Interesting explanation of the USF1 withdrawal from SPEED
March 15, 2010 by vmr
Filed under People & Events
True, we’re all quite tired of hearing about the debacle that USF1 became, but there is still talk (from Jean Todt, no less) that the team might be brought before the WMSC for violating the Concorde Agreement. Of course, the same was said about Toyota after their departure last season, so the likelihood of actual penalization is low.
Also important is the coverage of the team’s departure from the grid. Obviously, this weekend’s race coverage had to explain the USF1 situation to the more casual viewers who do not follow Formula1 in the off-season. Here in the States, we watch F1 on SPEED channel, home to the excellent and entertaining color commentary team of Bob Varsha, David Hobbs, and Steve Matchett and last season’s grid reporter, Peter Windsor. Both Windsor’s absence from the SPEED team and USF1′s absence from the grid had to be explained, as his position as one of the team’s owners was touted quite often late last season. Bob Varsha did the honors, explaining first in the second practice coverage on Friday and again, with nearly the same language, during the half hour pre-race show Sunday morning, along with another mention during qualifying on Saturday, just why USF1 wasn’t on the track in the 2010 season opener.
It is this explanation that has drawn some comments (from me and others I have spoken to). It began quite well, explaining that the team had money troubles, couldn’t produce a car in time, and that Windsor had mentioned to his old friends/colleagues on the SPEED team that the FIA had asked that the involved parties not discuss anything about the situation until it was sorted. Then, Varsha continued (both on Friday and Sunday, and also possibly during qualifying), in a statement that was usually overlaid with footage of the new teams running, suggesting that we, the fans and viewers, should not be too harsh on USF1 since, they and they alone of the new teams, were actually constructors as the spirit of the rules indicated teams should be.
Instead, he indicated during the SPEED broadcasts, these new teams actually racing this weekend were consumer teams who bought their parts and chassis and engines from other sources instead of building them themselves. The coverage went nearly to the point of denigration of Lotus, Virgin Racing, and HRT, in favor of the mountain USF1 attempted to climb and failed.
Do we wish USF1 had succeeded? Of course [anyone else sick of me typing that question and answer? Still, I want to remind you that I wish I could have held the position of USF1's biggest cheerleader, but I poke those I love with sticks to show my appreciation. As Grace says "yelling = hugs."]. Still, the explanation seemed to be a bit much, in the wake of what happened. I understand that Windsor used to work at SPEED. I understand that the USF1 and SPEED headquarters were/are practically next door in Charlotte, North Carolina. I really understand wanting to be certain that the coverage of USF1 was not too harsh. But, the favor seemed to be returned in harsh coverage on the new teams that actually made the grid, constructor or consumer teams or not. As a reminder, from it’s inception until this season Toro Rosso was a “consumer” team.
In the end, we won’t know why what was said was said that way. It could have been the SPEED F1 coverage team’s decision and writing, a producer’s, an intern’s, or word from SPEED on high. It reminds me of the casual drop-in that Campos (now HRT) would not make Bahrain, either, when the USF1 deferral request was first made known. For those who were able to watch the SPEED coverage, what did you make of those explanations? For those that couldn’t, I have as faithfully as possible relayed the explanation. What do you think?
What nonsense. Don’t be harsh on USF1 because the other new teams had the common sense to buy their gearboxes from a specialist manufacturer? And as for USF1 doing everything all by themselves, a quick browse of the team’s partners shows that that isn’t true anyway.
I chose to watch the BBC broadcast, for which there was zero mention of USF1.
But, yeah, Vasha seemed to go a little far in excusing away USF1′s failure. But, hey, what do you expect SpeedTV and him to do? I’m sure they all still have a good relatinoship with Windsor.
Who did Lotus and Virgin buy their cars from? Stephan bought the Toyota and HRT bought theirs from Dallara, but I thought the other 2 were home grown. Wasn’t the Virgin an all in house CFD affair which explained why its wings kept falling on in preseason practice?
