Team USF1 getting McLaren help for 1st year?
June 27, 2009 by Negative Camber
Filed under Parc Fermé, Top Story
After working the phones and beating the bushes for an unexpected source, rumors are afoot and Formula1blog.com can reveal that, according to those rumors, Team USF1 will be working with McLaren for their first year. We are not prepared to say the American-based team will be using Mercedes engines (as signs pointed to a Cosworth deal all-but-signed) but if the rumors are correct (and we do stress that these are rumors), USF1 could be engaging in a Force India-type of arrangement with McLaren for their first year in F1. It is also understood that YouTube were present with Team USF1 at their meeting with the FIA.
The questions that arise are many:
With the rumors that USF1 all but signed the Cosworth deal for lumps, does this mean they are working with McLaren for aero and chassis help?
Who are the investors behind USF1? Are they tied to McLaren or Mercedes in any way via a supply agreement for another team they may be running or invested in?
If the rumors are true, is this a change that has come about as a result of the FOTA/FIA resolution? Was USF1 prepared for the budget cap but not prepared for the glide-path reduction of costs the teams have apparently won?
Will Manor of Campos follow the same line? Nick Wirth’s main reason for coming back to F1 was Max’s proposed budget cap system for 2010. Does this change things now that Max seems to have been shown the door and FOTA have provided a glide-path model for a two year reduction instead of the draconian budget cap effective immediately?
What of Cosworth’s mandatory four-team requirement to be a provider for the series? Will Williams F1, USF1, Campos and Manor comprise the four teams? If USF1 does use Mercedes lumps, will this cast the Cosworth gambit in the bin?
Stay tuned and we will keep you posted as new rumors surface. As with rumors, there is always supposition and we caution that while we have no reason to doubt the rumor, we are also wise enough to know that rumors are often their own rewards. To those ends, we will endeavor to verify the information and keep our ear and phone pressed firmly together.
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Well at least Mclaren could help them make their car look pretty for the sponsors. Not sure about much other help right now ;)
Well, that didn’t work for Force India.
Are USF1 going to need tech help to finish 16th?
Interesting development. A couple questions I’d add:
What might this mean for the driver lineup at USF1?
What might be in it for McLaren? Maybe there is the talent pool in Charlotte that Windsor and Anderson are talking about? [I think we all know there is, but we've been skeptical that other F1 teams would agree with that assessment.]
Nice pick up, Mr. Camber!!
I think that McLaren need to stay out of the driver line-up decision. This project fails for American fan interest, as well as my best wishes, if either of two drivers are not American. It would like an Indian owned and sponsored team, flying India’s colours, having an Italian and German driver…
Does the team really have to be ALL-American? Granted the team intends to really fly the flag, but would fans really be put off by an international driver?
Force India’s a good example, but Vijay has said he feels that a non-Indian driver line up is better qualified for the job – and considering Karthikeyan’s fragile shoulder at LeMans (you had to chuckle), he may have a point. Couldn’t USF1 use the same argument if it wanted to?
Ferrari are quintessentially Italian, no one would dispute that, but the Tifosi haven’t had an Italian driver for years. If Toyota were really fussed, wouldn’t Nakajima be driving for them?
I think factory teams represent a larger interest, so I don’t really see a problem with them taking absolutely anyone. Manufacturer reach goes beyond borders. Even teams such as Williams I’m okay with being who they are. But I feel a bit differently if you’re going be a private team, call yourself USF1, and tout yourself as an American team. Its similar to the kids that want to play Olympic sports and claim “oh my grandfather was from such and such, so I can play there” because they aren’t good enough to make the American basketball team or whatever. Like yeah, you CAN do it, but its WAY cheap.
And Americans already marginally care about the sport, starting an American team and not putting American drivers in the cars, gets about the same response as casual people with the IRL — Why should I care? And thats my point. Yes, as a team they can put whoever they want behind the wheel. But if they put non-Americans, especially a set of GP2 kids or slow F1 washouts, then my well wishes for Windsor and Anderson go totally out the window.
But will people care about an american guy (or girl?) racing for 20th or 21st place?
The American driver only makes sense if it is to be successful. Otherwise, in the early stages of the team development, USF1 need results, with or without a yankee at the wheel
From the Windsor interview on the podcast: USF1 are after 2 paid american drivers, but may in the first year take a driver with more F1 experience who might not be american. He also said that they aren’t trying to get a big american fan base but instead are a brand for predominantly US businesses to use in targetting advertising at the F1 markets.
Regarding the lump, if USF1 use McLaren, Brawn have to go elsewhere. In fact, how long does the agreement for McLaren to supply lumps to 3 teams last? It’s normally two teams but they got special dispensation to help Brawn. Maybe Jenson will have a Cosworth next year and they’ll go back to their usual Honda finishing positions.
Pedro DeLeRosa and 2 Merc engines to go please
I think the Brazilians officially consider Montoya an American now…he’s a chubby Nascar driver…doesn’t get more American then that. ;-)
As Mercedes are deeply in league with McLaren, that engine supply is safe, (even at the back of the field, or in the gravel). Out of the other 2 I would certainly ditch Force India especially as the 2 Brawn cars have been doing such a fantastic job this year, and are likely to do the same next year too (with the same package). But, where is the 3 pronged star? not on the front of the 2 best merc powered cars.
There is a lot of talk about US F1, what about the others, I believe Adrian Campos will do okay, but, the Manor team, well I don’t know, will they even be on the grid in 2010 (with no budget cap)? after all that is what brought them in in the first place.