| There is palpable excitement amongst American | | | | Does this mean the USF1 team will be a success? |
| Formula One fans about the launch of the USF1 | | | | Well, the first indications are not great. If timing is |
| team. The question is whether this is a joke or | | | | an element of the equation, the USF1 could not |
| not? The answer might surprise you. | | | | have picked a worse time to go racing. The |
| We've been down this road before. The USF1 | | | | economy is a mess and finding sponsorship for a |
| team launched by Peter Windsor is hardly the first | | | | team that has never put a tire on a track seems |
| efforts for an American team in Formula One. | | | | a rather herculean task. The team, however, has |
| The "Eagle" team of the 1960s had some serious | | | | a slow roll out with the first race not planned until |
| success and most people don't recall that the | | | | the 2010 season. Further, capital has apparently |
| Indianapolis 500 was actually a Formula One event | | | | already been raised for the rollout. |
| in the early days. Still, no American team has | | | | On the plus side of the ledger, the men behind |
| even sniffed Formula One for at least 20 years. | | | | the USF1 effort are not new to Formula One. Ken |
| So, why the sudden change? The answer is found | | | | Anderson is a long time engineer who has been |
| in the current state of the Formula One | | | | technical director for two F1 teams as well as |
| championship. The last 20 years have seen a | | | | Indy Car and others. Peter Windsor is the second |
| period of exploding costs. If you didn't have $200 | | | | man, and is known as a journalist to most people. |
| million for a budget, it really wasn't worth entering | | | | In truth, he has been a team manager for Ferrari |
| the competition. Honda was rumored to have a | | | | and Williams. The team is a good match as |
| budget of $300 million or more and all that bought | | | | Anderson will deal with the technical side while |
| it was finishing positions in the back of the pack. | | | | Windsor works the sponsors and overall image of |
| Well, things have changed in Formula One. Cost | | | | the team. |
| cutting is the name of the game these days. | | | | So, is USF1 a joke or not? All indications are it is a |
| While the big teams still spend staggering amounts | | | | serious effort with a serious group of individuals |
| of money, they are now putting together | | | | involved. Will the team be competitive and win |
| packages for privateers to affordably race. | | | | races? Nobody is sure, but nobody is sure about |
| Engines, for instance, will cost $10 million a season | | | | much of anything in Formula One at the moment |
| for privateers. That sounds like a lot, but it is | | | | given the massive cost cutting and changes. |
| spare change in Formula One. With all the cuts, | | | | Regardless, it will be great to root for a team |
| the Formula One privateer can conceivably now | | | | from the states, particularly if there are American |
| go racing for fifty million or less and stand a | | | | drivers as well. |
| chance of being reasonably competitive. | | | | |