The Official 2010 F1 Thread!!!!!!

[hoseklamp]

They also might end up merging with Campos-Meta to form a not-so-superteam. There have been talks about Lopez driving for Campos if USF1 can't get a team to the grid.

I really hope it all works out. I was super excited to cheer for an American F1 team.

[Jand3rson]

I don't have much to add here except that I love your username and your avatar.

[E30Kaiser]

The new teams seem to be having a very hard time overall. The Virgin crashed out today, I read from several sources saying they didn't know why he spun, others said the rear wing fell off. Its seems if the latter is true, combined with the front wing falling off in an earlier test, the fully computer designed Virgin is a failure when it come to actually withstanding aero forces, a simple windtunnel test would have revealed this. Also both of the new teams were over 6 seconds off Webber's pace in the RBR chassis today.

I will wait until Bahrain to pass judgement but lets just say I won't be surprised if they end up multiple laps down at the end of the race.

[323iNathan]

Also both of the new teams were over 6 seconds off Webber's pace in the RBR chassis today.

I will wait until Bahrain to pass judgement but lets just say I won't be surprised if they end up multiple laps down at the end of the race.

Agreed, 6-8 seconds a lap off the pace is only slightly faster than the GP2 cars!

[z31maniac]

Chad Hurley and Zoran Stefanovich are trying to put together a deal that will see the US F1 and Stefan GP teams join forces and make it to the first race in Bahrain, sources have confirmed.

As previously reported Hurley has given up on pursuing a deal with Colin Kolles and Campos. Thus the blindingly obvious scenario of a team with no car joining up with a team with no entry finally appears likely to unfold.

We understand that Ken Anderson and Peter Windsor are not amenable to a link with Stefan, and still wish to pursue their dream of fielding an American car.

However, if as rumored Hurley is a major shareholder in the team he is presumably in the driving seat, and that may ultimately enable him to push the merger through.

In addition the visit of Charlie Whiting to Charlotte on Wednesday has given the FIA a clearer picture of what is going on there, and the governing body may now be in a position to force the issue and perhaps give Anderson and Windsor no alternative but to do a deal.

The FIA will in theory have no problem in allowing Stefan onto the Bahrain grid if such a deal takes place before the start of the season. It would also support a name change, although other F1 stakeholders would also have to agree.

Life will be much easier for the FIA if a merger does go ahead. The alternative scenario – the canceling of the US F1 entry and a new bid process – would be far more complicated legally.

Stefan already has a base in Serbia and also has a foothold at the Toyota factory in Cologne. However the US F1 facility in Charlotte could still be of use as a manufacturing base. It may prove more economical to have parts made in the USA than by Toyota.

Ultimately there’s also a question of the 2011 car, which won’t necessarily be a Toyota product. US F1 also has access to the Windshear wind tunnel facility.

Sources say that one Toyota/Stefan chassis is ready in Cologne, but the second is not yet complete, and a total lack of spares back-up will make the early races difficult.

We have also learned that the engine will not be badged as a Toyota, although the company will send a handful of fulltime staff members to races to support it. They are likely to be the only current Toyota employees to travel to the races with Stefan.

Meanwhile Jacques Villeneuve is on standby and will be willing to sign up as teammate to Kazuki Nakajima, should the team get an entry.

[naplesE30]

USF1 has offically requested to defer their entry into F1 until 2011. They supposedly have put up a $1mil bond to prove they are serious about entering F1 but just not this year..... I would rather have them wait a year and bring a well developed car then to enter a half ass peice of shit car and have the rest of the world rag on the USA. I hope they get what they want and we see them on the grid in 2011 with a competitive car.

[323iNathan]

USF1 has offically requested to defer their entry into F1 until 2011. They supposedly have put up a $1mil bond to prove they are serious about entering F1 but just not this year..... I would rather have them wait a year and bring a well developed car then to enter a half ass peice of shit car and have the rest of the world rag on the USA. I hope they get what they want and we see them on the grid in 2011 with a competitive car.

I don't mean to be rude here - its not my intention at all, but if US F1 does defer their entry to 2011 I'm pretty sure the rest of the world will definitely rag on the USA (F1 team). It doesn’t matter what you/they’d rather, its to what they’ve obliged themselves that matters, a $1mil bond will do little to cover that up.

No one expects any of the new teams to do anything but make up the numbers to start with; it would be a miracle if it were any different (even with the technical help FOTA has been offering). IMO they should just get it together as soon as they can and get racing.

Commercially, delaying their entry would be a really bad idea. Its not just a matter of not racing until 2011... They have a contract with a driver, who now I guess is supposed to just take a year off??? They have a contract with the FIA which they appear intent on breaching. They also must have some corporate sponsorship/endorsement(s) which they now plan on giving no exposure until next year...

All of that will have ramifications down the track; it’s not very professional, despite the enormity of their task, to not deliver - in the eyes of those who matter they’ll appear incompetent. Also, sponsors won’t come running to be associated with their brand and drivers might even be hesitant about signing with them.

