Formula 1 2010 Season ###SPOILER###

Originally Posted by Jakked

U.S. sponsors aren't going to pony up the cash if there are no U.S. fans. And (I think) U.S. fans want to watch someone from the U.S., not a foreigner.

So, great. Get Vodaphone to sponsor USF1, and the rest of us will keep surfing the channels until we land on Monday Night Football.

Yeah, sponsors and US fans love to watch their guys come last, that worked great for Scott Speed.
People will tune in if there is someone successful, think Armstrong, Phelps.

Originally Posted by F1Crazy

Yeah, sponsors and US fans love to watch their guys come last, that worked great for Scott Speed.
People will tune in if there is someone successful, think Armstrong, Phelps.

You're right about Armstrong, but of course he is an American.

Phelps is also American, but shouldn't count because the only reason people know of him is the Olympics, which people were already watching before they knew who he was. And now that the Olympics are over, no one really cares about him any more, except to see whether he's been doing drugs.

So I'm sure where that leaves you. It sounds like you're agreeing with me.

The FIA announced today that Sauber gets the thirteenth grid slot for 2010.

Originally Posted by F1Crazy

They are a business operation, in the business of racing, they need to secure the money to run it, then they need the best possible people to do the job so the business continues to operate and eventually returns the investment and turns profit. It means there are only two ways they will hire the driver: he brings the money to help them run the operation or he is good and there is potential that he will place as high as possible and bring points if not wins as this is how they get their scratch from FOA. It doesn't matter what country he's from.
Would you hire an unknown driver with no sponsorship money and with no success in lower formulas?

The scouting in F1 is nothing like scouting in pro sports here, you need to make a name for yourself. US drivers with talent and success in karting need to get their asses to Europe and compete with the best, go the regular route all F1 drivers usually take.
There is no racing series here in US that will prepare you for F1, plus it's hard to get noticed. It's possible but it's up to a driver. Robert Kubica is a prime example that talent and sacrifice will eventually lead to a successful career even if you come from a country that has no racing to speak of. The only motorsports that are popular in Poland are rally and motorcycle speedway but he managed to make it.

I understand and agree in principle. But it is one thing to say USF1 wants to support US drivers (and Windsor said this many times) and then not do it. Sure, it's a business, it's about money. But F1 has a lot of emotional involvement. Don't tell me that McLaren does not try to hire British drivers if they can. Ferrari would jump on a good Italian any day of the week if he was out there. Mercedes wants a German guy in the cockpit, if possible.

Hence, my point remains that I hope they give American drivers a look, because I feel that in the long run, having an American driver will make them more successful and help F1 penetrate the US market more than bringing in some dude from that is a cash cow. How many teams have been successful with that in the past?

Originally Posted by VIZSLA

The FIA announced today that Sauber gets the thirteenth grid slot for 2010.

Great news!

Originally Posted by Jakked

You're right about Armstrong, but of course he is an American.

Phelps is also American, but shouldn't count because the only reason people know of him is the Olympics, which people were already watching before they knew who he was. And now that the Olympics are over, no one really cares about him any more, except to see whether he's been doing drugs

He is too tall and weighs too much.

Originally Posted by cwinter

I How many teams have been successful with that in the past?

It may have been the difference between being on the grid and no where, finished, capote, all gone.

Originally Posted by cwinter

Great news!

Isn't it?
Apparently they still are referred to officially as BMW-Sauber by the FIA.

I no longer have Kimi to follow in F1. Now what?

I think it will take me some time to find a new hero that I can support. I'm strong on Kubica, we are blood brothers you know, yes back a few decades we did cut our palms, both of them and pushed them together for about 5 mins.

Originally Posted by franka

I no longer have Kimi to follow in F1. Now what?

I think it will take me some time to find a new hero that I can support. I'm strong on Kubica, we are blood brothers you know, yes back a few decades we did cut our palms, both of them and pushed them together for about 5 mins ,then we can air them back to the base. Please hold for our 2 hands.

Alonso/Massa rivalry should be fun...

Originally Posted by franka

I no longer have Kimi to follow in F1. Now what?

I think it will take me some time to find a new hero that I can support. I'm strong on Kubica, we are blood brothers you know, yes back a few decades we did cut our palms, both of them and pushed them together for about 5 mins ,then we can air them back to the base. Please hold for our 2 hands.

Have you considered an F1 oriented twelve step program?

