NaroEscape

OK, ever the eternal optimist here....

Lets say it's a good thing. We all know they had no chance to be competitive this year. Heck, I couldn't get a 914 race ready in 9 months, forget about anything rivaling a F1 car. So, hopefully they can re-group, take their time, do proper design, testing, get sponsors, etc. and be ready for 2011. This whole thing was way too rushed anyway. When you rush, you miss things - like reality....

ilko

OK, sorry to rain on your optimistic parade but...

USF1 had more time to build their 2010 car than anyone else If they couldn't do it for this year, they are toast. It's not like there is a line of sponsors waiting at their front door... They had more than enough time to pull it off. I don't think the problem was rushing it, but like most failures it was a overly optimistic and in retrospect, bad, business model.

M758

This a classic problem,
Sponsors are hard to come by and wait it now. They pay $$$ in mid 2009 to develop a car and want it racing 2010. So the team as to tell the world they can. If they tell the sponsor no racing till 2011 then the sponsor pulls out. No money = no car.

So you can't get money unless you race, However you can't race until you get money.

NaroEscape

Oh, I agree, bad business model, and bad management, and bad.... point is, now you have a design (presumably) and the start of a car. You spend most of 2010 securing sponsors and getting the Model back in line. If this year is like every other F1 year, top talent will be fired, quit due to bruised egos, etc. There should be someone out there that can take the reigns and move it forward, and possibly bring some $$ along.

Flying Finn

+1

Seeing those cinder block "offices" with some guy moving AutoCAD 3d model of some piece months and months ago didn't impress and give hope that they can do this no matter how much they tried to make it sound like they can.
Instead, it was sad & disappointing to see and gave confirmation to doubts I had...

The whole "all US", "Charlotte based is a good thing", "doing things differently than others do it and it's a good thing" never sounded too convincing. In fact, the opposite.

****.

NaroEscape

Interesting how this is posted on Autosport just yesterday:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81533


Lopez would welcome Valles at US F1

By Pablo Elizalde Tuesday, February 16th 2010, 11:24 GMT


Jose Maria Lopez says he would welcome Adrian Valles as his team-mate at the US F1 team, the Spaniard having been linked with the drive earlier this month.

Argentinean Lopez is the only driver confirmed at the American squad, who is facing a race against time to make it to the first race in Bahrain next month.

Lopez reckons Valles, who won the Superleague championship with Liverpool last year, would be a strong team-mate.

"I would very much like to have Adrian as a team-mate for a lot of reasons," Lopez told Spanish daily Marca.

"First, he is young, talented and with a lot of experience. Second, because I know him from the time when we were together in the Renault development programme."

He added: "It's hard to talk about another driver. A lot of times they have to be judged by the car they are driving or by the team with which they have been, but Adrian has done well in all the categories he has been in, and that shows he is a talented driver."

Although US F1 looks set to miss all the European pre-season tests, Lopez believes joining a new team was still a good decision.

"Of course it's worth it," he said. "I've fought a lot to achieve this and I've been through a lot of things. It's a chance to return to the top category in motorsport.

"I'm going to give 100 per cent to stay in Formula 1."

Sean F

follow the money - mr. youtube is gone...USF1 is toast

dp35

I'd been telling myself that because of their obvious support & hope for the project, SpeedTV would be the last to pile on USF1 or report on its demise. Now we have this report on SpeedTV's website. Not good.

Ed Hughes

From Autoweek:

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20100217/FREE/100219906

ilko

Here's an oldie but a goodie

smlporsche

Maybe ad GR to that list...

I wonder if Windsor will try to get his old job back w/ SPEED? Now that would be a little awkward...

ilko

All you haters are going to eat crow now. USF1 just unveiled the finished car. It's got some mad aero yo!

First official photo:

Ray S

[QUOTE=Flying Finn;7321257
The whole "all US", "Charlotte based is a good thing", "doing things differently than others do it and it's a good thing" never sounded too convincing. In fact, the opposite.

****.[/QUOTE]

I don't think the Charlotte thing did them in. It sounds like bad management and not enough $$$$ plain and simple.

theporscheguy

A sad state of affairs. The Autoweek article notes that Speed already has a replacement for Windsor so that option may be gone as well.

Flying Finn

Of course not but the whole attitude they had, that it was going to be "all US", "by making it in Charlotte, they can do it cheaper & better", "we don't need outside help" etc. IMO was a wrong attitude and showed arrogance.