Possible American team????

[Muzza]

Dan Gurney has conceded, with much sadness, that the name Eagle is not coming back to Formula 1 - not in his lifetime, at least.

[climb]

IMO gttouring has a point that the only manufacturer who seem available to expand their F1 market is Mercedes.
The problem would be that of getting a good chassis... Dallara, Lola are out IMO, since the rules from what I know should prevent from purchasing it from an outsider.
If GForce did it, it could go from a technical point of view, provided the historical links between them and Chip.
Bu t would they have the resources to do it and keeping at the same time all the other (several) commotiamnts they have around the states?
Seriously doubt it.

[Space Hopper]

I would love to see it, but i think v. unlikely

[f1manoz]

I can just imagine the fight at the buffet between Fatassi and Haug...

Won't happen. Ganassi is Toyota's lapdog and he'll do what they want him to do.

[GTV27]

Jeez, some of you dudes are a bit tough on Scott Dixon - just 'cause YOU'VE only heard of him from the IRL doesn't mean he can't also cut it on a road course.

In fact, his ability to come up through the ranks of road racing, winning everything along the way and then win on the ovals must say something for the man's talent - not that I'm a fan or anything, but a bit of perspective please.

[grumpy1]

Correct me if im wrong but wasn't Scott Dixon 2nd in Macau and thats what got him the test with an indy car team.From what I remember thats notr an oval and no mean feat.
Also why is everyone talking about Ganasi?
GM have already steped onto European competition with Caddillac at LeMans and are running again this year so why is all the talk about Ganasi and Toyota.Toyota have enough problems of there own with taking on supplying engines and technitions to a new team.There are enough people working in the Caddie team who have F1 experience as well as ALMS to build an F1 car.
Take the blinkers off people as I read a press release last year from GM that said maybe F1 after a couple of years in ALMS.You also have to take into account Audi/VW and Nissan are also looking at a possible F1 entry at some time.We have had two teams dissappear (Prost,Arrows)and uncle Bernie wants them replaced on the grid.

The Grumpy1

[stoned pony]

GTV27 and Grumpy1, I don't think some of the Eurofolk actually see the pictures in large scale. Scott Dixon knows how to turn a wheel both left and right and Ganassi would probably have no trouble getting into F1. But why would he want to?

[grumpy1]

My point exactly. Ganasi's not interested but I do know a team from Europe who are currently running in the ALMS series are sending a few people to the AGP to see what goes on.This team also have quietly gotten verbal approval to launch a team shortly for entry into F1.My contacts have not revelled who yet but im tipping Audi.They built a test track in Germany a few years ago and it is FIA approved.What better place to develop a F1 car because only the imediate team would know about it.I also heard a rumour after last years LeMans that one of the Audis was running a different engine to the rest.

The Grumpy1

[Down F0rce]

Nope, wont be happening.

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns12512.html

[Kicking-back]

Originally posted by grumpy1
Correct me if im wrong but wasn't Scott Dixon 2nd in Macau and thats what got him the test with an indy car team.

I think you are wrong.

As far as I know Scott Dixon has never raced at Macau. It was winning the Indy Lights series that got him into CART.

[Chappelli]

The fact is Scott Dixon has taken a maximum of two years to win whatever championship he's entered, be it Formula Ford, Formula Vee, Formula Holden or Indy Lights, and my I also remind everybody that when Pac West Racing failed Ganassi all of a sudden had the budget to run three cars... I wonder where that came from (Yes, I know Ganassi has ooodles of Bucks, but do you really think he's gonna go "Yeah sure... screw trying to make some money, lets run another car")

[Adam43]

Welcome to ten-tenths Chappelli! With a post like that it almost seems surprising that your first ten-tenth post is in the F1 forum!

[wblh]

Originally posted by Down F0rce
Didn't see him at Denver '02 then? He drove a brilliant race.

Myself and quite a few infinately more knowledgeable people have a somewhat different view and it could just be an influencing factor in why Scott has stayed in IRL when his heart is certainly in F1(not having any better offers may also be a factor)

[wblh]

OOps the above used the wrong quote. It was supposed to relate to the Dixon knocker.
My apologies to Downforce

[JohnSSC]

I believe a fellow named Ken Tyrell won with his team the first year out building their own car - admittedly the team was in existence the previous year running Ligier's.

Chip Ganassi fielding an F1 effort is almost ridiculous to contemplate! Chip is the sort of fellow who enjoys being a big fish in whatever pond he is in. NASCAR and IRL allow him to do that (on someone else's dime) fairly inexpensively. His TOTAL racing budget would likely barely get Minardi on the track when comparing to F1. His activities here are far more profitable than F1 could ever be for him and methinks for Floyd the $$ are THE measure of success.