Also, how are they going to generate all/any of the hype around their team if all the American fans (and more so the people who aren't really interested but would support the team out of patriotism) have to wait another whole year before they have a team on the grid?

It would also look bad on the FIA (and Bernie will remember this) who knocked back other potential entries in favour of US F1's plan for entry. Lotus and Virgin have completed the same job with time to spare, what makes US F1, or Campos (though they’re not being discussed here), any different?

I would be much more inclined to sympathise with US F1 if each of the new teams were in the same boat having trouble making the grid for Bahrain, but that’s not the case. I also really don't like Peter Windsor (Nothing to do with America here, he just needs to get over Lewis Hamilton!)

[E30Kaiser]

I also really don't like Peter Windsor (Nothing to do with America here, he just needs to get over Lewis Hamilton!)

I am glad I wasn't the only one, being a Vettel fan I found him to be very biased against Vettel until 2009. Also he sung the praises of Kubica and Hamilton like it was no ones business and I am not a huge fan of either.

EDIT: apparently Newey didn't want anyone stealing his ideas again this year! They put a sticker that looks like the exhaust outlet above where the actual exhaust outlet is.

[naplesE30]

Well I think USF1 is in a next year or not at all situation. Clearly they will not be on the track this year. Bernie and the FIA already have egg on their face with the USF1 and Campos teams. Esp when you have a team that is setup and chomping at the bit to be a part of F1. I am sure USF1 has already negotiated with its limited sponsors about not entering this year, further if you are a sponsor who has already put untold $$$ into the team would you rather lose your investment completely by the team folding, or wait a year for some worldwide exposure in 2011. F1 wants a US team even if it looks like it will be a year from now..... On a side not I never expected much from USF1, esp. when considering they did not sign any drivers with previous F1 race experience,,, its hard to setup up a new car without having any drivers who have ever raced. But I would like a US team that could generate some excitement here in the states and who knows maybe help to make a case for F1 return to the states.

[E-Thirty]

Seems USF1 is officially dead. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81819

[quickervicar]

^^I truly hope this is greatly exaggerated. I was really pulling for them to succeed.

[E30Kaiser]

Bernie doesn't have an egg on his face, he has been saying the whole time that he didn't think USF1 would succeed. Sadly he was right, all the new teams were the brainchild of Mosley who thank god is gone. If USF1 gets the deferment it is my understanding that they will continue on with developing next years car. Though I think we all would be expecting them to fail again with their track record and go under.

[sudsbuoy]

Does anyone know where Stefan got his money??

[z31maniac]

Two articles from Autosport.com.

USF1's dream is definitely over, after the FIA reportedly decided to reject the American team's request to freeze its official entry until 2011.

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that the governing body is now deciding whether or not to immediately pass the final team slot to Stefan GP mere days before the season begins in Bahrain.

Bernie Ecclestone said passing in the entry for an official tender process so close to the Bahrain deadline makes "little sense".

"As far I know, Stefan GP could race in Bahrain," said the F1 chief executive. "Yet you should not believe everything you hear because we don't want the opposite to come true.

"The FIA will conduct a business review, and if positive, Stefan GP might get off the line in Bahrain," Ecclestone, 79, added.

The Briton scoffed at reports that Stefan's hopes also rest with the unanimous agreement of all the other teams.

"This has nothing to do with the others," said Ecclestone. "It is entirely up to the FIA to say yes or no."

Kazuki Nakajima is lined up to drive one of Stefan's Toyota-powered 2010 cars, and Ecclestone said "it would be great" if Jacques Villeneuve gets the green light to occupy the sister seat.

With Peter Windsor believed to have already departed USF1, team principal Ken Anderson told BBC Sport on Wednesday that "we are done" in the event that the FIA rejects his request to freeze the entry until 2011.

The F1 world is now waiting on the final entry list to be published, and a FIA spokesman said on Wednesday a statement will be made "soon".

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ken Anderson has denied that the US F1 team has closed, and says that he still thinks he has a chance of deferring the team’s entry until 2011, and is awaiting an answer from the FIA.

Despite Anderson's optimism it seems highly unlikely that the entry will be deferred. As was reported earlier, instead the team would be able to re-apply in 2011, assuming a vacancy still existed.

Anderson made his comments to www.autosport.com after it was confirmed that his employees had been told on Tuesday to go home on what amounts to 'unpaid leave.' He says there was no point in them carrying on with the current car until the situation was resolved.

"We have applied to the FIA to hold our entry until 2011. It was supposed to be confidential, so I could not really comment on it. It seems to have leaked out though,” he told the website.

"We are waiting for a reply from the FIA and are working with them. In the mean time, there is nothing for the employees to do, so we have told them to stop working on the current car until we have a decision."

Anderson himself was not present and did not address the factory staff.

[Hick]

Does anyone know where Stefan got his money??

terrorism