Found this on a link from FLD which lead me to http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/080616154123.shtml

Following Super Aguri's demise, Honda may soon have another satellite Formula One team up and racing.

Reports from Portugal claim that Ken Anderson, a well-known US engineer who has worked in prominent F1 roles, is in promising talks about setting up an American outfit.

The reports said that while nothing is guaranteed, the Honda-powered team could be ready to debut as soon as 2009.

Anderson was reportedly a Honda guest throughout the recent Montreal race weekend, meeting with team chiefs Ross Brawn and Nick Fry.

None of the parties wanted to comment, but sources close to Honda have apparently said that the Japanese manufacturer is ready to sell engines, gearboxes and KERS systems to the new team.

Anderson is said to be meeting with F1 Chief Executive Bernie Ecclestone in London this week.


The US outfit would be assisted by Honda's North American arm, as well as several backers from within the US, while Takuma Sato is favourite for the lead cockpit.

Portugal's Alvaro Parente, who made his F1 test debut in January as a prize for winning the 2007 World Series by Renault, was mentioned as a possibility for the other seat.

The reports said Anderson's F1 team could be announced officially in mid-summer.


What do you guys/girls think?

It sounds like a good idea.

I somehow feel it would be Acura who runs the team.

I am not saying for definate it will be acura, but it seems logical to me.

If a Japanese or Portugese man is driving a Japanese designed car...how is it an American team?

By the way, are there any American drivers in F1? Now follow that up with are there any American drivers that are any good in F1?

I know Kyle Busch wanted to try out for an F1 team...but he drives Nascar and I just don't quite think he's going to be F1 material considering that even fairly dominant Indy and Champ Car drivers have had quite a tough time transistioning to F1. Even Sebastian Bordais had kind of a tough time making the leap and he was a Champ Car GOD!

If a Japanese or Portugese man is driving a Japanese designed car...how is it an American team?

By the way, are there any American drivers in F1? Now follow that up with are there any American drivers that are any good in F1?

I know Kyle Busch wanted to try out for an F1 team...but he drives Nascar and I just don't quite think he's going to be F1 material considering that even fairly dominant Indy and Champ Car drivers have had quite a tough time transistioning to F1. Even Sebastian Bordais had kind of a tough time making the leap and he was a Champ Car GOD!

The last American driver we had in F1 was Scott Speed who got the boot and was replaced by either Bordais or Vettel.

Hypothetically if anyone wanted to make an American F1 team some people that come to mind for drivers are Marco Andretti and Graham Rahal.

Well if they need a good American driver for this team, I'd be happy to do it.

Really though.

I hope this happens, a Honda powered team is quite fine by me.

Well if they need a good American driver for this team, I'd be happy to do it.

Really though.

I hope this happens, a Honda powered team is quite fine by me.

You'd have to hook me up with a pit pass or maybe a special guest of the team.

I'm fine with the American team being powered by Honda they (Honda) have been in the U.S. for quite some time 30+ years.

Imagine the backing manufacture being Chevy, Dodge, or Ford. That would truly make it American.

I like the idea, and maybe it will get a race back in the US.

Hell if Panoz can make a sweet and sexy as hell champ car there is odds are that they could PROBABLY make an F1 car.

It probably wouldn't be any good for at least a few years, but at least it would be UHMAREUHKAN! I think it would kick total ass...espcially if they were to have ME as their driver...even if I am way too tall and I'm not all that hot at driving...pffft, whatever.

I don't know of any major American manufacturer that could honestly afford to start a factory based F1 team from the ground up right now. On top of that, basically no one in America cares about F1, heck most "race fans" have probably barely heard of it.

Sad but true.

P.S. Bossey-joe > Lancer_evo_powa as a F1 driver!

Bullcrap Bosses, they don't let gays race F1 cars...well, maybe Lewis Hamilton, but he's GOOD.

Just to prove you wrong I'm going over to Honda right now and I'm going to start their F1 program and my first rule in the handbook will be "NO PHILS!"

