New F1 team: Forza Rossa

Interesting question. The romance of F1 is the "little" guy but increasing the number of competitive cars improves the racing.

 

+1

"Incredulous" would be more my word.

Doesn't matter how many Romanian Leu (yeah, I had to Google that) they've got, short of buying an existing team it simply cannot be done. Even Dallara can't do a tub in this supposed timeframe, let alone build a complete car and have it on the grid in Melbourne.

Q; "How many Romanian Leu does it take to build & run an F1 team?
A; "All of them".



Call me "skeptical" - Unless there's a lot we don't know and they've got a team built & a car exists already......

Cheers,
Ian

 

+1

I've said before, I have no problem with "back markers" (as long as they're within the magic 107) - After all, everyone's got to start somewhere and these guys are fighting just as hard as the big names at the front - Often with more at stake - Look at the pure joy at Marussia the other week when they bagged their first points - Love it!

But this solitary, unconfirmed it seems, report just reeks of someone, somewhere, getting scammed big time - Money laundering?

OTOH, as I said before, I wish them well, but I just can't see it.

Cheers,
Ian

 

I'm with you too. The last 5-6 laps I was cheering for them big time, and I almost was
cursing at how they'd strip their points somehow because of the penalty they were being
investigated. Gladly, they only lost one place.

 

Is that the same Romania that expects European Union subsidies?


Do Romanian taxpayers know about this? I guess not...

 

I don't.

I much prefer quality entries with good performing cars rather than a bunch of no-hopers playing mobile chicanes after a few laps.

The idea that there are 12 competent teams capable of producing race-winning vehicles has been proven unrealistic for many years.

I would much prefer only six excellent constructors having their own team and supplying client teams as well.

I would trade Sauber, or Caterham, or Marussia, etc... to have 4 Ferraris, or 4 Red Bull (which we already have!), or 4 McLaren, on the grid.

 

+1

We beg to differ. [Which is fine of course..... ]

F1 has always had "mobile chicanes" - A part of the game. Always has been and I for one hope it always will be. Look back, and even the "tail end Charlie's" are now closer to the front than they were years ago. Many come and go in a hurry, but as usual in motorsport hope springs eternal and some move forward over time. It's *hard*, as it should be, but it can be done.

Customer cars are anathema to me - They're competing for the World *Constructors* Championship, not the world "we struck the best deal with XYZ" championship..... I also very much doubt that some "second tier" team, even with, eg, last years Red Bull would be able to compete with the works team [Leaving aside the change in regs this year of course.]

Design it, build it, and race it is what F1 is all about to me - Sure, teams struggle, even the big ones on occasion, but they're out there doing their best. Again, as long as they're within 107, they have as much right to be out there as anyone else and indeed add a lot more interest (to me anyway) than watching a Ferrari painted green.......

Cheers,
Ian

 

There's a long standing tradition of customer cars. While I appreciate the purist approach I feel that the sport would be poorer without the likes of a Rob Walker and his ilk.

 

Yup, its a lot tougher for a new team to make the grade these days. Customer teams would have a head start over clean sheet operations.
Eventually customer teams are likely to evolve into constructors.

 

Apparently the deal is almost done but the announcement delayed because of Todt/Ecclestone conflicts. Ecclestone being the one supporting it.

 

I hear you, and certainly agree that Rob and his ilk were good for F1 at the time. Damn, even dear old Ken and Bernie basically started out as customer teams.....

But, the times have changed (not necessarily for the better ) and I don't think it would work these days. There's too much secrecy and the margins are too tight front to back. Mercedes would 'have' to sell W05 to the whole grid next year!

I want my F1 guys to be constructors, not 'buyers' I guess.

Cheers,
Ian

 

Agreed.

But, seems to me you really don't have to start from a clean sheet these days either. You want in? Seems that at least STR and/or Caterham are available for the right price..... Start out that way.

But, it also seems the egos involved (the disaster that was USF1 and even Haas!) seem to still believe they can do it better their own way.... Let them at it and learn the hard way....

Cheers,
Ian

 

F1 runs on ego.


Why STR hasn't been bought by one of the start ups mystifies me. Is the price so high that they find it more economical to build their own teams?

 

No Renault

http://bleacherreport.com/tb/ddcHm

 

At least they don't have to pass the x rated "if yer face don't fit Mosley criteria", yer not in

 

+1

Could even go as far to say that *all* motor sport is ego driven..... Just that these guys have the $ to back it up a little. At least until they realize just how hard it is.

Beyond me too TBH. Maybe he wants too much, but I thought it was, at least partly, down to them being based in the 'wrong' place. With these new wannabes (supposedly) coming in, that doesn't seem to be an issue for them though.

FWIW, Autosport just published the same story. But, at least their version says they'll probably do a Haas and defer until 2016. That makes the whole thing a little more believable.

Assuming none of the others drop out, could also mean not all of them will get to race in Monaco.... Which I suspect would cause some stress to these lunatics. [Unless the goalposts have moved, always possible, I believe they're limited to 22 starters.]

Gotta remember however, F1 is dying if not already dead according to some here......

Cheers,
Ian

 

Yes, and all because of the sound.

 

Notice: "Renault", not "Renault power"

 

Ferrari and "lower price" have never appeared in the same paragraph previously.