Just because nothing is happening on track during Formula One’s annual summer vacation, doesn’t mean the sport has shut down entirely. The factories may be forced to shut down for two weeks during the four weeks between races but drivers and team principals are in the midst of the annual silly season spin cycle. Rumours are abound of drivers returning, switching teams, and moving up into F1. Not to mention the renewed feud between Ferrari and Williams. Continue reading
USF1
USF1 Launches in NASCAR Country
In what might be one of the most unlikely stories in Formula 1 history, a member of the press and a shock specialist are starting a U.S.-based F1 team. More interestingly, this team will be based out of NASCAR country in North Carolina with a testing base in Europe and using (ideally for the team) two American drivers to pilot the cars.
The men in charge are Peter Windsor (Speed Channel reporter, F1 interview room questioner, former Williams team manager) and Ken Anderson (former CART team manager, wind tunnel designer, Indycar designer). Their plan is to create what they call a “Skunkworks.” This name comes from the special ops division of Lockheed Martin which was staffed by the best of the best. By taking this approach and with all the cost cutting measures that the FIA have imposed on F1, they believe they will have a competitive team in a few years for a budget of around $100 million. But can this actually work as well as they hope? Continue reading
The Lowdown 