USF1 -- F1's All-American Challenger

[The FOZ]

Corvette racing has dominated GT1 for years and blew away the competition at Le Mans consistently. Yet I never see any mainstream press highlighting it, much less mentioning it. it amazed me that not a single major news outlet had a picture of Dan Binks in tears after finally winning Le Mans as a crew chief. Talk about a perfect picture to get people interested. All they talk about are 'crappy' GM cars and domestics in general. It's no wonder F1 gets no coverage here. Personally I don't care. I like being the only person in my circle of friends that watches F1. Keeps me from explaining it to someone who only knows the rigged series that is NASCAR. I'm fine with having minimal coverage of F1. Keeps the idiots that think motor racing is just sitting down and driving like they do on a wide open freeway at 75mph, away from the sport and talking it down with smug remarks, elitist attitudes, and asshole generalizations.

The C6R program is a great story! The battles of recent years with Aston Martin are very newsie-friendly...and yet nobody picks it up.

Consider how much money goes into NASCAR. I fully expect the powers that be do everything in their power to make sure THAT is the racing that is seen in America, and only that.

[modbaraban]

Consider how much money goes into NASCAR. I fully expect the powers that be do everything in their power to make sure THAT is the racing that is seen in America, and only that.

But now they're in GT2 up against Ferrari, Porsche, BMW... and they do well straight away. Since GM is now backed by the government maybe they have a chance vs. NASCAR?


PS on a side (ALMS related) note: I heard Simon Pagenaud is interested in F1. USF1 anyone?

[sknguy]

I remember a comment from a sports clothing store's sales clerk a couple years ago. On one of the store's tv monitors TSN sports was reporting the results of a particular race. I was kinda zoned out to everthing else but the race report. A sales clerk started to chat me up about the race. After my explaining to the clerk where they were racing, and who and where the teams and drivers were from the clerk said "yeah it's [Formula One] kind of interesting now since they became all high-tech"

Suffice it to say, high-tech is one of formula one's most important selling points. Cutting edge, high-tech engineering manifesting in a sexy, sleek car. It's about a v8 that can rev to 18k rpm and a car that turns so quick it can take an eye out.

I think USF1 (or USGPE) and Formula One can be successful in the States if it uses its image properly, with proper marketing. You can't rely on news sportscasts alone to reach the public's interest. Unfortunately, that last time I'd seen anything about F1 on television, other than on the sports networks, was when Toyota's, Honda's, Intel's, ING's and one or two other company's commercials were advertising themselves around the F1 motif a couple years back.

You know, I'm pretty sure Joe Blow on the street doesn't know who Penske or Chip Ganassi are. But they know who Ferrari, BMW and Toyota are. And brand recognition is a foot in the door. I think USGPE really needs a recognisable brand to back them. This is where FOM should be assisting if they really are serious about exposure in the North American market.

Actually, I really don't understand what the purpose of FOM is anymore, other than collecting fees while the circuits, teams, and team sponsors are left to do all the work. Oh right, they're responsible for pulling F1 related stuff off YouTube.... Normally, I think that most brands would love that kind of exposure.

[xpensive]

I can still remember when Carl Haas entered F1 with massive sponsorship from Beatrice in the mid-80s, which ended when said sponsor realized the entire idea was misplaced.

I'm curious to learn which US corporation will see oportunities in this venture?

[The FOZ]

I can still remember when Carl Haas entered F1 with massive sponsorship from Beatrice in the mid-80s, which ended when said sponsor realized the entire idea was misplaced.

I'm curious to learn which US corporation will see oportunities in this venture?

Weren't they black-flagged first race of the season for being slow as hell?

[xpensive]

What I wanna see is Penske in the pits, with a chassis built in GB, a Mercedes engine and an American yet global sponsor.

[twostring]

I don't feel USF1 will be a successful venture in the US. I think they would need several things to line up just right to draw in US fans.

1. A GP in the US is required, but I think they should forget about trying to run it at Indy. For one, it's too easy for the layman to confuse F1 with IRL. A good portion of those watching would be asking "Where's Danica?" Two, they need an American city that can hang with the glitz of Monaco and Valencia. I would think a street course around Vegas or maybe Miami would fit the bill, but the track has to support the speeds and be safe. That said, I was really impressed with Valencia...great course. Perhaps arrange a course and event to coincide with the Summer X-Games. Rally seems to have caught on decently through this event.

2. American drivers are needed, and not just a good driver. USF1 needs at least one name brand like a Danica or Andretti, and they have to put up victories and get the media coverage.

3. "What's Cosworth?" While Cosworth engines have been used everywhere, USF1 needs to somehow lure a US manufacturer to the game or, at the very least, utilize a brand that is mostly available only in America (Acura comes to mind). People need name recognition, and having a Ford logo on a USF1 car would go a long way, and if they could tie it in with Carroll Shelby and a special edition F1 Mustang all the better.

4. The team needs recognizable sponsors. YouTube is a good start. Google would be huge, but more popular brands are needed. I would approach DC shoes to start. A TV stunt with Ken Block, Travis Pastrana and a popular US driver in the USF1 car doing something would get a lot of coverage just like their other stunts. Could you imagine a video with a US hot shoe running around in an F1 car like Ken Blocks Gymkhana video? Apple would be another great nab.

Other than that, some nitpicks and ideas. The logo is lame and I couldn't really see it moving merchandise. They would benefit from doing some kind of promotional event around the Long Beach GP, Indy 500 and Daytona 500.