I can see it now, us and japan, honda and ameirca.. It'll be the most powerful, fuel efficient f1 car ever, and it'll have by comparison, the crappiest interior according to european f1 fans... The ferrari interior is much nicer at the same price... Lol go USA

rofl driftster....
You forgot the 'they can't corner' or the 'they'll break down', but I suppose it's still part Honda so that'll cancell itself out lolz.

I seriously ca't see this happening. Not the replacement for S.A. but the American part. What bit american company would be the naming rights sponsor when you don't get good coverage or interest in the sport over there? And are the champ cap / indy league / thingo drivers really going to want to make the giant leap across into a Euro sport (don't kid yourselves, it isn't all that international, it's primarily european)?

I think it would be awesome to have a team in F1 that is connected to the USA. It might spark a little more interest in American racing fans to start watching.

It would be cool to see an acual American automaker to get into F1... This sounds pretty good though. Hopefully, more of the American population will watch F1 instead of Nascar...

I think it's a great idea, because the last American driver to be in F1 was Scott Speed. I hope it helps Americans become aware of F1, and increase its popularity, but I doubt it.....

The US doesn't have a GP race this year for 1 of 2 reasons:

Despite good attendance; the USGP Indy can't generate enough TV ad revenue to pay for the circus to come to town.

Tony George is an idiot (TRUE fact!).

-----

Don't bandy brand names to me. Tag/Williams F1 engines were Porsches and everybody knew it. Chevy and Mercedes powered CART Indy car engines were built by Ilmor, the Cosworth defectors. Tell me about current F1 Mercedes engines...

... I thought Red Bull was American ? :-k

Anyhow, F1 can always do with an extra team, so yeh, if they have a few extra billions lying around, go for it!

Red Bull are austrian really, but i believe they're based in England, like most F1 teams.

I wouldn't be surprised to see this happen. I'd say Honda's plan was to get rid of Super Aguri to make way for a new team. I mean after all, the were adament Aguri wouldn't get a deal, and even had them locked out of the spanish GP.

Also, Honda has of course, an american division, acura as we know. So theres some possibilty there to.

Also the rumours of Alvaro Parente getting a drive are interesting. He's successful enough in Gp2 right now, and he won the world series by Renault. Nearly all the drivers who have won that have went on to get F1 seats.

Theres 2 places left in F1 just waiting to be filled, so deffinetly, its a big possbilty

Id rather see Prodrive on the grid, but thats just me.

An American team wouldnt be bad though, it may help to re-ignite some enthusiasm over in the states and maybe help bring back the US GP. Not that it bothers me in the least that weve lost Indianapolis, i personally thought the track was poor in its design (it was a joke of an infield, admit it!) and it didnt offer much of a spectacle. So i really wasnt fussed to see its name off the calendar. But if we got a better, new, fresh track over there, then im sure the F1 circus would happily sail across. Maybe an American team is the way to do this.

Honda are going to get their B-Team back, one way or another.

Wasn't BAR partly American? That wasn't long ago now was it?

Now it has just become team 'Honda'.

I don't see any reason why there shouldn't be an American team, but I think it's drivers that bring the crowds in, not teams. If there was an American driver in the field there will be more interest.

It's like team Williams, I don't really consider that a British team even though it is, but with team 'Red Bull' and 'McLaren' I do, but this is probably more due to the addition of British drivers to each team whereas the drivers for Williams are both foreign.

An American team with at least one American driver would be a winning formula (like the pun?)

Chris.

^^^What's Force India then? Or Spyker before it? lolz, mix-mash FTW! (or for Spyker's bean-counters FTL :( )

Red Bull is british because it's based in the old Jag F1 place, using mostly old Jag F1 people. Williams and McLaren are both pretty british, both because they have big names in britain.

Besides, the Italians flocked to see Schuey in red...forget whoever else was driving the red car, schuey FTW. Italy un-officially 'adopted' that guy...

