The chassis is from Dallara The engine is from Ferrari The drivers are not American The UK headquarters was Marussia's Banbury headquarters The crew seems to be European from what I can see So, can you really call this an American team or is it a marketing gimmick?
Even if the ultimate decision maker decides to buy everything and everyone from Europe? That makes it "American"? What makes "an American" team? Europeans working for an American boss?
F1 teams are a microscopic mirror of the car industry. Ferrari isnt an Italian car nor is Mercedes a truly German car. They use people, parts and manufacturing locations from around the world. As they should. Globalization is the way of the future. Nationalistic aliances are for marketing purposes only
The F1 broadcast said Ferrari is supplying much more to Haas than the engine. I will be rooting for them - Go Haas... Robb
Is it American? Not really. Force India isn't Indian. Mercedes isn't German. Ferrari is Italian. Most of the guys in F1 teams are British, but all in all it's very much a joint effort from the entire team which consists people from many countries (though majority is British). For Ferrari, most of the people are Italian, it's based in Italy...so it's very much an Italian team IMO. On Sky they even said that almost all communication in the garage is Italian, too
Follow the $$$. I didn't vote, as you din't have a "Yes, its American". *Shakes head* If my company adds a shop location in Europe - its still an American company. In the same way the German machine shop up the street is a self running US operation that even exports back to Germany, yet despite its US based manufacturing, its still a German operation. HAAS is a major US racing powerhouse, when running a series that more than half the races occur in a very very very small area of the world far away from home base, it only makes sense to set up operations in that small part of the world. IF it had of been a startup out of nowhere, it would be more gray, but with HAAS's massive involvement in US based racing, they are simply adding a European branch so to speak. Considering more than 50% happen within a tiny radius of a few hundred miles, it makes sense to setup operations there.
But Haas F1 is a completely new shop/arm/business, and it's primary base is in Europe (or rather, the UK), with, presumably, moslty UK engineers etc. The money and the team owner are 100% American.
You would need more than 8 fingers, 2 dumbs (not a misspelling) and 10 toes to count the number of non-Italians working within the Ferrari F1 team....does that make the team non-Italian and just another bastard effort? I did not vote. Next.
*IF* that were the measure of all things F1 would be primarily a British racing league with an Italian and a Swiss team competing.
I guess we'll find out when they'll win and play their national anthem. What anthem would force india play?
I presume then Haas F1 team is an American incorporated entity? If that is the case, then given that and the funding source mean it's American to me. Lot's of American companies outsource elements of their operation and use over seas resources. Nothing new there.
Look at my reply earlier in the thread +1, forgot about Sauber! +1 Was going to put them in my original reply but got lost. Lol. FWIW, I don't consider teams such as Mercedes British just because they're based there. I suppose I should change my original reply; Mercedes is a car manufacturer, which is German, so ultimately it is a German team. Typing all this out did get me thinking a bit clearer. I consider Force India a British team, as I do Manor (haven't a clue what they are anymore, to be honest...English? Russian? British again? meh). But then I consider Red Bull an Austrian team, even though they're too based in the UK. Weirdly, I consider Toro Rosso Italian, even though their money is definitely Austrian, but based in Italy. Because Renault is a car manufacturer, by default they're french, even though they're based in the UK. I also consider them French, fully aware that just a few months back everyone was wearing black and gold shirts and they where British, and the only thing that has changed is they've been given new yellow banana shirts and now they're Frenchies. Haas is a garagiste, racing out of the UK primarily. Like RB and STR though, I don't consider them British, or European considering their entire car is made from bits of Europe. Maybe it's the food. I expect at Ferrari they're all having very long lunches consisting of pasta, pizza, red wine. At Manor they're having cold pasties from the local garage and luke warm beer from a can, at Mercedes they wear silly hats, a massive plate full of bratwurst and sourkraut, complete with a couple of Steiners. I presume at Haas it's burgers and steak, with a side order of fries and much cheese. So they're American. If someone could check their kitchen and clarify that would settle the matter .
I'm glad you are not entirely consistent in your response. Because I don't think there is a perfectly good answer. All teams are groupings of people, places and parts from various countries. Just as the car manufacturers themselves are. Is a Beemer a German car if it is manufactured in the US and was designed originally by some British and Japanese dudes? Personally I go the easy route: I'll take these teams for whatever they want me them to be. So Merc is German, Ferrari is Italian and Haas is American. And Lotus is Lotus. q.e.d.
I guess you can say the team was given birth in America by an American so that works for me. While I root for Ferrari, I'm happy when guys like Massa do well, I feel the same way about Haas, I will be very happy if they score points this year. If they become a contender in the next 5 years, I for sure will pull for them a lot stronger.
