Campos, USF1 shoot back at Bernie
December 22, 2009 by SJ Skid
Filed under Prime & Option, Top Story
Both the Campos and USF1 teams are denying Bernie Ecclestone’s claim that neither one will make the 2010 grid, although they seem to be doing it without much fireworks.
The BBC has the response:
US F1 team boss Peter Windsor told BBC Sport: “I’m surprised Bernie said that. We will be there. We’re in good shape.”
Campos owner Adrian Campos said: “My opinion is Bernie does not have all the information. We are working very hard.”
[snip]
“We are now very close to a title sponsor and a second driver,” Adrian Campos told BBC Sport.
“We will be there – otherwise we lose everything.”
Campos team principal Daniele Audetto added: “The car is almost ready. We are not in a situation where we cannot race.”
Windsor, who is US F1’s co-owner with former Ligier technical director Ken Anderson, insisted his team were also on track.
“Everything is going well and we are looking forward to the year,” Windsor said.
“We’ve just finished the chassis and are now in the hands of (engine suppliers) Cosworth.”
US F1 are constructing the car at their base in Charlotte, North Carolina but Windsor said that the team did not yet have a deadline for completion.
[snip]
“We are trying to find the best drivers we can; there’s no rush,” said Windsor, a former team manager with Williams.
“We have no date [for car completion]. It’s difficult to predict when that date would be.
“However, there will be a moment when we announce the drivers at the factory and that will be some time towards late January.”
[snip]
Cosworth commercial director Mark Gallagher told BBC Sport the five teams were at different stages in their development but insisted all of them were pushing ahead.
“We’ve been working with the four new teams for six months and have only seen signs that they are preparing for F1,” Gallagher said.
“There is no indication that operationally there are any issues.”
We can figure that Windsor is happy for the free press, which his outfit didn’t have to manufacture on its own.
Does a late January announcement on drivers seem a bit late, though?
The most significant statement is probably from Cosworth. While the engine manufacturer has reason to paint a rosy picture, it is a bit more of a third-party validator.
It’s hard to believe Campos is in trouble, really, isn’t it? With Bruno Senna signed?
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come on USF1, make some noise, announce something, anything … well anything other where you’re getting the Navi bones(carbon fiber)from. yawn.
It seems every other team has something to crow about now. Saying nothing isn’t “bringing America to F1″ it’s quite …. Anti-American. CCCPF1!
Announce Something.
The reticence from USF1 has me concerned. IF they were in good shape and confident, they would be making PR moves and being open like Lotus. The lack of “transparency” which they claimed was going to be their hallmark has me worried and suppose Bernie as well.
Lets run a story on how we should be worried about some of the other teams…like Toro Rosso. They have to build their car from scratch themselves this year, and there hasn’t been any word on them either. Just because teams are quiet..doesn’t mean nothing is going on.
“We have no date [for car completion]. It’s difficult to predict when that date would be.”
Well it better be before the 12 of March. Because there is something called A RACE!
For Christ sake want kind of answer was that? And some day the sun will explode. It’s difficult to predict when that date would be. Will your car be ready by then?
don’t know what to think,or who to believe,but the time to put up or shut down is approaching fast,would hate for bernie to be right on this
“We will be there”. “We are in good shape”. “Everything is going well”. I’m afraid these are all phrases directly out of the Simon Gillett School Of Optimism. Like BCE, I think the lack of any real news gives USofF1 a lack of credibility. I think Campos are more likely to be OK – not least because of the sponsorship and media interest which comes on the back of the Senna name.
Campos is built by Dallara, a big factory who build Indycar, gp2, f3, and grand am cars. Dallara has built scuderia italia f1 in the ninety’s , they have skills and technologies to build a good and safe f1, surely not a winning car as Gianpaolo Dallara himself said on the italian press but they have a good basis to grow from the back of the grid till the midfield position. The only problem and the biggest for campos in money to pay dallara’s car, so if they don’t find the entire coverage they could not beon the grid. USF1 is a mistery, really nobody knows not only if there is the money (you tube is paying?) but mainly technically there is nothing sure, i really appreciate the cartoons on you tube about it, they describes perfectly my doubts about this team..