multi21

So much for the statement earlier this year that at least one of their 2 drivers would be an American.... But Kyle Busch? His neck is going to break off...
Besides, why would Busch take a pay cut from NASCAR to drive for USF1. Jeff Gordon considered this years ago will Williams and came to the conclusion that he would lose millions upon millions of dollars driving for an F1 team.

As we've seen from Kimi's contract negotiations, unless your at the top of the driver line up, getting paid top $$ is difficult. After winning the WDC even Jensen Button was quoted as saying, "I'm not that expensive"....

US F1 eyes Busch for 2011
22 October 2009


While the team has yet to sign both of its drivers for 2010 the US F1 team is very keen on signing Kyle Busch for 2011. The team's sporting director, Peter Windsor, has said the team closely follows every move of Sprint Cup driver Kyle Busch.



"If he (Busch) wanted to drive for us in 2011, we'd certainly be keen on that," Windsor told USA Today. "I think there'll be a lot of speculation about that as time goes on. If I was Kyle, I'd be saying to myself, yeah, those guys all talk the talk, let's see what they do, let's see what the car's like. Let's see what the race shop is like. Fair enough. We're going to do a good job. I know when Kyle gets to see it, I'm pretty sure it'll get his pulse rate going.

"I've watched him a lot and have massive respect for him. I know people who know him very well. I believe Kyle can win a world championship in Formula One. I think he's got exactly the right talent, the right approach. I'd love to see him in a Formula One car.

"If he wants to jump in our car next year for doing some demonstrations here in the States, he's very welcome to do that."

The US F1 team drivers for 2010 will probably not be anyone from the US though. "We'll try to get the best drivers we can for sure footing in 2010, and I only say that because there are no American drivers, sadly, eligible to compete in F1 from an administrative point of view," Windsor says. "You need an F1 Super License. It's basically if you've won an international championship single-seater race, you get a Super Licence. No American has done that the last 12 months. That's not an indictment of American motorsports, it's just the way it's gone.

"There's a lot of young American talent, and sooner or later you go IRL or NASCAR. There doesn't seem to be a road into F1 for young Americans. So we'll be that team. Suddenly a young kid wins in Indy Lights, Nationwide or Trucks, now they'll think, 'US F1, I'll give those guys a ring, maybe they'll find a team I can drive for in Europe."

ltc

I'd skip Kyle Busch...unless it's strictly for sponsorship dollars...

the flyin' scotsman

Can't see it............if they cant get a super licence for 2010 how would they get one in 2011 unless KB was to race in an International open wheel series...........not likely.

Plus why would a new team upset their driver line up in only there 2nd year (2011). Surely would be better to have driver consistancy............perhaps the Sato fans can chat with Peter.

chris walrod

It is paramount they get butts in this new car with F1 experience -- simply the best driver they can afford. Good drivers can do well, great drivers can carry a bad car (to some extent anyhow).

ltc

Short term, I agree, buy an F1 driver who fits well with the team for development...there should be drivers available....Trulli would be a good fit IMHO.

Long term, I think they really need to follow some of the talent that came out of karts and into formula cars (there are Americans doing well over in England and Europe), some of whom have been mentioned and discussed already.

John H

In the US, there has to be other young talent with potential and more experience braking and turning right than Kyle Busch. How the hell could he ever hope to help with the set up of an F1 car? More wedge? Lose a spring rubber?

dp35

As a huge fan of the USF1 concept, I find this extremely disapointing. I can accept the reality of not having an American driver in 2010, but this obsession with Kyle Busch is just sad. By even mentioning Busch, NASCAR wins again. It won't happen & wouldn't work for several reasons.

There are at least 3 young American prospects (Edwards, Summerton, & Rossi) that with some help could have F1 potential. These drivers need funding to race in Europe next year and beyond. The cost of helping them along would be relatively small in an F1 team's budget. If USF1 was ever serious about having American drivers, they'd already be doing this. McLaren did this with Hamilton, Red Bull does it with numerous drivers, NASCAR teams do it, etc.

To overlook the obvious young American open wheel talents for a NASCAR star insults my intelligence.

m73m95

2 words .... Danika Patrick

dp35

And then there's this -

Wurz gives up on USF1 seat amid more rumours
Negative rumours about the health of the new USF1 team persist. Auto Motor und Sport reports that Alex Wurz, once strongly linked with a race seat in 2010, has now given up on that opportunity.

Also claimed by the magazine is that the Charlotte-based outfit wants to terminate its contract with engine supplier Cosworth, while the 60 on-site staff are currently employed only on a month-by-month basis.

Link

This is unfortunate, because it seemed like Alex Wurz would've been a great development driver.

So in one day we've learned that an experienced F1 driver that might've been a good fit for USF1 is out, and that the team has wet dreams about Kyle Busch. Progress?

J richard

Uhhh...with few exceptions the NASCAR club have to lean on sports car ringers just to turn right... The few that could are too old or flat out wouldn't fit in an f1 car. So unless JPM decides to leave the bigtop of racing this whole thing is a joke to try to engage a us racing audience. And the chances of capturing the NASCAR fan with a ferrin' series is a reach, took them years to get over Toyota...

Another reason the demise of CART sucked so bad, so US talent needs to come from karting(which just doesn't get the respect it has in ROW) or IRL or sportscars. AMLS is still looked at as eurotrash by JohnQ maybe rolex?... It's too bad we don't have a linear development series like Europe, I'd love to see guys like pat long get a shot...(que a. Wayne bashing here, but I like the guy...)

it's just tragic that in the states we get drug back to the attention that NASCAR generates to get anyone to support it.

rant over...

ew928

F1 Car of Tomorrow?


How big a cockpit opening will they need to make on the USF1 car to shoe-horn in a Montoya?
No ballast needed here.
And who'll sell engines (8 again with 2010 rules) to USF1 if not Cosworth.
Toyota? (going back to that odd Nascar obsession)

dp35

Toyota engines might actually make sense for USF1, assuming they're both in F1 in 2010.

stuttgart46

How certain is it that USF1 is a go for 2010? I know the 2009 season isn't quite over but does anybody here know how far along they are in development, etc.?

Porsche917K

Maybe it's just me but I'd rather have a competitive US team rather than a competitive driver. I wish they would find the best driver for the seat rather than focusing on an American driver.

There is a perverse part of me that would like to see a nastycar driver go to F1 and get annihilated though.

ltc

http://www.formula1.com/news/intervi.../10/10067.html

http://www.formula1.com/gallery/other/2009/430.html