That's not why Honda pulled out of Williams (according to what I was told on a Williams factory tour). Honda pulled out of WIlliams at the end of 1987 which was basically as soon as they could after FW had his accident in early 1986. They simply didn't believe a man in a Wheelchair could run a succesful GP team - it was a Japanese/cultural thing.......
Maybe that's part of it, but I believe the reaction to and focus on USF1 is based on our perspective: Most Fchatters are US based, so it is natural that we focus more on a team that represents our country rather than some newbie team out there. Also because we get our F1 through Speed TV we all know Peter Windsor very well and have some strong reactions to him: Some like him, some don't. Personally I can't stand him; to me he represents the perfect image of a slimy used car dealer who'd sell his grandmother if it would help move a clunker off his backyard. Aside from that I find him also not very smart. You hear guys like Dennis, Flavio or Bernie talk and you know that you're dealing with a brilliant mind. Finally we (Americans) aren't alone in our assessment of this. If you look around in the Euro press, pretty much nobody takes USF1 and PeeWee seriously. They're a laughing stock. A lot of that has to do with the barrage of press announcements made by Windsor. Lots of them have been contracticting themselves by now. I mean how can you take a guy seriously who goes on and on about how strong the carbon fibre is, that comes from the US vs Europe? Or that basing a team in the US is actually an advantage because we can work 6 extra hours while Europe sleeps (sounds like something Bush would have said )? How about his claims of supporting US American talents and giving them a platform to grow on? Or all the expertise they will get from working with NASCAR folks? etc etc
Personally I'm glad that my doubts are being lessened and look forward to seeing a US based team make the grid. Given the lack of info they've supplied until now skepticism has been warranted. I'd guess that most of the doubters were reluctant to sign on because they want to see a US team succeed and didn't want to be fooled (again) rather than because they want the team to fail.
I want them on the grid. I'm just irritated about the use of "USF1". Why tie my homeland into Windsor's dream? The euros are already snobby enough about F1 as it is. Call it Grid Walk F1 and I'd be happy.
...ah yes, lets not forget that Windsor once before has tried to start his own F1 team and failed miserably. One of his partners ended up in jail for fraud.
I can appreciate how you feel about PeeWee as I have exactly the same feelings about Richard Branson. I can understand the "been here before" concern and I think USF1 (for USF1 read PeeWee), went about it completely the wrong way initially, promising an all american enterprise that in reality wasn't totally realistic (but a nice idea all the same). I get the feeling He thought it was going to generate alot more interest and backing than it did. I suppose part of the problem for Me is that when it comes to sport, I have grown up with an image of Americans always being extremely positive about their chances of success. So in this instance, it comes as a bit of a surprise to hear so much pessimism about this project (must be a dormant British Gene coming out in you guys! )
Don't confuse American F1 fans with mainstream US sports fans. Having been a long term Red Sox fan I'm used to backing long shots. BTW That British gene comment was gratuitous and just plain mean
Oh my. Don't insult one of my biggest heroes please. Branson (while sporting the same slimy grin) is a true genius and insanely successful entrepreneur. I cant think of many other people I would put higher than him. So much for the fool that he is. Somebody who has been covering F1 for the States for years should have known by now that F1 in this country is a non event. No American driver (Speed) nor a USGP (Indy) could change that in recent years. America's very own open wheel series IRL is a no show for the most part compared to the almighty NASCAR and other US sports (NFL, NBA, baseball). Maybe we just had enough of all the Madoffs, Tiger Woods and Balloon boys of this world and are not taking big announcements at their face value anymore. I know I don't.
4rePhill - I would add that, given all that's been explained here by Tifosi and others, we (yanks) don't want to be f*****g embarrassed by our F1 entry. Bad enough that we come so late to the party; to look like fools in addition is too much to bear.....so we need a lot more encouragement (read: something REAL) from PW and his guys than we've gotten so far...... Tritone as well, this is a Ferrari space, so that makes this group even more demanding of something "insanely great" to quote my friend Steve.....
