American F1 Team

[cy bais]

An American F1 team, you'd have to tell the drivers and crew that there will be right and left turns

[Roamy]

The trouble with running an all American team is to find sufficient American pit crew who can count to 4 to make sure that the cars all have 4 wheels on.

Of course, we could have an All Irish team, but the pit stops would be hilarious. :

What it takes us about 6 guys where it takes you guys about 12. The Irish team could be quite good especially if backed by Guiness.

[aryan]

I am no F1 expert, but I do enjoy watching F1 and am curious as to the chances we will ever see an American team participating in Formula 1. I believe that if this is at all possible, that this would increase exposure in the U.S. I think it would be difficult for both chevy and ford. But what about maybe an American Honda or American Toyota. Go ahead and tell me im off my rocker for writing all this,but have been pondering over if this could ever happen for some time and thought I would see what all the gurus have to say.

All the know-how and the engineering knowledge is in Europe, specifically in Britain. Sauber has had problems luring F1 engineers to even Switzerland. Ferrari still employs a sizable English number.

Most races are held in Europe, so the team will have to be stationed in Europe. The logistics of fielding and American F1 team just don't make sense. Today, an F1 team HAS to be in Europe, it is to its advantage if is in England, better yet if it is in Woking-Surrey area. Universities there have F1-specific mechanical engineering courses.

[call_me_andrew]

There's no way Ford and GM will fund it. They'd be quite happy with NASCAR and other national motorsports that is cost effective.

I think the petrolheads and F1 die-hards would love to see Roger Penske back. He's the only guy in America who can realistically pull it off - he could easily get a Mercedes customer engine with a click of finger! Penske has a stake in HPE, HPE was part of Ilmor, Ilmor built the Merc Indy and F1 engines. Penske never applied last time round to enter an F1 team - that went to Dave Richard's Prodrive.

Darn shame too. I can't see any American who could run an F1 team. Maybe Chip Ganassi if he really wanted to.

Interestingly I've noticed the Honda drivers had Acura decals on their helmets in Canada.

You're forgetting something important. Ford did have a F1 team recently. They were called Jaguar and they sucked. It's not that American manufacturers are limiting themselves to national motorsports, they normally just focus on one major American program and one major European program. Ford is invested in WRC and GM is invested in sports car racing.

Penske is not interested in starting a F1 team he can't devote all his time to.

I don't think Chip has that kind of money.

[truefan72]

they would have to be in it for the right reasons.
drawing more attention from the US market is a mute point. Americans are not nationalistic in terms of sports that they don't dominate. US post won 7 Toure de fRances in a row and the US masses didn't respond. Just a different sensibility that's all.

If the company is in it to make some money and establish prestige around the world ( ala spyker) then F1 would be a worthy challenge.

In that Category, I see only one company SELENE
I beleive they already have a very very fast and slick sports car and should be racing in Le Mans GT. Stepping up to F1 in a few years might be something they will consider.

[A Scotsman]

The Americans have a different attitude to motorsport... Whilst undoubtedly they're in it to make money they also just like having fun... F1 would probably bore them sh*tless.

[xtlm]

Penske would be the best bet....but I don't see him coming back.

That would be cool though....

[xtlm]

(now i read that this has been covered)

ok, if not them 2 (pen and gan) then how about hendrick&gordon banking one?

...i kid, i kid...lol

[-Helix-]

What about Dodge/Chrysler? Or do they not have a big enough global market to care about any international series?

How about Panoz? I'm guessing they're pretty busy focusing on Le Mans and they might not have the money either, but it's a possibility.

[xtlm]

What about Dodge/Chrysler? Or do they not have a big enough global market to care about any international series?

well they are daimlerchrysler now.

http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DaimlerChrysler

Benz and McLaren fit in there somewhere