American Teams

[ESPImperium]

The only Americian driver i would see in a F1 car would probably be Jonathan Summerton (Currently A1 GP), i have been impressed with his performances in A1 GP i have seen.

The thing is that US racing is sorta set in its ways, they like their NASCAR, IRL/Champ Car, any other forula ive watched from the US hasnt been well attended, maybes the Mazda thing ive seen on occasion is a exeption.

I just dont think the US is intrested in a GP any more, and i really think it may just also be a threat to the Canadian GP as well if the US dosnt have a GP as the teams may not want to go to Canada as it may not be economically viable for them to as teams will not go across the pond for one single race, logistically it would be very worrying as well if or when the calander is enlarged to 20 races.

[f1italia]

If we had more coverage on the sport in the US there would be more people into it. I love Nascar but the Speed channel overkills it.

Speed could be so much better if it had more programs about F1 and other racing series. When the F1 drivers come to America they love it here. Indy is still the best track for them in the US and they should comeback especially if they want to be a global sport.

[Ray]

Maybe I got off to a bad start. Sorry Rob W. I apologize for the harsh words.

There will never be an American F1 team because there is no reason to have one. They will gain absolutely nothing from having one. Notoriety, respect, sales, advertising. You name it, they won't get it. It won't increase viewership for one single reason. No one to relate to. Kimi's 'Ithinksothat....' mumbling, Massa beginning every third sentence with 'For sure we..', the rampant Lewis asskissing are not something that your average American fan relates to. Earnhardt was a country boy that came from nothing, much like where most Americans this day and age have.

We (the USA) have already had a F1 World Champion, a MotoGP champion, and we just won our first A1GP race in Shanghai. What more do we have to do? I'm not saying that anyone is suggesting we prove anything, it's just that there isn't a market for it. If you don't build it, they won't come. The tire situation at Indy a few years back didn't help F1's image any either.

We can build world championship cars. The GT40 was proof of that. The Corvette program dominating Le Mans is proof of that. The early Repco Brabham was based of an Olds 215ci V-8. I'd give anything to see Chevrolet dominate F1, but I won't. The Unions are bleeding GM dry. Chrysler hasn't made anything worth putting gas in since Diamler ruined them. Ford V-8s are crap. They can keep that DOHC bullshit. It doesn't work as well as a simple pushrod motor. Who cares if our cars are, so called, 'low tech.' It's simple, efficient, and cheap. It just works. What's wrong with that?

I'd really like to see car companies the world over quit trying to claim they invented headlights that turn when the driver turns the wheel. They are almost a hundred years old! BMW, Audi, nor anyone else can claim they invented it. No one can really claim it, it was used by so many in the early 20's till today.

I would kill to see an American F1 team based here. I know we could do well, we have smart folks in the Automotive industry and in NASCAR and other series. But it won't happen because it really serves no purpose to the Big Three. It's quite sad.

[captainmorgan]

Some interesting sentiments there. Im not sure I agree with most of them though. For one thing, yes the small block v8 was a great thing, it embodied simple-reliable-cheap-powerful, even if it sucked down gas. US cars today don't seem to do a very good job competing on those parameters. It's also that nothing new and distinctly American has come along thats as good. You can't pick up girls with a Segway, as good as it is otherwise. Or you can say that in a few ways, Americans are willing to settle for less, old nostalgic ideals, and are a little stale. Like stock cars. But even then, NASCAR still beats F1 in terms of show. and yeah I am from the US.

That's one way to look at it. The other simpler reason is that Bernie has too much leverage in terms of demanding profit sharing. F1 for teams costs too much, for too little show and minute chances of winning, for new teams to be able to make a rational decision to enter.

[fastback33]

You know what, maybe there is a simple solution to American disinterest in F1. for example whenever i watch the evening news, there is almost always something about nascar on. So i wonder what would happen if they started showing WRC/F1 as well? [-o<

[West]

As much as the GT40 dominated back in the days, and Corvette's racing program, I'm sure there's a lot of people today who could not even contemplate Ford or GM racing internationally. If you mention that Michael Schumacher (who?) won in a Bennetton-Ford in 1994, would anybody know wtf you were talking about?

Like everybody said, there's no money in American F1. The ALMS is their best choice when it comes to international racing. Over time the ALMS will be a big racing spectacle here. Hell the last time an "American" team won it all was the 2005 24 Hours of Le Mans w/ Champion Audi.

[CMSMJ1]

I believe that the Ford GT40 was once referred to as "The Ferrari Slayer".

The GT40 which was designed and built in England by Lola?

Anyways, the Americans that are bothered and want to see F1 in the USA are small fry compared to the masses. F1 is niche in USA.

[Conceptual]

I believe that the Ford GT40 was once referred to as "The Ferrari Slayer".

The GT40 which was designed and built in England by Lola?

Anyways, the Americans that are bothered and want to see F1 in the USA are small fry compared to the masses. F1 is niche in USA.

A niche, that like everything else here in the US is completely and utterly dictated through the Elite Media.

People don't know about F1 in the US as much as NASCAR simply because of the marketing advantage of keeping them DOWN. Channels like SpeedTV are owned and operated by people that make HUGE sums from NASCAR, but VERY little from F1. Actually, they probably LOSE money by showing F1 here. I am pretty sure that is the reason that we lost F1 Decade...


