Zoxxo

For those of you interested, the new Formula One team "USF1" will be having it's "coming out" announcement/news conference live on

SPEEDTV
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24
NOON EASTERN

Should be interesting!

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John Shiels

Peter Winsor was on Wind Tunnel tonight very interesting. Should replay again check speed TV listings.

Zoxxo

I agree, it was VERY interesting.

The only replay of last night's Wind Tunnel is at 6 AM this (Monday) morning. At least Pacific. I dunno about elsewhere.

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TLGunman

Dang it, I'll be at work, and the TVUplayer doesn't seem to have "wheels" (aka speed channel) anymore!

joemoia

Here is a synopsis of Windsor's comments on WT, as posted by someone on another racing forum:

-Everything will be American except for Windsor himself and the engine, which is required to be one of the currently offered F1 engines due to the frozen engine regulations.
-Foresees the team as a kind of "lean and mean Skunk Works".
-Verbatim quote: "We have the money to be what we need to be in '09, which is a team building its cars to race in the 2010 World Championship."
-No details on where any of that money is coming from.
-All American drivers that have the credentials to race in F1 will be considered, and Windsor counts Danica Patrick on that list, but she's on a broader list.
-Patrick's name was kind of blown out of proportion by the Guardian newspaper's writer as Anderson said "everyone was up for consideration", and the interviewer inquired "Danica?" and Anderson replied yes.
-May run one experienced F1 driver in 2010.
-Based on Windsor's comments I can tell they have not yet looked at drivers in depth.
-Speaks highly of Allmendinger (another driver that was tied to the team in press reports similar to the reporting on Patrick).
-As far as other failed F1 teams and being asked how this team will be any different, he says the reason those teams failed is they spent too much money doing it the wrong way and they'll try to do it the right way.

Windsor answers an F1 fan's phone call of how a country that can hardly support an F1 race can support an F1 team:

-Says he thinks the reason it's never been done before is no one thought about it in his opinion
-Says the reason to base in Charlotte is that the motorsports industry and infrastructure available in the Charlotte-Atlanta corridor is based on what he's seen in his career, the equal of anything in northern Italy and England
-Also states that a key thing driving the F1 business for years has been aerospace and that technology is present here
-Will be using the Haas Wind Tunnel in the Charlotte area that Ken Anderson helped design
-The second reason to be based in Charlotte is that for travelling to Europe the east coast is better than the west coast

-It's not their mission to take Formula One to the United States, but the United States to Formula One.
-Obviously he wants the USGP back, thinks we'll have it back soon but admits he's maybe being adventurous.
-Says it is a requirement to be fan-friendly due to the example that NASCAR has set. Will set up webcams in the factory and try and open up to everyone. Says that F1's snobbish attitude and reputation is due to how they aim to shut everyone out, and they'll aim to turn that point of view on its head.

Ken Anderson and Peter Windsor's bio's:

http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/cref-andken.html

http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/cref-winpet.html

Zoxxo

I emailed them asking where and when we can get their swag

I want t-shirts!

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burners

Me too! This is all great news. I hope they are successful.

John Shiels

who is taking Winsors place on Speed. Now he doesn't have to kiss butt for interviews and get blown off by the snobs.

Zoxxo

Windsor (with a 'd') said that he's still doing the Speed thing this year and I assume the FIA stuff, too, since USF1 are still not anything official as far as the FIA is concerned.

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TLGunman

Dang, no live feed on Speedtv.com

anyone watching?

TLGunman

Live feed:

http://www.justin.tv/badbeat4

drivinhard

watched it, pretty interesting for sure.

one thing though, doesn't a new upstart F1 team have to pay a huge (tens of millions) FIA "fee" to enter? I thought this was always why most folks bought out a failing team, to avoid the fee. Maybe things have changed.

in any event...

Zoxxo

Windsor mentioned that the day of huge fees were history. Even the ultra-idiotic FIA had to eventually figure out that you can't say that you want more teams participating while raising insurmountable barriers to forming one at the same time.

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John Shiels

I think now they have to show financial credibilty so dead beats don't start coming in and failing.

davidfarmer

does anyone else think it is very likely that this will all end in tears??????

joemoia

neither Anderson or Windsor had any specifics concerning facilities, staff, etc. If they can design, build, develop and test a new F1 racecar and make the grid in 1 year, more power to them.