraulics) problems and the Malaysian "Lotus" Racing team will develop pace. At least they were able to show up for testing! As for Campos, I guess they've paid their bill to Dallara and will be in Bahrain with two cars, even if they have never run before.

It's all terribly sordid and hopefully will have proven to be the last hurrah of the corruption and madness of the Mosley era. If Mosley's replacement, Jean Todt, had any ideas of continuing the policies and politics of Max Mosley this should put an end to it.

SpeedTV

AUTO123

F1 Central

Reports are coming out now that USF1 had the money in place but the team was so poorly managed under the leadership of Ken Anderson the car never got done in a timely fasion.

So the funds they did have were pulled after backers were noticing or not noticing any progress on the car.

They are a long long way away from having a car. They have a basic cockpit tub and nose a couple of bulkheads, actually since they crushed the nose in a crash test in the UK they might not even have a nose anymore. The whole opperation is pretty petheic at this point. Guys not getting paid on time, more than 10 people have quite, not including some high ranking marketing and management people who have left in the recent weeks.

The former for the tub was done in Dec 09 and sat for over a month before any mats were even cut.

Looks like USF1 is refusing to even talk with Stefan about a possible merger, so then there are a number of legal issues with canceling USF1's aggrement and contracting Stefan GP that cannot possible be over come to give them the green light.

So probably neither USF1 nor Stefan GP will be on the grid.

Kovalainen said that his Lotus was absolutely the worst F1 car he ever drove, worse than even the Manardi he tested 6 years ago. It's about 10+ off the pace and bits keep fall off.

Sounds like a Lotus.

Edited March 1, 2010 by CAL

[CAL]

We are just learning that USF1 closed there doors today and seinor staff memeber told employees that there services were no longer needed in Charlotte NC.

[Joe Handley]

Why does the US "need" a Formula 1 team? It seems like a bigger waste of money than NA$CAR.

[CAL]

Why does the US "need" a Formula 1 team? It seems like a bigger waste of money than NA$CAR.

We don't need one, but we should have one.

Common, it the cutting edge, the pinnacle of motorsports.

It's a huge money pit but the rewards are grand.

NASCAR has nothing to give back but an entertainment value and people are growing board with it.

[Joe Handley]

I'll be honest, I tried watching a F1 race last week, ended up falling asleep within 30 minutes of turning on Speed Don't see how it's much more cutting edge than NA$CAR either, yea Cup cars are still carbed and use a solid rear axle, but some of the engine, aero, and efficency related technology seems to be more likely to make it into a production vehicle than anything F1 does.

[CAL]

I'll be honest, I tried watching a F1 race last week, ended up falling asleep within 30 minutes of turning on Speed Don't see how it's much more cutting edge than NA$CAR either, yea Cup cars are still carbed and use a solid rear axle, but some of the engine, aero, and efficency related technology seems to be more likely to make it into a production vehicle than anything F1 does.

TC, TPMS, DSG, ECU, Tire, DFI, CCB and host of other technologies and safety equipment have all come from or prefected by F1. And a great deal of that technology is on your everyday road car.

[CAL]

FIA denied USF1's request to postpone their entry to 2011.

If that is the case, Anderson said, "there is nothing more we can do, we are done."

Several former employees had said that they don't have any better chance of getting a car on the grid in 2011 as they do getting a car to Bahrain, which is 8 days away.

It looks as though USF1 is done, and not coming back - ever.

[CAL]

Press Release

FIA Formula One World Championship 03/03/2010

The USF1 Team have indicated that they will not be in a position to participate in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship. Having considered the various options, the FIA confirms that it is not possible for a replacement team to be entered for the Championship at this late stage.

In the coming days the FIA will announce details of a new selection process to identify candidates to fill any vacancies existing at the start of the 2011 season.

Press Release

FIA Formula One World Championship - Entry List 03/03/2010

No.

Driver

Team

Constructor

1 Jenson BUTTON (GBR)

2 Lewis HAMILTON (GBR)

VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES (GBR) McLaren Mercedes

3 Michael SCHUMACHER (DEU)

4 Nico ROSBERG (DEU)

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS FORMULA ONE TEAM (DEU) Mercedes Benz GP Limited

5 Sebastian VETTEL (DEU)

6 Mark WEBBER (AUS)

RED BULL RACING (AUT) Red Bull Racing Renault

7 Felipe MASSA (BRA)

8 Fernando ALONSO(ESP)

SCUDERIA FERRARI

MARLBORO (ITA) Ferrari

9 Rubens BARRICHELLO (BRA)

10 Nico HÜLKENBERG (DEU)

AT&T WILLIAMS (GBR) Williams Cosworth

11 Robert KUBICA (POL)

12 Vitaly PETROV (RUS)

RENAULT F1 TEAM (FRA) Renault

14 Adrian SUTIL (DEU)

15 Vitantonio LIUZZI (ITA)

FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM (IND) Force India Mercedes

16 Sébastien BUEMI (CHE)

17 Jaime ALGUERSUARI (ESP)

SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO (ITA) STR Ferrari

18 Jarno TRULLI (ITA)

19 Heikki KOVALAINEN (FIN)

LOTUS RACING (MAL) Lotus Cosworth

20 TBA

21 Bruno SENNA (BRA)

HRT F1 TEAM (ESP) HRT Cosworth

22 Pedro DE LA ROSA (ESP)

23 Kamui KOBAYASHI (JPN)

BMW SAUBER F1 TEAM (CHE) BMW Sauber Ferrari

24 Timo GLOCK (DEU)

25 Luca DI GRASSI (BRA)

VIRGIN RACING (GBR) Virgin Cosworth

Note: The USF1 Team have indicated that they will not be in a position to participate in 2010.

Edited March 3, 2010 by CAL