In American Football I follow the Chicago Bears, so I suffer as much as you do (but still have great memories of staying up 'til 5.00 am (UK time) to watch superbowl XX in Jan 1986 ). Sorry but the grin is not the slimey thing about him. He's a media whore who took credit for Brawns success when he had no right to. Don't get Me wrong, I admire what he has built up by getting off his arse and doing it, but I just want to punch his lights out everytime I see his cheesey face on TV (and no, it's not down to jealousy). Give him his due though, at least he tried. In a way, it's a pity he got it wrong. Perhaps it was based on the same positive attitude towards sports that I thought all Americans had, being as he's British. That's one thing I love about America, to you guys, nothing is automatically impossible (apart from success for USF1 ). Us Brits tend to look at why it can't work rather than why it can.
I can appreciate that, but how about cheering for the underdog for once? (We Brits are used to that ). As for arriving late for the party, I'm not convinced they're that late and I hope they do well (again, probably a British thing).
Funny you say that because it reflects exactly how I feel when I see PW's stupid grin on TV. Branson is a media whore, but I have no problem with that because he achieved more in his life than most people can even dream of. Speaking of Branson and Brawn GP: A friend of mine told me, that Branson was trying to go after Button's girlfriend at the Melbourne GP and that brought bad blood into the team. Brawn allegedly told Branson to bugger off, which he did. Ultimately that led to a minimal sponsorship involvement from Branson and was ultimately the reason why he took his money elsewhere to found his own team. True? <Sorry for the hijack and apologies if this is a repost.>
...well, I think cheering on the underdogs is probably a national trait here.......and by 'late' I actually meant that we (USA) have long been top dogs in many other forms of motorsport, sports cars, Can Am, circle racing, drag racing, GP bikes, hydroplanes, etc.; we've just never made it into the top levels of F1, and this effort does not look so far like an improvement.....and I too hope they could do well if they get real...(although in the meantime I can't even sort out my support for Schumacher the man vs Ferrari the team.....)
Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised to find out it was true. I suspect Branson probably wouldn't rate Me very highly either. (but he'd be wrong ) I'm with you now. I think with all the motorsport you have in the USA, you just didn't (and possibly still don't), need F1 that badly.I hope that's not the case as it would be great for everyone if F1 grabbed the attention in the USA. As for Schumacher, I know the mixed emotions you're feeling. For Me personally it's easier. The Team outway the driver everytime, so if they're not driving for Ferrari anymore, then it's "See ya!, don't wanna be ya!".
I don't understand how you can judge someone from the 5 minutes of onscreen presence they have only 18 times a year. Sorry, but it smells like resentment to me. It's also sad to me that many of the non-supporters have set themselves up so they win either way. They get the i-told-you-so if USF1 fails, and the "yay they made it and i will eat my meaningless crow now" if they succeed. Come on, you either support them or you don't.
Times 10 years = 16 hours, plenty of time I'd say Not to nitpick, but PW's onscreen presence is actually a lot more: 30 minutes grid walk (minus commercials) plus about 5 minutes of post race interviews plus all the time he gives updates from pitlane. Plus he writes some agonizing articles. There are people on here who hate certain drivers and heard a lot less of them talking if you combine all the interviews.
On the subject of PW's "agonizing articles" as raised by Andreas, you really should read his latest interview as posted on the "official" F1 site (www.formula1.com) if you haven't already done so. Windsor is insufferable- for example: (1) it's unfair to ask how USF1 will compare to the other new teams, when the real question is who'll be the best non-European-based one; and (2) while they may well hire novice "pay drivers", that's okay because guys with no experience will be better since they won't be bogged down in the "old F1" way of doing things, and besides, Schumacher and Alonso are "pay drivers" too (since they have personal sponsors)! I think the guys operating that spoof website ( www.TeamAmericaF1 - "we're coming to fork up your sheet") have a better chance of running a viable team . . .
support what? a 'virtual' team? not much to see beyond some pix of a slightly underwhelming and nearly empty facility; one piece of CF (who knows if it's even "made in the USA"?, and some lame PR....."where's the beef?" rings in my mind.....for that matter, the same thing goes for the other newbies.....support will come when something meaningful is revealed.....the top tier pretty much get a pass because they have delivered consistently every year.....these guys must simply do extra good just to get on the radar.
Indeed, this forum is full of baseless resent for no reason. If anything I'd be more worried about Campos...
The story of Button and Branson in the drunken fight was widely reported; here is one of the many links: http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/260865/F1-Jenson-Buttons-fury-for-new-team-sponsor-Virgin-Richard-Branson-over-girlfriend-Jessica-Michibata.html