Chris

[The FOZ]

First up, I'm not trying to ruffle too many feathers, just calling 'em as I see them.

I think it's a cultural thing. The whole "We're number 1 at everything" mentality, by and large, is embraced by the nation. It's human nature to avoid situations that challenge fundamental beliefs. The head in the sand approach. So viewership in international events where the US doesn't have a good shot at winning goes down. So unless the US fielded a top team, the viewership would never be there.

GM, Ford, and Chrysler are all very good at accomplishing very little using very much. The former biggest auto makers in the world, now recording record losses and slashing their lineups and productions, laying off by the tens of thousands...and producing (with an exception or two) utter crap for vehicles. No real innovation, just more of the same, with spiffy marketing to try and push the same ol' down our throats.

What would their Formula 1 teams look like?

[checkered]

Subject: Super Aguri - buyout?

http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/spor ... _13987.hbs

according to this source Nick Fry is now in the line of fire because he pushed for an exclusive Magma deal instead of an auction type buyout involving two American and one German investor.

OK, I quoted WhiteBlue

here since I feel this information is hugely pertinent to this discussion. Two US investors are vying for Super Aguri, while there isn't even a USGP? Knowing full well that each team will have to come up with a new chassis, it's not like we're likely to be discussing about businesses short of cash or physical resources either. And beyond SA, Toro Rosso is also on the market and one F1 licence remains completely open. Keep your eyes peeled about this one, no one just waltzes into the store one day and says: "Hm, I'm in a mood for some Formula One. Ah, here's one." No, for this sort of thing you lay the groundwork, get acquainted to Bernie, seek allies and such. Something's been going on for a while and apparently we (I?) haven't heard about it.

Is Tony George accommodating something, perhaps in line with his event sponsor wishes (Ecclestone didn't warm to the idea originally) to get F1 back at Indy (it'd have to be something big like Yahoo!, Coke, you name it)? Sheldon Adelson or Steve Wynn looking to bring some F1 action to the Las Vegas Strip? A ChampCar team boss who didn't heed IRL's siren call pondering a big move to the big time? Could News Corp. be involved somehow, heralding a change in F1's media approach; they own Speed TV after all and their tabloids, newspapers and websites (NotW, The Times Online) have spearheaded the campaign to get Mosley to resign, AAA moving quite soon to back that demand up? American manufacturers seizing the chance to join the development of regenerative systems, expecting the next prez (Rep or Dem) to be rather stricter with emissions? I know, I'm just conjuring up options here but anyway, as there are two US suitors for SA, it dawns on me that the American market might be more interested if there actually were two teams in F1 with a US identity - fighting not only the "rest of the World", but each other. IRL is at least two years away from getting their house truly in order anyway.

Controversially, it might be the two Japanese manufacturers already at Formula One who are best positioned to start an "American renaissance" in the sport. Toyota and Honda already have their engines designed. They're not exactly lagging behind in having options for energy recovery systems and both have hugely qualified racing operations in California - Toyota has TRD, Honda HPD. The investment to expand either (or both) operations to service the powertrains of an otherwise completely US led, US engineered team with American drivers cannot be beyond the reach of those corporations. The "import" car niche is anything but negligible in the grand scheme of things, is it not? So what would it take to get the Penskes, Andretti Greens, Ganassis, Rahals, Forsythes, Newman Haas Lanigans, KV Racing Technologies et.al. to jump on board? It's a question we might get an answer for before long.

[Ciro Pabón]

I heard Porsche/Audi/VW is interested. Just a rumour.

[WhiteBlue]

I heard Porsche/Audi/VW is interested. Just a rumour.

one has to assume that something is afoot at Porsche/VW/Audi. they hired ex BMW driver Striezel Stuck as a motorsport director. previously he was a TV commentator for German F1 TV. I agree its a possibility but officially they focus on tin tops and sports cars which Stuck is also knowledgable about.

when I hear about american investors I simply think financial and not strategic. it would make perfect sense for a private equity buyer to jump on this low cost opportunity and hold the thing until the concord is sorted. the value of an F1 franchise could considerably pick up when this is all sorted.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPSoNfmuBXc[/youtube]

this technology is now at Continental following the aquisition of VDO from Siemens

http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/spor ... _13987.hbs

at the end of this article about the FIA KERS plan the author points out that front and rear electric motor/generators obviously will promote wheel devices.

Question: who would be better positioned to push the technology on a global scale but the company that manufacturs the complete wheel unit including the tyre and showcases it in F1?

[Carlos]

WhiteBlue - Thanks for the video, it integrated the elements of the system, we had mentioned it on some thread, but visuals make it, well, , more real. It's been mentioned already but my intuition indicators say the Penske organization would be a good candidate for an American F1 team.

[fastback33]

The last 30-45 seconds of that video shows a similar idea i had, thought of the other day. I forget the thread, but think of it like that wheel which could act as the cars suspensioin, then imagine the wheel be able to absorb a lot of the road, simultaneously you could have stiffer suspension connected to the chassis. You could obtain racecar elvels of performance while maintaining drivability on rough surfaces. However i think that the videos idea is a little better having suspension mounted in the hub. Then you could have sort of a quad-spring technology working.

[f1italia]

We need an American Team to kick some Euro butts!! American GM V8 Power. Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart. Open Wheel Drivers can't compete in the toughest racing series of NASCAR! I have lost my interest in F1. Do at least one oval race.