The only sense in which Virgin can be said to be consumers is that Richard Branson bought Manor Motorsport. However, even that is an extremely weak claim.
It amazes me how far USF1 is going to dig themselves into a hole. Not only did they turn their own efforts into a complete joke, they now make totally unfounded criticisms of the teams who at least managed to get a car to the grid.
Correct me if I’m wrong, the rules of F1 effectively say you must have a car that is unique to your team. There is nothing wrong with employing someone like Dallara to do it, provided they provide that car to you exclusively.
I hope that SpeedTV learns that there is a price to pay when they under-report a story because a friend is involved. I am a little upset at Varsha for using friendship as an excuse to not do his job. Also, Steve Matchett should of truthfully articulated what his facial expressions told us when he toured the USF1 factory.
As a person that worked at newspapers, I find there are some serious ethical issues at play here. Put it this way. If I protected and cheerleaded a story in a newspapers like the SpeedTV F1 team did with USF1, I would be fired for it. Half the stuff that came from the network seemed like free infomericals and commericals for the team.
It comes down to the fact that the SpeedTV team are good commentators, but terrible reporters. The only person on the SpeedTV site that was pretty honest about what was going on at USF1 was Adam Cooper. Even his stories were buried on the site and appeared almost exclusively on his blog.
I still like the SpeedTV team, however I don’t trust them like a used to. At least they didn’t bring back Peter.
For me it wasn’t a problem since as you pointed out, I never considered them to be “reporters, just commentators. I have no more an expectation of journalism standards from them then I would the Monday Night Football commentating crew. Speed does have some good reporters, but they aren’t calling the races.
On another SpeedTV issue, I have a question. As I have no access to SpeedTV, I download the SpeedTV video podcasts to get a feel for what Bob and the boys think of each day. On the Friday, the video podcast included footage of the cars on track. However on Saturday and Sunday they do not include the footage. They instead view it themselves on a screen located behind the camera. The viewer can hear the sound but can’t see the footage. Instead the viewer is left watching Bob and the boys watching parts of the race and commenting on some parts with moments of silence and facial expressions. I wonder did FOM intervene after Fridays podcast and remind SpeedTV they cannot distribute this video on the Internet. I wish they could react that fast to the current F1 problems!
Fortunately in Canada they decided to blackout Speed’s coverage which left me with no choice but to cut my cable service and instead rely on the BBC feeds over the net;) But the explanation doesn’t sound anything more outrageous than those coming from Ken Anderson himself. Actually are you sure that wasn’t Ken talking? Saw somewhere that it’s full steam ahead for 2011 according to KA, no details though on whether he’s talking about the car or the toaster…
Actually Varsha SLAMMED the door on Windsor when he announced “Windsor’s permanent replacement…”
Remember earlier he said they had left the door open for Windsor later in the year?
All in all Speed was right about HRT, they didn’t really make it to Bahrain.
Speed forced themselves into an ugly position by cozying up to USF1 when the team was announced. At his point I’m over the USF1 thing for one reason. I don’t believe Virgin and HRT will be around at the end of the season. As of right now both are under financed and have cars that are not so good. With the lack of testing they will have no ability to improve the car enough to attract more sponsors or better drivers in the case of HRT. So in the end USF1 will not be the “team that failed” they will be “the team that failed the most”
could be me,but for some reason i think usf1 might not be dead,i think they will be there in 2011,but will not be called usf1
SPEED had a financial interest in USF1 doing well. If they can raise their ratings, they make more $$$. I’m sure they were counting on a boost in the ratings from USF1 being there. If Americans are pissed about USF1 failing and quit watching F1 because of it, SPEED loses $$$. I’m sure they’ll be cheering Ken and Peter on, in the hope that the FIA approve their entry again for next year.
That said, Varsha appears to have his lips wrapped around a certain appendage of Windsor’s, and it doesn’t look good…
Nothing but sour grapes.
First off I would like to say that the times that I have heard the Speed “commentary team of Bob Varsha, David Hobbs, and Steve Matchett and last season’s grid reporter, Peter Windsor.” has been nothing but total rubbish.
