Ecclestone: USF1 are a doubt

Just read this and NOT at all surprised even with the info coming from Bernie - actually Andreas was the one long, long ago that had expressed doubts - the website is still "coming soon" - and another tell tale is that Windsor did the post race interviews last weekend, after announcement of the team as you may recall, he was replaced in that position. They did have some sort of wind tunnel graphics on one of the websites but it was just a blur of a car with colored lines which could have come from anywhere.

Carol

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fron planet f1

The USF1 team may not make the 2010 Formula One grid, according to Bernie Ecclestone.

USF1 is one of four new teams expected to line up on next year's expanded grid, the other three being Lotus, Manor GP and Campos GP.

USF1's preparations for their F1 debut are reported well advanced as the team has repeated claimed that their first-ever F1 car could be ready for its first outing as early as November.

However, Ecclestone has somewhat surprisingly now come out and said that American-based outfit may yet pull out.

"I think one or two might not turn up," he told the BBC in Singapore. "That's what I'm being told; possibly USF1 are a doubt."

 

You can some up this in one word: "DUH".

 

I doubt that anyone will be surprised if they fail to show. They never convinced that they had even the minimum resources (what, $50-60 million?) required to achieve backmarker, also-ran status. Aside from the "coming soon" website and the wind tunnel graphic that Carol saw someplace, there are surprisingly few references to the team to be found anywhere on the Web. If they tank, a sizeable share of what resources they do have will be required to clean all the egg off Windsor's face.

 

Yeah, I was wondering about that, too.

Maybe they found out that their spec Cossie came out of an old Escort.

 

No way!!!!

 

If they were "real", the would have been on wind tunnel by now, being interviewed in their "factory"...

 

+1000

that's what I said when announced, "don't hold your breath". It's all a fishing expedition to lift $$$$.

 

Windsor has always been a blowhard....remember when he was going to be the Team Lotus saviour?

 

The more Windsor waffled on about wind tunnels the less real it all seemed.
Super computing computational fluid dynamics has replaced wind tunnel testing, especially for the smaller teams where its financial efficiency is appreciated.

Comparing Windsor's comments with those from Manor high-lights the difference between someone hyping to the uninformed and someone describing current development in real terms. Nick Wirth recently said Manor wont use wind-tunnel testing at all and are currently assembling the large banks of connected computers they'll use instead.

 

I thought that one of Mad Max's cost cutting moves was to limit the amount of wind tunnel time to the teams. With the high cost involved of building the tunnel, hiring the operators and model makers. It does not mean zilch if the tunnel is not calibrated or the aerodynamicist misinterprets the results.

With CFD you have a high cost of computers and software but the results are accurate and with the limited aero rules of today make a wind tunnel less of necessity today as it was 5-10 years ago.

 

I never thought it was realistic that a team could compete internationally from a base in the USA. The entire calendar except for Montreal is over 6,000 miles away. What team in recent memory has overcome having their factory so far away from every race?

 

Not a surprise but still a disappointment.

 

There are several reasons that Windsor gets no respect in the paddocks. Here is another one.

 

Just curious...

Do the new teams need to meet milestones to keep their grid spot?
Or do they have it until they withdraw of fail to show up on the grid?
Did the teams pay up-front money to bernie/FOM/etc to register for a spot?

 

These are the idiots the FIA 'voted' for, and let people like Dave Richards out..

 

Assuming Speed (FOX) has some sort of vested interest in USF1, we (would've/should've) seem some sort of reality based show about the new team's preparations. Probably would've been a good way to attract investors/advertising dollars to them. I think BBC airs a show called "The Factory" about the Williams team...

 

+1

However, in fairness, they did say they'd have a base in Europe (Paul Ricard was mentioned IIRC?).... Plus, as Windsor never tires of telling us, all the carbon fiber on the planet comes from Charlotte - Like *that's* significant

Cheers,
Ian

 

+1 Mosley is a cretin, I said at the time he will only let new teams in F1 that whistle his perverted tune.

 

I used to laugh at this comment. The UK is the major supplier of automotive racing parts and engineering for the world. So, why not set up in the UK where all the technology, resources, and engineers are?

No, let's put it were carbon fibre sheets are made. That's much better...

 

USF1 struck me from the start as a bit too perfect, but with some of the experienced people involved I still had hopes. I had expected an Apple or Coca-Cola to be signed up as the headline sponsor by now.

For teams like Manor, I'm not sure CFD only is the answer either. The information you glean is only as good as the initial setup of the boundary conditions. A combination of computer and wind tunnel will probably always prove to be better.

 

If I'm not mistaken, these comments were made on the BBC broadcast of Singapore qualifying.

Jake Humphrey was interviewing Bernie about the Hitler controversy and that CVC guy's comments about Bernie being out of touch with reality. The interview then shifted to asking Bernie if he believed we'd see 28 cars on the grid next season. Bernie said no and that he didn't expect some teams to show up next season.

Humphrey responded with something along the lines of "Really, there are rumors of USF1 not meeting deadlines to make the grid next year."

And Bernie's response was simply a quick "Yeah" during the middle of Humphrey's question, as if he was responding more to Humphrey's "really" and less to his mention of USF1. I don't remember Bernie actually saying USF1 in his response, but then again I was half asleep.

I was trying to download a torrent of BBC's qualifying coverage to double check before I commented (as this story is on PlanetF1 and F1-live), but that is how I remember the interview. I think it is a case of a slight misquote, combined with reading between the lines (even though this NEVER happens in the world of F1 media).

If the torrent successfully downloads, I will try posting a clip of the interview.

Best regards

 

i think the sauber ferrari put the last nail in the coffin.

 

Wouldn't that be the Nazi party song?

 

Thanks Carol.

I always thought that Windsor is just a bag of hot air.

But at least we know now that in the US they fabricate some really strong carbon fibre.

Looking forward to see "my" Sauber team fill up the grid.

 

Sounds good to me. America needs a more credible entry to F1 than USF1. I've already had nightmares about Kovalainen driving as their #1.