Originally Posted by franka

I no longer have Kimi to follow in F1. Now what?

Wait until 2011, when he returns to RBR.

Now on to the next question:

Will Prodrive buy Renault F1?

Originally Posted by Patrick

Now on to the next question:

Will Prodrive buy Renault F1?

Yes.
Next?

Spoonface has a meeting with the Diamler people in Stuttgart on Monday, after getting back from his US vacation.

I wonder what that is about...

Originally Posted by franka

It may have been the difference between being on the grid and no where, finished, capote, all gone.

I guess my point is that the whole "driver must bring in X million sponsor money" is largely employed by new, bottom dwelling teams and the majority of those new teams that I recall have long been gone, primarily because success was not there and no money came in.

I am saying that I'd rather have less money up front but potentially a better driver AND/or a better marketable driver to give myself a shot in the a long run than just grab money up front for a (potentially) inferior driver in hopes I can stay afloat long enough to attract a better driver and have success. It's an over simplification of course, and it is extremely difficult to start a new F1 team and have long term success. Hence, I feel with an American driver (that is good and competitive) USF1 would be better off in the long run than with some dude that brings in a few million a year in sponsor money.

Anyway, what do I know, I just watch, I am not running a team.

Originally Posted by F1Crazy

Alonso/Massa rivalry should be fun...

As long as it leads to another Alonso meltdown...

Originally Posted by cwinter

I guess my point is that the whole "driver must bring in X million sponsor money" is largely employed by new, bottom dwelling teams and the majority of those new teams that I recall have long been gone, primarily because success was not there and no money came in.

I am saying that I'd rather have less money up front but potentially a better driver AND/or a better marketable driver to give myself a shot in the a long run than just grab money up front for a (potentially) inferior driver in hopes I can stay afloat long enough to attract a better driver and have success. It's an over simplification of course, and it is extremely difficult to start a new F1 team and have long term success. Hence, I feel with an American driver (that is good and competitive) USF1 would be better off in the long run than with some dude that brings in a few million a year in sponsor money.

Anyway, what do I know, I just watch, I am not running a team.

I think that USF1 will be a new, bottom dwelling team, so no wonder they need money right away.

And the other point (again) is that there are NO GOOD US drivers that can race competitively in Formula 1. If there were, they (he/she) would already be in Formula 1.

If anything, having a US based team in Formula 1 may ultimately help this situation. As others have said, there needs to be young, US drivers competing in karting and other smaller formulas IN EUROPE. It is the only way to hone those skills and get noticed.

Originally Posted by Patrick

Spoonface has a meeting with the Diamler people in Stuttgart on Monday, after getting back from his US vacation.I wonder what that is about...

Probably nothing.

Originally Posted by cwinter

I Anyway, what do I know, I just watch, I am not running a team.

Indeed

[QUOTE=Patrick;4737708]I think that USF1 will be a new, bottom dwelling team, so no wonder they need money right away.QUOTE]

The owners are not fools. They have real money on the line.

Originally Posted by franka

The owners are not fools. They have real money on the line.

USF1 is no Toro Rosso when it comes to money.

There will be two leagues in Formula One in 2010. Those that were in the series last year, and then the new teams.

Good luck USF1.

[QUOTE=franka;4738447]

Originally Posted by Patrick

I think that USF1 will be a new, bottom dwelling team, so no wonder they need money right away.QUOTE]

The owners are not fools. They have real money on the line.

You say that as if they were mutually exclusive

Dan Gurney's All American Racers ... 1967 Belgium F1, Dan won it, they were in F1 but not for long.

http://www.allamericanracers.com/hist.html

Well, it really sounds like Spoonface is going to make a comeback...

His dad has said that he is training like a madman, and that he recently got some new neck exercising gear, specially designed for motor sports. He is not getting in shape just for nothing.

Haug (Daimler motor sports boss king) has now put off announcing their second driver until some time later. Perhaps even in January.

And as could be expected, Ecclestone is even getting involved.

Just imagine if the boss of the NFL, NBA or NHL was actively trying to get some star player to the NY Giants, NY Knicks or NY Rangers! Conflict of interest? No, more cash for Ecclestone and his train robbing croonies.

And in other news, Räikkönen has now been linked to be teammates with Sebastian Loeb in a Peugeot 908 HDi FAP for the Le Mans 24 race in June. There is a break in the WRC schedule during that time.