USF1 - The American Nightmare
- Published on Mar 2nd, 2010 by Adam Milleneuve
Where has it all gone wrong - USF1 were so full of promise
It doesn't come with much surprise after the lack of a complete driver line up or any sign of a car that USF1's hopes of competing in the 2010 Formula One World Championship have faded with the company being reported as closed.
The most recent news on their website is from January when Lopez signed for them, but it seems that even their often upbeat and enthusiastic news and PR folk realised the american dream was over in February.
We await any official statement from Peter Windsor or Ken Anderson on the team's position and any clues on just how this ambitious project went so wrong.
The question hanging around now is all about Stefan GP - the team that has reportedly flown all it's gear over to Bahrain already, in the hope they can get into F1 2010. They don't have a slot on the grid yet, but if the USF1 failure is confirmed tomorrow as expected then the ambitious Serbian outfit could well be in with a look.
For more on Stefan GP see here:
- New Team Focus: Who/What exactly is Stefan GP
- Impossible is nothing - Stefan GP push ahead for 2010 debut
My question is, has anyone seen crime scene tape erected around the place. If not it certainly deserves some.
http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2010/03/02/us-f1-closes-down/
Looks like the final nail in the coffin for USF1...
and their Wikipedia page is now in the past-tense, ouch.
I was looking forward to this moment where i'd get to announce "i told you so", but now that it's here... it's just not so fulfilling for some reason.
I think it's because i just don't understand how a team that was making noises about being on the grid in 2010 this time last year, failed to build anything that could be put onto a race track (aside from fitting casters to the painted-bathtub they were using for seat-fittings). I just don't get it; Stefan GP and Sauber got a car designed by a manufacturer that jumped ship, Campos asked someone else to do it for them, Virgin and Lotus built their own.
What the **** were USF1 doing in their factory all year???
Now they're deferring entry to 2011, and they're going to build a car in the same period of time that they had last year, this year, are they? Without their title sponsor and pay-driver?
No they're not.
Well, I was going to comment, but, Dave Highkinen summed it up prettty well.
And, these guys want the FIA to give them an entry for 2011 / 2012 / 2013 ?
Talk about pipe dreams .....
The crazy thing, is that they were granted an entry, and , more deserving teams missed out.
Bernie has been desparaate to get F1 into N America. I think if Mickey Mouse asked for an entry he'd get one, oh wait, he already did!!!
I don't get why it's suddenly so important to get North America's acceptance of F1 to be honest. Yes, the manufacturer's would like it, but there's only a couple of them left so what's the point?
America has its own successful motorsports (which don't work in the rest of the world) and apart from the small pockets of those who know best, as a nation they will never be interested in F1. The rules are so completely different to what they enjoy. Besides, F1 doesn't REALLY want America anyway, not amongst the teams. It had a chance to put on a good show, and chose instead to allow a race to go ahead with only 6 cars competing, F1 killed F1 in America.
Eventually i think the two cultures will unite, but forcing the issue isn't going to make it happen. And it won't happen until major manufacturer's make up half the grid again anyway.