USF1 -- F1's All-American Challenger

[Pandamasque]

I'd like to see what Toro Rosso are up to as they are learning to build a car as well, but nobody seems to have a thread devoted to slandering them at every chance available.

Man, you can't just create threads and forget about them two days later.

Give them a chance, then sharpen your blades you freakin' coyotes.

It would be nice if there was room to talk about them in a positive light, but this board has unfortunately made up it's mind already.

Bigotry? Blind hate? Deserved hate and malice? What could I call it?

What? Oh I'm sorry. I though the whole USF1 thing was made up by Speed.tv as a comedy series. Made on budget (cardboard PCs etc.) but quite talented and funny none the less.

[Giblet]

I don't see how being critical of an existing team's ongoing treatment of drives has any bearing whatsoever on a whole site making fun of a new team for just starting up and being a little over exuberant.

Because there is no relation.

I posted my rant to try to understand the undercurrent of hatered towards this unproven team, vs, say, Lotus, who has not been given the gears nearly as hard.

Your answer kind of has zero insight.

[xpensive]

I am fully aware this might hurt some national feelings here and there, but anyway;

I think the whole thing was a farce from day one, like "The producers" if you wish, that video with Steve Matchett from Windsor's "office" removed my last doubts. That cheap Jim Clark poster and echo in the carpet-less room almost broke me to tears.

How I figure; Windsor was asked by SpeedTV to whip up some interest in F1 among the viewers, why he came up with this plan to launch a fake team just to have its application rejected by the FIA in June. After that, you don't have to prove anything.

Embarassingly enough, they were accepted, which only goes to show how far away from reality MrM's management of the FIA was, why SpeedTV decided to play the game, any publicity you know?
"What's 400 kUSD in application-fee anyway, to hell with it, let's have some fun with this while it lasts!"

[Giblet]

All of that makes sense as an assumption, for sure.

I saw the same video on speed, and while it was obviously contrived, I just viewed it as Windsors inability to do PR, not as the front end of a sham.

[xpensive]

And how about those CNCs in an empty shop doing no machining whatsoever, in the same video?

[Jersey Tom]

How I figure; Windsor was asked by SpeedTV to whip up some interest in F1 among the viewers, why he came up with this plan to launch a fake team just to have its application rejected by the FIA in June. After that, you don't have to prove anything.

And this theory doesn't sound the least bit... silly... to you?

I know, for a fact, that they're for real with it.

[xpensive]

The question would be which is the silliest, a sham like that or going to F1 with such an embarassing approach?

[Fil]

Because USF1 are approaching F1 in a unique way, they are an easy target vs the established European method of staying quiet, secretive and just getting on with the job.

I do hope they reach the grid, but I won't be buying their merchandise for the Aus GP in 2010.
I do believe they have an intriguing business & PR model which could fail spectacularly, or potentially revolutionise the way in which F1 teams operate, particularly with the media & public. Their media activity is a breath of fresh air, but at the same time has an amateur feel to it that begs to be ridiculed.
They just haven't developed the slick professional social media styling of McLaren & Vodafone just yet. They'll have to for their campaign to succeed.


Finally, the best way to silence the critics is on the track. The challenge is all theirs!

[czt]

My rant ends at wondering why USF1 brings out a lame ass school yard mentality among the generally intelligent population of this site.

To be fair, I think USF1 has brought a lot of it on themselves. After all the talk of it being US through and through, the first driver they are in open negotiation with is Argentine. Also, they seem to recruiting from europe if the ad in Autosport a couple of weeks ago is anything to go by - I thought all the manpower they required was on their doorstep?

I actually see where the USf1 guys are coming from, in that a US based team could hold its own in F1 - i'm just not sure this is the team.

[Pandamasque]

Your answer kind of has zero insight.

I'll try to be very serious now, although it's hardly a proper thread for this.
As xpensive posted earlier, no other team made such an effort to get mocked. Yes Malaysian Lotus is a funny idea, but they've failed to embarass themselves ever since presenting this. The only funny thing about Virgin Manor is the name and it has been discussed. The STR driver career-ruining programme is being discussed and rightfully so. What's the problem with talking about USF1 that just keeps delivering?

Because USF1 are approaching F1 in a unique way, they are an easy target....

Yup. My thoughts exactly. If one's being uniquely ridiculous - laughing out loud is a fair response. If they wanted to entertain us they've achieved! If they do turn up on the grid and then don't embarrass themselves I'll give them credit, eat a pie or something.

[gibells]

ever since presenting this.

I do hope you are joking.

[jon-mullen]

This? I don't think this thing's even legal, that rear wing looks awfully 2008. I think it's a diecast of when McL ran the 08 wing in 09 practice that was then finger painted by an 8 year old girl.

[PNSD]

The model is a 2005 Renault, or 2006. or maybe even 2007! They all looked the same, but its a Renault, and thats for sure.

[Pandamasque]

Probably they were SO proud of the livery that they had to present it on the very day the team was announced. So they used whatever they could get their hands on. A die-cast model of R26 that is. more pics/link in the old lotus thread

[Giblet]

Peter Windsor does not a team make. It is a shame that people carve and make fun of the efforts of whole group of people.

Panda.... Making fun of someone for trying is not a good reason. Why you bring up str and their drivers just cuz I posted I don't understand why you think discussing driver treatment is the same as nearly a whole site laughing at the efforts of these people.

High end cnc gear does not just churn out parts 24/7. The macines don't have to be running on a tour.

When matchett visits red bull there are nit workers running around tripping over the camera and and engine dyno running in the background.

For a techniacal site you wouldvthink that setting up all these facilities would be interesting.