One thing people need to remember...britain is one of the more...patriotic places on Earth. France or Germany or Finland aren't as hyped about their sporting heroes (despite arguably having better ones...and more of them) than the UK. massive troll is massive
America didn't much care about Speed (scott), and I don't think one driver alone will force the sport upon the country. There must be something that is quint-essentially american for it to work.

Well if they've got enough money....and support from then the Americans, the good, but if it's just guna last a year..then no!

One thing people need to remember...britain is one of the more...patriotic places on Earth. France or Germany or Finland aren't as hyped about their sporting heroes (despite arguably having better ones...and more of them) than the UK. massive troll is massive
America didn't much care about Speed (scott), and I don't think one driver alone will force the sport upon the country. There must be something that is quint-essentially american for it to work.

We are indeed. But thats mainly because we tend to have such little talent in any sporting event that whenever someone british is even half decent at something most of this country go mad!

And thats because Speed's speed, was relatively poor and argued too much which got him sacked.

To get America back interested you need an American team with a propper American driver leading the team, maybe a mostly American crew with a very bold American team principle. That (imo) is what could bring back the American interest.

We are indeed. But thats mainly because we tend to have such little talent in any sporting event that whenever someone british is even half decent at something most of this country go mad!

And thats because Speed's speed, was relatively poor and argued too much which got him sacked.

To get America back interested you need an American team with a propper American driver leading the team, maybe a mostly American crew with a very bold American team principle. That (imo) is what could bring back the American interest.
Not to mention the fact that he couldn't drive the car worth a sh*t, and he argued with the team principle after the principle tried to talk to him after he crashed out. Scott Speed was an embarrassment to motorsport. I want Takuma Sato and Davidson BACK!!!

Takuma Sato FTW!!
:D
And if Phil drives, that would be ok, as long as he makes sure that I'm his crew chief
:D

It's like team Williams, I don't really consider that a British team even though it is

Wait, why not? Did you still consider McLaren a British team when they had Raikkonen and Montoya?

Just because Williams has forgein drivers, doesnt mean the TEAM isnt british.

Haha, must admit Ferrari308, Speed was embarrasing!

Now it has just become team 'Honda'.

I don't see any reason why there shouldn't be an American team, but I think it's drivers that bring the crowds in, not teams. If there was an American driver in the field there will be more interest.

BAR stood for ''British American Racing'' and the team was called BAR Honda, because Honda had a 40-something percent stake in the team and at the end of 2005 and ready for the 2006 season, Honda bought the rest of the team and turned it into Honda F1 Racing.

America didn't much care about Speed (scott), and I don't think one driver alone will force the sport upon the country. There must be something that is quint-essentially american for it to work.

America didn't care much for Speed because:

1) Speed didn't really set the world alight, did he? I think he scored about 1 point in the 2006 season or something and that was it. He was a bit too arrogant and cocky and he never really applied himself to drive. Didn't seem to be a passionate kid, which I find quite offensive because there are plenty of people who would give an arm and a leg for Speed's position. He argued after a particular race and he was as good as gone, considering he drove just because he had to really, in my opinion.

That said, he was fairly fast in GP2 so the kid does have some talent.

2) No matter how successful an American backed or American thoroughbred F1 team is, it will never deviate all the interest from NASCAR. Personally I think NASCAR is great, I love watching but the length of laps sometimes can lead to some ''following'' in the cars. But as I said, an American team cannot single handedly take F1 to the US. If there were, say, 10 races in the US and 50% of the drivers were American then yes, the US would pay a lot more attention, but in the US NASCAR is the primary sport and I can't see an American-backed team stealing all the limelight and re-negotiating a contract with Bernie Ecclestone to race in the US.

Personally, I cannot see this American-backed team coming onto the grid in 2009, if ever, for some fairly obvious reasons.

1) The start of the 2009 season is 9 months away. It would take about 2 years for a team to start from the ground up to build a workforce sufficient to get onto the grid, and that's being around 2-3 seconds off the front running pace and, let's face it, it's not worth being dead last constantly if you're going to spend billions of dollars setting up a team. If the team did work their asses off, they could possibly squeeze into the 2010 season.

