American drivers at USF1? Doesn't sound like it...

Look at it this way: Even if a miracle happened, we probably still wouldn't hear the Sparse Tangled Banner on the podium.
Speed TV would cut away to NASCAR instead.

 

I love how they are trying to convey that it's "American" technology!

 

They have bigger fish to fry than being a training ground for talent.
Lots of good experienced drivers on the market to choose from without worrying about rookies writing off cars.

 

Yes, I caught the significance of that statement.

 

I understand why everyone is calling for American born drivers, but really, in their first couple of seasons, it is more important they have something resembling success. I have no issues with their not even being one American driver for a while. They need experience to get the team going in the right direction before they throw some kid to the wolves just so they can say the car is driven by an American.

Mark

 

Any new team has to concentrate on development. Immediate success is really out of the question barring a stroke of good luck.

 

Surely that assumes that the best Amercan drivers automatically want to get into F1 though?.

From what I've seen there are alot of very good American drivers who have absolutely no interest in F1 whatsoever.

 

That's what I meant by success; they have to show some sort of forward movement before throwing in an American to be embarrassed by the world's best. They need a couple of drivers to really bring the car along to a point where they are respectable.

Mark

 

Absolutely, although tediously boring Nascar has some extremely talented drivers. Certainly not everybody that could hang on and drive like they were last night in Charlotte. Once you get that it is only necessary to watch the first and last 20 laps Nascar becomes palatable.

goto any short track event around here and you will see an entertaining 20 minute race. Not easy hustling a 700+ sprint car round a 1/4 miler. however, go to a ho-hum SCCA club and be bored stiff.

Once when we had a worldwide and worldclass series like Atlantic, US drivers could pit themselves against the best. Now ther's not much, maybe Formula BMW.

 

Depends on tour definition of success.
I'll be very happy to call progress success, but I won't be looking for podia or even points in year one.

 

It's not just driving the cars and the racing though, I think alot of good drivers just don't fancy all the politics involved in F1 (that's pretty much what did for Juan Pablo Montoya in the end).

Another thing is that they can also get far greater rewards financially in the American domestic series' than they could in F1.

 

No, I don't think a podium is to be expected anytime soon. For me, USF1 success can be defined showing progress and moving forward up the grid a little by the end of the year. Perhaps, even beating some of the other new teams would be success too.

Mark

 

Yes the most accurate standard would be how they do against the other start ups.

 

what about A1GP?

 

What about Derek Hill?

 

He's 35 (retirement age in F1) and hasn't raced much competitively for several years.

as much as I'd like to see Phil Hill's legacy continue in F1, I don't think Derek would be very competitive.

 

The US sure builds some of the strongest carbon fibre in the world.

According to PW.

 

Why is Windsor / USF1 team so hung up on US drivers? Sponsorship dollars of course but IMHO it's just the wrong approach. Sponsors are interested when teams have good results and media exposure for the right reasons.

Other teams don't seem to have the nationality of their drivers as a top priority. If it happens to be a match great but it's not part of their focus

 

I think Kimi and Rubbens are available.

 

for valid reasons....

 

For a team looking to develop a new car Rubens might be a good choice.

 

Rubens has already signed with Williams.

I realize there's a lead time for articles to be published in magazines but this magazine is published in Charlotte, NC (home of usf1) and one would think the right hand is not in communication with the left hand or Windsor is wishy-washy in his statements in his beloved Speed TV commentator position.

Thought this was interesting - in the Hemmings Sports & Exotics that came yesterday..on page 10 --->>>

"American F1 Drivers Wanted"
With the ongonging development of the North Carolina-based USF1 team comes a need for drivers, and the team has stated that at least one of them will be an American. There's a rich pool of talent hungry for the opportunity to compete on a world stage, and some names have emerged as leading contenders. Among young drivers, 17-year-old Alexander Rossi's name has been bandied about. Concerns about a driver of his age being able to cope with the Grand Prix circus are valid, however, and 21-year-old Jonathan Summerton is also thought to be in the running. More experienced names are also in the air, including Sprint Cup and former Champ Car driver A.J. Allmendinger.

Only two American drivers, Michael Andretti and Scott Speed, have competed in F1 in the last 17 years. Contact:www.usf1.com.

 

Allmendinger...really?

If I were Windsor I'd give Pat Long a serious look. The kid has been fast & clean in everything he's driven around the world in addition to being VERY well polished with the media. I'd bet Porsche would be willing to loan him out if he had a legitimate shot at an F1 seat.

Considering the American alternatives like Danica, Almendinger and other unseasoned youngsters who have no business developing an F1 car, Long's credentials appear to be mana from heaven.