Plain and boring come to mind. Then comes all the adverts!
How far did the USF1 team come to putting a car on the grid?
The only thing we have to go by is their posts on their site which would show only a nose being built.
What happened to the open communication that the team said they would bring the fans? Or should I say, fan?
It was a bunch of friends sticking up for one of their own.
However you want to look at the explanation it does not change the end result here…there is no USF1…they could not make the grid….we have seen this before with teams like Lola…back in the day. It happens…money…sponsors…money…money
I have seen allot of negative comments made about the USF1 team, that’s ok, I know the team will do everything to corporate with the FIA and FOM. The team would like to make the 2011 grid along side Stafan GP. The USF1 team have set aside there plans and are awaiting the outcome from the FIA. I do believe that any course of action handed down by the FIA will be accepted with professionalism from the USF1 team. The team wants to work with the FIA & FOM any way they can. Formula 1 business is the top auto racing sport in the world. To be in the F1 business is like being royal family, Must hold you head high and have no problems in this business. But sometimes things get out of control in any business. I will always have the teams back no matter what the outcome is.
Well, the only good thing about Speed coverage used to be Peter’s grid reporting pre-race. Matchett’s occasional tech piece was also interesting. I used to watch Speed for the pre-race show then go to the BBC feed for the race. Now my options are limited. USF1 was clearly not going to make it. It was obvious from the first announcement, to the first factory pics, to the launch of their website. Sad but true. Andretti had it right in his comment in Bahrain. Disgraceful.
Bob Varsha has been an apologist for USF1 from day one. He supported thier bullshit claims, and the empty shop floor interviews. I thought the guy was better than that – I was wrong. Love the shots he took at new teams that actually showed up to race in Bahrain. Put Varsha down as a co-conspirator.
By the way – the new pit lane guy was useless.
Yeah, this is ALL about money. The ‘rumors’ of mis-managment are a case in point. You’d be amazed how much better managers are when there’s enough money to actually pay the employees and buy the necessary parts. (Duh)
As for Varsha’s favoritism, its more than excusable. He knows they would have come up with a really innovative car, worthy of an all American effort. HRT has a Dallara chassis, a worthy adversary for F1 competition, and Lotus and Virgin both are being built in existing shops.
As I watched the new teams it was excruciating to see them running slower than the GP2 cars. I’m not sure that would have served USF1′s purposes. After all they need to attract big American sponsors and drivers, and they can’t do it from the back. I’m not so sure these other teams will make it to the end of the season. Even Virgin is looking for cash!
We can hope USF1 will pull it together for next year. Again it’s just a matter of money, and surely some bored silicon valley billionaire would enjoy owning an F1 team?
Speed acted like the PR wing for Falcon F1 (read up about the Anderson Indy history, which is an interesting parallel) and that was shabby journalism. It was very problematic to me to see the Speed journos involved in USF1 video releases. You can only get away with that in a niche sport with a niche-size fanbase. I mean, would NASCAR fans think it strange if Fox’s crew promoted one new team? Ditto NBA, MLB, or NFL. They crossed the line and only got away with it because F1′s too small fry right now for enough people to care and make it a cause.
That being said, Falcon F1 was so painfully quiet that what little emerged through Speed passed for team news, even if it sounded like a politician trying to turn things around and not resign after some scandal. What finally killed them, it seems to me, is when a little too much truth got to Autosport that one week. Query whether the Falcon demise would have been faster if Speed had gone full contact instead of treating them like a QB in a no-contact drill.
I don’t see a return for Falcon in any form. My sense of why sanctions are being left on the table is to discourage them from repeating the very sort of zombie undead team act we just witnessed for months. I think they might be open to elements of the team demonstrating their bona fides — say, Hurley backing a team with cash — but the same bunch getting another try? Nope. I think the “we’ll consider new teams for 2011″ was intended more to shut up Stefan for a few months and encourage others, than to give Falcon any hope.