2) Factory Hondas are not that quick this season. Part of the season Super Aguri were dumped off the grid is that Honda needed to make their own car faster and did not have the time to tend to another team. Back in 2005 it seemed like a good idea, but after a disastrous last season and only flashes of brilliance this season, it's just not financially viable and just generally not worth it this season. Factory Hondas need to devote all their time into the factory team to move themselves up the grid and get to the front where they need to be, and not to create B-Squads.

3) Next year customer cars are banned, so the American-backed team will have to create their own chassis which takes lots of money and most importantly, time. They will spend the time from now to 2009 just developing a competitive car, let alone paying all the fees, contracting drivers, crew, sponsors, PR people, everything.

4) Also next year, as it was mentioned in the article, the KERS systems are going into play and it's a field of unknowns for the most experienced of teams, but for a small team? It will be way too out of their depth.

May sound as though I'm being a little pessimistic here, but I'll tell you this: I would absolutely bloody love it if a fully American team, with a charasmatic, experienced team principal and great drivers entered the grid. Nothing like that to spice things up, eh?

But as I said, an American team cannot single handedly take F1 to the US. If there were, say, 10 races in the US and 50% of the drivers were American then yes, the US would pay a lot more attention, but in the US NASCAR is the primary sport and I can't see an American-backed team stealing all the limelight and re-negotiating a contract with Bernie Ecclestone to race in the US.

Hmmm, according to that logic, Champ car would still be around and going strong!

No, in all honesty I don't ever see an American backed team in the near to really far away future. All of the races are on the other side of the ocean, that costs a lot of money to fly everything over there, they might as well just stay there. But once they do, they are no longer American, so what's the point. Also, we won't have races over here because all the other teams are on the other freggin side of the ocean. With as much bitching as F1 teams do, they won't stand for that.

No, I don't ever see myself finding a team in F1 that I could ever actually really give a shat about. Instead I'll just sit here praying to god almighty that Tony George is crushed to death by some huge freggin guy. Then the heavens will part, Panoz will hire me to work for them, and I will single handedly recreate Champ Car. Except I'll just call it Nascar II and that alone will attract 90 million people thus making me a billionaire OVER NIGHT! BOO YA!

^I'm on about in the F1 world.

And as for the other part, first paragraph is true; yes there are enough people to fill up race day in Indianapolis, but will an American team put in the effort to bag a few major sponsors? I'm not sure.

And for the second part, interesting theory, lol.

I think the majority of the motorsport-loving American public will side with NASCAR on this - its understandable, they grew up on it and F1, a relatively quiet sport in America, will not make a huge impact on this. As a quote from Evo once said, this is the average NASCAR fans opinion on F1:

F1? Ha. We have a hundred drivers as good as that Senna bloke.

Wait, why not? Did you still consider McLaren a British team when they had Raikkonen and Montoya?
I do! because it's built in Woking, UK.

Aston, when did I say that? Cuz I don't know who the hell Senna is...

Aston, when did I say that? Cuz I don't know who the hell Senna is...

You didn't. Its a quotation from Evo magazine interviewing a NASCAR fan about F1.

You don't know who Senna is? :eek:

Ayrton Senna. F1 legend. Died in a huge crash.

Dude, I live in America, we literally don't get ANY exposure to F1. Trust me dude, I can probably name more F1 drivers than you could name Nascar drivers, so calm down.

Dude, I live in America, we literally don't get ANY exposure to F1. Trust me dude, I can probably name more F1 drivers than you could name Nascar drivers, so calm down.

I wasn't angry...?

True, we get very little exposure to NASCAR, its probably because we are so used to F1, driving around an oval would seem weird.

Cuz I don't know who the hell Senna is...He's the dude in my avatar if that helps.

"F1? Ha. We have a hundred drivers as good as that Senna bloke. "

HAHAHAHAHAHA! Sad thing is, there are people out there who believe that.

