USGP says no to pay-drives

[hairyben]

planetF1 said:

USF1 says no to pay drivers
Saturday 8th August 2009

USF1 co-owner Peter Windsor says his team has already been approached by two drivers willing to pay for a chance at F1, but turned them both down.

USF1 is one of three new teams that will line-up on the grid next season and the team is already attracting attention from drivers around the world seeking a move into Formula One.

But with the team adamant that they want American drivers, USF1 is already turning away hopefuls, even those willing to pay a staggering amount to race in F1.

"We've been offered well over three-quarters of our racing budget by two drivers already, neither of whom have raced in Formula One but both have won races in GP2," Windsor told Sports Illustrated..

"Both of them have massive sponsorship they can bring us from their home country. Ken and I have got to be very strong, look one another in the eye and say, 'No, we're not gong to accept that money, we're not going to hire those guys because we're going to remain true to our convictions.'

"This team is about helping young Americans (drivers) as much as it is about anything else. But it is tempting when you see all this money dangled in front of you to take it and decide the first year we'll run two guys who aren't Americans."

So are we gonna speculate who?

I say piquet jnr's gotta be one.

[mchammer89]

hairyben said:

planetF1 said:

USF1 says no to pay drivers
Saturday 8th August 2009

USF1 co-owner Peter Windsor says his team has already been approached by two drivers willing to pay for a chance at F1, but turned them both down.

USF1 is one of three new teams that will line-up on the grid next season and the team is already attracting attention from drivers around the world seeking a move into Formula One.

But with the team adamant that they want American drivers, USF1 is already turning away hopefuls, even those willing to pay a staggering amount to race in F1.

"We've been offered well over three-quarters of our racing budget by two drivers already, neither of whom have raced in Formula One but both have won races in GP2," Windsor told Sports Illustrated..

"Both of them have massive sponsorship they can bring us from their home country. Ken and I have got to be very strong, look one another in the eye and say, 'No, we're not gong to accept that money, we're not going to hire those guys because we're going to remain true to our convictions.'

"This team is about helping young Americans (drivers) as much as it is about anything else. But it is tempting when you see all this money dangled in front of you to take it and decide the first year we'll run two guys who aren't Americans."

So are we gonna speculate who?

I say piquet jnr's gotta be one.

Ahem

[FunkyNige]

mchammer89 said:

planetF1 said:

[b]But with the team adamant that they want American drivers

But it is tempting when you see all this money dangled in front of you to take it and decide the first year we'll run two guys who aren't Americans." [/b]

Ahem

Ahem ahem

[mchammer89]

FunkyNige said:

mchammer89 said:

planetF1 said:

[b]But with the team adamant that they want American drivers

But it is tempting when you see all this money dangled in front of you to take it and decide the first year we'll run two guys who aren't Americans." [/b]

Ahem

Ahem ahem

[hairyben]

idiot said:

neither of whom have raced in Formula One but both have won races in GP2,

oops, not piquet then.

So who're the rich kids who want to play F1?

[Gold]

hairyben said:

idiot said:

neither of whom have raced in Formula One but both have won races in GP2,

oops, not piquet then.

So who're the rich kids who want to play F1?

From wikipedia in order of wins in GP2:

Giorgio Pantano
Timo Glock
Lewis Hamilton
Nico Rosberg
Adam Carroll
Lucas Di Grassi
Heikki Kovalainen
Nelson Piquet Jr.
Romain Grosjean (presuming he gets the Renault drive)
Pastor Maldonado
Gianmaria Bruni
Nico Hülkenberg
Vitaly Petrov
Alexandre Prémat
Bruno Senna (probably will get a drive without paying anyway)
Javier Villa
Sébastien Buemi
Karun Chandhok
Neel Jani
Nicolas Lapierre
Oliver Pla
Ernesto Viso
Andreas Zuber
Michael Ammermüller
Mike Conway
Luca Filippi
Kamui Kobayashi
José María López
Edoardo Mortara
Álvaro Parente
Clivio Piccione
Alberto Valerio
Davide Valsecchi
Giedo van der Garde

[StevenJJ]

Pantano has raced with Jordan

Giorgio Pantano
Timo Glock
Lewis Hamilton
Nico Rosberg
Adam Carroll
Lucas Di Grassi
Heikki Kovalainen
Nelson Piquet Jr.
Romain Grosjean (presuming he gets the Renault drive)
Pastor Maldonado
Gianmaria Bruni
Nico Hülkenberg
Vitaly Petrov
Alexandre Prémat
Bruno Senna (probably will get a drive without paying anyway)
Javier Villa
Sébastien Buemi
Karun Chandhok
Neel Jani
Nicolas Lapierre
Oliver Pla
Ernesto Viso
Andreas Zuber
Michael Ammermüller
Mike Conway
Luca Filippi
Kamui Kobayashi
José María López
Edoardo Mortara
Álvaro Parente
Clivio Piccione
Alberto Valerio
Davide Valsecchi
Giedo van der Garde

Edited by StevenJJ on Saturday 8th August 19:57

[EDLT]

Are there any American drivers up to F1 standards? Scott Speed is the only one I can think of who has made it recently.