So on and so forth...other ideas?

[f1-cobra]

1. I agree that we need something other than Indy to bring fans in. But about Valencia, I thought it was a boring procession with no overtaking that was only made bearable by Rubens' charge.

2. I agree.

3. I also agree and I want a special edition F1 Mustang.

4. I agree with the first three sentences. The rest, besides Apple, I've never heard of. (David Coulthard shoes )

Brand recognition, pounding it over and over into our subconscience, in the big American advertising way of selling crap we don't want or need is the only way we know how to embrace something.

[twostring]

4. I agree with the first three sentences. The rest, besides Apple, I've never heard of. (David Coulthard shoes )

Brand recognition, pounding it over and over into our subconscience, in the big American advertising way of selling crap we don't want or need is the only way we know how to embrace something.

DC Shoes is a brand of skate apparel and is also one of the main sponsors of Ken Block and Travis Pastrana in rally (mostly due to the fact that Ken Block is one of the founders of the company). It's a brand that is easily recognizable, and they've been a huge part, along with Red Bull, in promoting rally in America. Check the link below and watch his Gymkhana videos for an idea of what I'm talking about.

http://video.kenblockracing.com/flash/player/

Seeing video of a young US driver in an F1 car tearing around an old airstrip in the heartland of America would be a great promotional piece for the team and it would really sum up the main idea of the effort.

And about the brand/driver recognition...sadly, that would be the only way to get most Americans to watch F1. I'm deep in the heart of Texas, but I still get up at 0430 to watch the race live (however I also get up with the roosters to get out to the kart track before the temps reach 100+). There's a F1 fan group here, but they meet up to watch the rebroadcast later in the day.

[Terrible3]

Perhaps arrange a course and event to coincide with the Summer X-Games. Rally seems to have caught on decently through this event.

F1 is not a circus show like x-games! ESPN has lost touch with the sports they showcase, I can only imagine what would happen with F1. Location wise they have some decent tracks in the ALMS but none of those venues would be able to support F1. As much as I would love to see F1 at LS the track is too short. A road course would be interesting in vegas but I don't know if that would work.

as far as the whole Ken block thing, he understands what the average american wants to see. He is able to use cross promotion to its fullest. I dont think anyone can watch him drift under a trailer or jump with snowboarders and say its not entertaining. Can the same be applied to F1 in the us, I am not so sure. Rally works at the x-games not due to brilliant driving, its more to due with the cars jumping that massive jump. I don't think road racing is appreciated enough on a wide scale down there. Sure the 12h of sebring does very well but pails in comparison to any oval nascar race. Yes INDY has survived but when the top news story and draw for the fans is some fit woman driver and not the racing.

[speedsense]

For those of you who don't know, Ken Anderson is the reason that auto racing has adjustable/revalvable shocks when he took an off road motorcyle shock and headed into auto road racing in 1982 (Fox shocks). He was the orginal engineer for Penske's shock program before becoming involved in building chassis' for Indy Car.
Ken isn't someone who just fell off the engineering block, and though this is F1 and the height of racing engineering, he will surround himself with the most knowledge people in racing and that will include ex-F1 people.
Need I remind, that most of the technology geared towards testing and measuring, simulation and design had it's birth in the USA and has progressed since. Though most of it is now produced else where and even designed outside of the USA, the USA has been using the technology before it made it's way over the pond.
The city of Charlotte, and it's racing community does rival the british in availiable racing technology and may even surpass the technology level availiable. In the states, we have a food chain called Dominios Pizza, and they deliver in 30 minutes or the pizza's free. In Charlotte, the race parts you order are there in 30 minutes or they are free . (not really, but the availiablity is a stone's throw away.)
It's interesting that NASCAR is regarded as the popular series (and it is) in the states, though CART was just as popular in scale up until 1996 (separation point). Yet, the most watched series by NASCAR driver's is F1. Just the association of the driver's will steer a number of fans to take interest in an American team.
Surely it will take a while, as with any new team, but if India and Japan can do it don't count out a US team.

[twostring]

F1 is not a circus show like x-games...

as far as the whole Ken block thing...

I agree with everything you stated, but I have to try and balance my sensibilities. On one hand, I race on a dingy little track out in the middle of a bunch of farms with a group of very dedicated racers. I can look at what we do out there and call it "pure" for many reasons. On the other side, I understand business and what it takes to be successful from a promotional perspective. I would love nothing more than the average Joe Schlum to be in love with real racing as much as I am, but without the "entertainment" side of things, the majority simply don't care.

As far as the Vegas race...I was thinking more along the lines of city streets. If the conditions could be improved, seeing F1 racing around the Bellagio fountains and the Luxor would make for some great images and would probably make better promotional material for the future of the sport in this country than any other venue. There might be a case for a race through Chicago, Detroit (if it wasn't the wasteland it currently is), Miami, San Francisco...the list is rather short, but that's all I can think of off the top of my head.

[Beewill]

Loeb to drive in some GP's for USF1? =D> However great this might be it won't happen. Unless, to drum up some publicity he takes what should be the young american's seat for a couple of races.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77987

[spacepig]

They showed several shots of the car in CFD on the Wind Tunnel show on Speed a couple days ago. The show clip is posted on speedtv.com

[Ray]

Apple would be another great nab.

DC shoes is a great idea for a sponsor. But Apple with their hippy BS attitude would never sponsor a racing car.