Im a tad surprised you dont know who senna is, most people within motorsport at least have a vague knowlege of who Senna is. But its understandable if you get no F1 coverage.

Basically, Senna was arguably the single greatest F1 driver of all time. People say that he seemed to be in a different league to everyone else at times and that he was just so in-tune with his car. He died in a crash at the San Marino GP. He remains the last driver to die in F1.

I love this quote from him:
...the last qualifying session. I was already on pole, then by half a second and then one second and I just kept going. Suddenly I was nearly two seconds faster than anybody else, including my team mate with the same car. And suddenly I realised that I was no longer driving the car consciously. I was driving it by a kind of instinct, only I was in a different dimension. It was like I was in a tunnel. Not only the tunnel under the hotel but the whole circuit was a tunnel. I was just going and going, more and more and more and more. I was way over the limit but still able to find even more.
Then suddenly something just kicked me. I kind of woke up and realised that I was in a different atmosphere than you normally are. My immediate reaction was to back off, slow down. I drove slowly back to the pits and I didn't want to go out any more that day. It frightened me because I was well beyond my conscious understanding. It happens rarely but I keep these experiences very much alive inside me because it is something that is important for self-preservation.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayrton_Senna

I can name NASCAR drivers:

Jeff Gordon
Juan Pablo Montoya
Kyle Busch (????)

Yeah thats all, I only watch NASCAR when there is literally nothing else on SKY :).

Anyway

F1 can become a well known sport in America, just look at Ice Hockey in the Southern states of the US now, sure its not big but atleast its out there and the NHL is showing the 'rednecks' (sorry !) what the sport is about, just look at the Dallas Stars & Phoenix Coyotes fans :D.

What I am trying to say is, if the sport is out there i.e. US team, US Gp and promotion there is no reason why the USA shouldn't have its own F1 team, admittingly they would probably have to be based in Europe because of the logistics but hey if the team has American drivers, American engineers, American sponsors I see no reason why it shouldn't be successful :).

Just to add to the 'I have never heard of Senna' bit.

I'll ask you Brits if you know who the following people are:

Babe Ruth ???
Wayne Gretzky ???

I bet you don't know who they are from the top of your head ???

My point has been proven, if the sport has no major coverage you aren't gonna know so lay off the Yanks for them not knowing who Aryton Senna is :cool:.

You guys seem to forget that F1 is a pretty big sport over here but in other countries it has very little coverage :).

Hmmm, according to that logic, Champ car would still be around and going strong!

LOLOLOLOLOLOL

Champ car died because there were two premier open-wheeler series on at the same time. Now there's only one (if that).

admittingly they would probably have to be based in Europe because of the logistics.
And that is why this will fail. An American team won't enter a European racing series.

I love getting a subscription sales call from the Atlanta Urinal/Constipation. I vent loudly about lousy Sports Car/F1 racing coverage. They always come back with, "What about Nascar?" I tell them that every dumbass stick & ball writer shows his ignorance twice yearly.

I beat this dead horse yet again:

Around the time Senna died; US F1 TV franchisee ESPN asked a dozen drivers what motorsports they watched on off weekends. 9 said Nascar/American stock cars. Why? Because of close competition!

I love F1. It is the pinnacle of automotive engineering. There have been highs/lows in competition over the years (HIGH now!); but the 6(1/6) dullest Nascar races each year have far more green flag lead changes than a season (16 races) of F1.

Dull Nascar races have the winner leading the most laps. Hammie fans may call this good racing. I don't. Not enough US racing fans will watch such to generate the ad revenue to bring the circus to town. The Ferrari parade at the crappy Indy track didn't help.

Scott Speed produced better results than his Euro teammate that kept his job. His marketing value in the US was worthless. His Euro marketing value was less than his inferior teammate in Europe. He lost his job because he was from the US. Sue me.

Racing is not just about how often the lead changes. One driver can win it lights to flag and you could still have an amazing race.

