94 days left -- anyone still betting on USF1?

No way in hell you typed that with a straight face...

 

According to Windsor, they should have the monocoque finished soon, they were waiting for the fuel regs!! WTF?

Source, Ralph Shaheen.12/14/09. Yeah, I know.......

Oh, and a Cosworth principal (owner) recently said that he had visited the NC facility in September and had only seen the bare walls and new unmanned machinery. (source, someone in NC)

 

PeeWees arse you mean?

 

That would actually connect with the story of their Argentinian hopefull (or -less) who said he saw a chassis in development in the autoclave.

Since PeeWee is saying all of this with a straight face and we're a few days away from X-mas I'd say they are actually no longer planning on making it to the first race but somewhat later in the season.

I wonder what Bernie's and the FIA's penalties are for that?

 

I know there are teams that have contested half (or less) of the season, but usually that's because they ran out of money to keep going. Has there ever been a team that joined half-way through a season?

All the best,
Andrew.

 

When Ferrari didn't have their cars ready in recent years they participated with the old car until the Euro season begun. Not quite the same, but maybe PeeWee bought up the old SuperAguri cars for the first 3 races?

 

Sure , Lola/Haas/Beatrice being one... I believe Renault entered the turbo middle of '77 too...

 

Damn, you're good!

 

Twern't nuthin' ...

 

Yup. She knows her stuff.

Back on the subject: Does anybody know what the penalties are for coming late to the party?

Isobel's examples were from yesteryears. I'd think in the current world of F1 penalties are draconian for not making it to the grid on time. Just guessing.

 

But if one hour can become a week and a week can become a year, then there is plenty of time. The magic of Christmas and Santa is to believe in something (Christmas Spirit) that you cannot see Have faith in USF1 to pull it off, I think it will be good for the sport. With the size of the Ferrari market in the US and all of the other manufacturers, it's a shame that F1 is not more popular here. Merry Christmas everyone!

 

One that comes to mind is in 1988, when Alex Caffi ATTEMPTED to qualify in his Dallara. Why do I say attempted? Because their F1 chassis wasn't ready and they brought a modified F3000 chassis so that technically they had a chassis at the event and avoided a fine.

The real Dallara F1 car was present at the next round at Imola.

 

Tick Tock. I have lost count. How many days left?

 

well...it's 81 days and 20 hours until the Friday practice in Bahrain on 12 March! so for a team to be fully ready to go it's probably less than 60 now....tick tock

Carol

 

+1. I'll bet $ he has the old Super Aguri cars in the back room and is waiting until he can get some new body work put on and the new Cosworth engine installed.

Relax you guys, they will have a car(s) to the grid. I just hope they can sign some drivers with a chance. There are still some good F1 drivers out there without a seat. But the question is will they drive for what USF1 wants to pay them? If he holds out long enough the anxiety will rise. You are getting too nervous. Thats the difference in a fast driver..waits to the last possible minute to brake and is pushing the limits. USF1 is pushing the limits..and maybe even enjoying the holidays to boot.

Loose lips sink ships! Keep up the good work USF1. The tension is mounting.

The only four teams with any real continuity and prep for 2010 are Ferrari, Red Bull, STR, and Force India. The others are in a state of flux.

 

What he said.

Thanks Isobel.

Going on this old Super Aguri car theory again, and chassis from other racing formulae... isn't there a regulation in F1 whereby a car has to be within a certain percentage of the lap time for the leader or the pack average, or something like that? Would an old Super Aguri chassis or lower formula chassis be quick enough to meet with such a regulation?

All the best,
Andrew.

 

No prob. Andrew, it was called the 107% rule and it hasn't been used since 2002? I believe it was abolished when qualifying with different fuel loads made it impossible to regulate.
I could be wrong and I expect others to come forward because I'm guessing....

I suppose a modified copy of an older design F1 car would be difficult to get in the field HOWEVER, with the rule abolished it doesn't matter and I do remember when those pesky Super Aguris (supposedly copies of the former year Honda design) were (much) quicker than the current year Hondas....

 

79 . . .

 

I have a Christmas update from the boys at USF1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjjgS8AATd4

 

Thanks again Isobel.

You're just a fountain of knowledge, aren't you?

Even if it's a rule not enforced rigidly in recent years, it'd be interesting to see if they attempt to apply it in some way on grounds of safety - the speed differential between USF1 and the other competitors might prove dangerous if the do turn up with an outdated chassis.

All the best,
Andrew.

 

that is a good one, love the wings comment,LOL