Going to F1 requires a budget the likes of which a privateer cannot raise (See P. Stoddart, P. Sauber and E. Jordan). I can't see Floyd bothering to attempt to do so.

[Snrub]

I hold nothing against Dixon and have zero against ovals, but IRL oval racing is about setup because the drivers drop the revs ~200rpm for the corners. That's not racing.

Recall Dixon did not win CART in 2 years. Look at Ganassi's options at the time. He had Brack in a major slump and Bruno moving to Newman-Hass. He also signed Dixon to a pretty restrictive contract. Bottom line, he doesn't have the credentials to move to F1. The talk of Ganassi going to F1 is less than speculative, it won't/can't happen. In all fairness he pulls in more money than Minardi, but how do Target and Toyota help him in F1? Like I said, you need at least $200M or there is no point in trying.

[Chappelli]

"Recall Dixon did not win CART in 2 years."
And Webber hasn't won an F1 Race in two years... lets make a list of all the F1 Drivers that haven't won a race in two years of biff them out of F1 aye?

and to close the door on any retort, A Jag ain't capable of winning a GP? Well, I'm sure PacWest didn't fold because they we're spending the big dollero's on car preperation.

As for Ganassi going into F1? If he gets the dollars, anything is possible... Who says Ganassi and the Red Bull idea ain't on in the same thing?

[Snrub]

The 2 year comment was in response a comment that Dixon wins everything he's participated in in 2 years. Let's put it this way, as teammates Bruno was in his second year in CART with Dixon in his second year. With the a couple of exceptions including Denver (in which Dixon was faster on, but would not have gotten by regardless of team orders), Junky was clearly the more mature and faster driver. Where are all the posts suggesting Junky should be in F1? Every week there's another post about Dixon in F1. I can make a big list of drivers who have proven as much as Dixon.

I don't mean to be a jerk saying this, but last time I checked Red Bull was looking for Americans. Will RedBull pony $200M+ a year to have their name associated with an American F1 driver?

[jj2728]

Originally posted by Snrub

I don't mean to be a jerk saying this, but last time I checked Red Bull was looking for Americans. Will RedBull pony $200M+ a year to have their name associated with an American F1 driver?

red bull will pony up $200m+ a year if they decide to go ahead and build their own car with the backing of an engine manufacturer....... and until that happens, they'll budget quite a bit less to associate their name with an american driver.....

[FIRE]

GM have already steped onto European competition with Caddillac at LeMans and are running again this year so why is all the talk about Ganasi and Toyota.

Caddillac will NOT race at Le Mans this year. They entered some LMP's in '00, '01 and '02 but their Le Mans attack wasn't succesful so they quit this project.

I don't mean to be a jerk saying this, but last time I checked Red Bull was looking for Americans. Will RedBull pony $200M+ a year to have their name associated with an American F1 driver?

Why wants Red Bull some Americans in F1? I would say support 1 or 2 cars in Nascar, it's much cheaper and much more populair in the US.

[JAG]

Originally posted by grumpy1
My point exactly. Ganasi's not interested but I do know a team from Europe who are currently running in the ALMS series are sending a few people to the AGP to see what goes on.This team also have quietly gotten verbal approval to launch a team shortly for entry into F1.My contacts have not revelled who yet but im tipping Audi.They built a test track in Germany a few years ago and it is FIA approved.What better place to develop a F1 car because only the imediate team would know about it.I also heard a rumour after last years LeMans that one of the Audis was running a different engine to the rest.

The Grumpy1

There were no works Audis last year at LM or anywhere else. The privateer cars all ran the same engine.

Audi have always denied any interest in F1 and are now focused on the DTM with a ne LMP sportscar being designed for 2005/6.

I predict there will be no new privateer entries into F1 until at least 3 manufactuers pullout, which is enevitable.

[norman-normal]

Ganasi, a servant in heaven? He would much rather be a king in hell, me thinks.

[senna12]

In order to have the proper facilities, equipment, and personnel to run a competitive operation, I think the cost is going to be a lot more than 200 million dollars. Look at the initial investment required by Toyota, and their level of competitiveness. There is no American business executive alive who is going to think the return on his companies' investment is worth the risk, given F1's popularity compared to NASCAR, whose growth is threatening to bury all other series' in the U.S.

To gain popularity in America, Red Bull would indeed be smarter to invest their money in that series.

[BSchneiderFan]

Originally posted by JohnSSC
I believe a fellow named Ken Tyrell won with his team the first year out building their own car - admittedly the team was in existence the previous year running Ligier's.

Matras, surely?

[JohnSSC]

I stand corrected! It was indeed the Matra - thanks BSchneiderfan.