Also, the passes in F1 are a lot more exciting than those in NASCAR.

Racing is not just about how often the lead changes. One driver can win it lights to flag and you could still have an amazing race.

Also, the passes in F1 are a lot more exciting than those in NASCAR.

I disagree with you on that one !


If you watch a NASCAR race watch the slip streaming action, then watch the actual pass !!!

Its an hell of alot more exciting than watching a f1 driver try and fail at passing :o !!!!!!!!!!!!!

It had to be said, I might not be a lover of NASCAR but just watch it and then make a judgement .....

Its like all American sports, Us Brits are the first to criticise them but if you sit down, undersand the rules and watch them you begin to appreciate them as much has our sports :).

I disagree with you on that one !


If you watch a NASCAR race watch the slip streaming action, then watch the actual pass !!!

Its an hell of alot more exciting than watching a f1 driver try and fail at passing :o !!!!!!!!!!!!!

It had to be said, I might not be a lover of NASCAR but just watch it and then make a judgement .....

Its like all American sports, Us Brits are the first to criticise them but if you sit down, undersand the rules and watch them you begin to appreciate them as much has our sports :).
Not to mention if that driver in a stock car loses air off the back of his car his car is gone.;)

I disagree with you on that one !


If you watch a NASCAR race watch the slip streaming action, then watch the actual pass !!!

Its an hell of alot more exciting than watching a f1 driver try and fail at passing :o !!!!!!!!!!!!!

It had to be said, I might not be a lover of NASCAR but just watch it and then make a judgement .....

Its like all American sports, Us Brits are the first to criticise them but if you sit down, undersand the rules and watch them you begin to appreciate them as much has our sports :).

I just think its more exciting and dramatic in F1, especially something like braking into a corner. For example, any 1 fans, remember Hamiltons pass on Kimi at Monza last year, or Alonso on Heidfeld at Magny Cours, the famous Mika Hakinen pass at Spa. Granted, overtaking isnt as frequent in F1 but when it does happen its amazing.

Also, id say watching an F1 driver attempt a pass, lock a wheel and go off line more exciting than watching a car slowly slipstream past another on an oval.

Ive not watched a lot of it, but the bits i did watch havnt impressed me at all. I saw the passes, the crashes etc, but it wasnt as impressive than what we get in F1. Guess thats just me.

Not to mention if that driver in a stock car loses air off the back of his car his car is gone.;)

All sorts of things happen in F1 where a driver can suddenly and spectacularly loose their car. Going an inch off line on a dusty track can result in a crash. Going too high on a kerb. Being over enthusiastic with your right foot. Trying to correct a little slide, only to have it snap the opposite way.

No NASCAR vs F1 stuff in this thread, it's been done too many times.

No NASCAR vs F1 stuff in this thread, it's been done too many times.

With predictable outcomes ....

:D

I'll stop now.

Well jaguar was at some point under Ford ownership really making it an American team. Ford Cosworth engines used to be all over F1, granted they are built by European technology, but still American named and funded i guess.

I'm all for a U.S. F1 Team. But as the old saying goes "First things first"
we need to get a F1 course back in the states first. We've already got
one,(Indianapolis Speedway) in Indiana. I've been a F1 fan for many a
year now, and nothing would please me more for us to have a team we
could call our own. In my family I'm known as an "oddity" because I don't like NASCAR! but that's another story altogether. Even if we don't
have american drivers (maybe at first) as long as it is american owned
and operated, nothing would please me more!! But until we do I will
keep on watching and supporting F1 for years to come.

It would be cool to see an acual American automaker to get into F1... This sounds pretty good though. Hopefully, more of the American population will watch F1 instead of Nascar...

We, the last one was Ford who powered Jordan via Cosworth, so I'd like to see an american company get involved with F1 again. I'd probably like to see Ford at it again, partnered up with Cosworth too. But, tbh, with the big 3 in such financial problems, its very unlikly we'd see a full blown US F1 team anytime soon.