[DSM2]

EDLT said:

Are there any American drivers up to F1 standards? Scott Speed is the only one I can think of who has made it recently.

There's a contradiction - 'drivers who are up to F1 standard' and Scott Speed.

In answer to your question, probably not.

[stifler]

StevenJJ said:

Pantano has raced with Jordan
Gianmaria Bruni has raced with Minardi
Giorgio Pantano
Timo Glock
Lewis Hamilton
Nico Rosberg
Adam Carroll
Lucas Di Grassi
Heikki Kovalainen
Nelson Piquet Jr.
Romain Grosjean (presuming he gets the Renault drive)
Pastor Maldonado
Gianmaria Bruni
Nico Hülkenberg
Vitaly Petrov
Alexandre Prémat
Bruno Senna (probably will get a drive without paying anyway)
Javier Villa
Sébastien Buemi
Karun Chandhok
Neel Jani
Nicolas Lapierre
Oliver Pla
Ernesto Viso
Andreas Zuber
Michael Ammermüller
Mike Conway
Luca Filippi
Kamui Kobayashi
José María López
Edoardo Mortara
Álvaro Parente
Clivio Piccione
Alberto Valerio
Davide Valsecchi
Giedo van der Garde

Edited by StevenJJ on Saturday 8th August 19:57

[llewop]

EDLT said:

Are there any American drivers up to F1 standards? Scott Speed is the only one I can think of who has made it recently.

I think they are really going to struggle to find someone that fits their requirement but also has the experience etc to be able to get a super license.

If they are dismissing the idea of someone like Danica (currently the top American in IRL!) then their target is clearly either an IRL/Nascar also-ran or someone coming through the lower series. For their sake, you'd hope Peter Windsor has enough sense to hire an experienced F1 driver as tester - otherwise they will be so off beam it won't be funny!

[Jungles]

PlanetF1 said:

But with the team adamant that they want American drivers

Good luck to them!

Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti are the only two drivers who will fit the Superlicense requirement for next season.

Edited by Jungles on Sunday 9th August 07:44

[stevesingo]

I can't help but think that this will turn in to an expensive and embarrassing exercise for USGP. Going in to F1 as a new team without an experienced driver as a benchmark is plain stupid!

Steve

[grahamdance]

Tony Stewart? I doubt they could build a car big enough to accommodate him...

[hairyben]

stevesingo said:

I can't help but think that this will turn in to an expensive and embarrassing exercise for USGP. Going in to F1 as a new team without an experienced driver as a benchmark is plain stupid!

Steve

They were pretty much destined to be an embarassment from their first ever press release in my opinion, the one claiming "90% (IIRC) of F1 car technology comes from the US anyway"!! Wanting two good ole' boys instead of getting a current experienced driver who can tell them where the is lacking with respect to the competician seems appropriate!

[hornet]

Jungles said:

PlanetF1 said:

But with the team adamant that they want American drivers

Good luck to them!

Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti are the only two drivers who will fit the Superlicense requirement for next season.

Edited by Jungles on Sunday 9th August 07:44

What about Graham Rahal?

Danica is hardly setting the ICS road course races on fire currently...think she'd be a disaster in F1 to be honest.

[Jungles]

Graham Rahal was 17th last year and running 9th this year. He needs to finish this year in the top six, or the chances of him getting a Superlicense is almost zero.

I'd say Rahal is the smarter choice for road courses, but in terms of regulatory requirements, he doesn't quite fit.

[Rude-boy]

Marco Andretti will be at the top of their wish list I would expect with Danica not far behind. As said though whilst both have their flashes neither is the finished article.

If they are insistent on having a couple of Americans in the car they could do a lot worst than Scott Speed. Granted he isn't going to set the World alight himself but at least has some recent experience of how things work.

[Adamantium]

I know Montoya isn't North American! but could he be looking at a comeback?

I don't keep an eye on american racing much but sure;y they have some talented drivers capable? Castroneves & Franchitti seems to be brought up a lot in some bits I've seen, what about the guy who was Bordais main rival in CART?

Danica Patrick, didn't she test in F1 and have a pretty bad run?

i would say comparing drivers in Indy to F1 should be pretty difficult as they dotn tend to race on circuits do they? and the cars are a different character altogether? one being lightweight high down force and circuits to another being much more heavyweight lower down force oval and open circuits?

[Corpulent Tosser]

hairyben said:

idiot said:

neither of whom have raced in Formula One but both have won races in GP2,

oops, not piquet then.

So who're the rich kids who want to play F1?

Could still be Piquet, they did say hadn't RACED in F1, as opposed to hadn't driven in F1