More questions about the USF1 team

Those of you who are Formula One fans will recognize the name James Allen. He took over from Murray Walker when ITV had the F1 broadcasting contract (seen here in Canada on TSN) and did a good job calling the play-by-play. He was replaced when the BBC won the contract at the beginning of last season.

In any event, Allen reported on his blog Sunday (here’s the link, if you want to go there) that an item in Italy’s Gazzetta Sportiva had caught his eye – to wit, that the new USF1 team has applied to the FIA for a "derogation to miss the early fly away races and start at the Spanish Grand Prix in April. This contradicts USF1 sporting director Peter Windsor’s assertion last week that the team will definitely be in Bahrain."

It’s hard to say whether this Italian magazine report is mischief or fact. Beginning months ago with Bernie Ecclestone’s assertion that at least two of the four new teams won’t make it to the grid for the first Grand Prix of 2010 (in Bahrain March 14) USF1 has come under attack from just about every quarter.

And yet, at every turn of the screw, team principal Windsor (who’s a very good communicator in his own right – Speed TV reporter, F1 News magazine columnist) has been quick to pour cold water on each and every one of the negative assertions.

As Allen reported, Windsor has said repeatedly that everything is proceeding on schedule and the team will be on the grid.

But if you go to the USF1 website (click here, if you’re curious), there’s not a lot there – and we are only nine weeks away from that first Grand Prix!

You will find a couple of rah-rah pep talks, a video of the car’s nose cone being crash-tested and some photographs of the team’s facilities in Charlotte, N.C., and in Spain.

One of the sub-headings is called "Partners" and there you will find "Development Partners" and "Manufacturing Partners" and "Supply Partners." There’s even a "Clothing Partner" listed.

But there is no "Money Partner," which has got to give pause to anyone going to that site.

Nor is there any photograph of the USF1 car.

There are no drivers listed.

In short, it doesn’t look good for USF1 (nor does it look good for Adrian Campos’s new team, but that’s fodder for another day).

Now, Peter Windsor vows that the team will test the car for the first time at the Barber Motorsport Park in Alabama the first week of February.

So this is what it comes down to:

Bernie Ecclestone says it’s highly unlikely the USF1 team will make it onto the grid for 2010 (he didn't come right out and name it, but you can take to the bank that it's one of the two he's talking about).

Windsor says it will.

One of them is going to look foolish.

Care to bet which one?

Comments

[Bec]

Now I'm not saying there's no truth to the story but ... Gazzetta Sportiva is an Italian paper, and as we all now Luca di Montezemolo hates the new teams with a passion, and so he may well be stirring things up again, he will do anything to get 10 Ferraris on the grid.

[exCARTRace fan]

I think...The US Team is full of Hot Air..No drivers mentioned at this point!! I read somewhere there has been NO Wind Tunnel Testing...I would love them to be there for the first Race..and kick $ss.. However, I don't think that's going to happen.

[Joe]

USF1 seems to be the only team being hounded about progress on their 2010 entry. Why?

They are, in fact, the only team who's produced video documentation of their cars construction.

We have more evidence of progress from USF1 than any other team in F1.

In fact, USF1 is the only constructor to this point who we know has built anything.

If rumors are to be extrapolated from known fact, then rumor has it that USF1 will be the only team on the grid in Bahrain.

[Geoff Whitehead]

Bernie rarely looks foolish. Peter Windsor is a media type; second only to politicians in their application of the truth.

[Wannabe F1 Driver]

On the USF1 website's "contact us" page, they have a tick box where you can inquire about jobs at USF1. I was willing to help this fledgling team out by applying for the job of driver since they seem to be having an issue with this. I don't drive a particularly fast car and I haven't received a speeding ticket in about 15 years, but I doubt that the USF1 car will be very fast anyway. Plus I am North AMERICAN. Think of the marketing potential USF1!!!