You the team owner.

[cds_uk]

Just suppose you got a massive Lottery win, plenty enough to start your own team in time for next year, what would you call your team, knowing roughly who is working for who and who has already got a drive for next year who would you try to get to head it up and who would you go after to pedal the cars. I would call my team Souspeed, as team manager i would have to go after Pat Symonds, i know it all ended badly for him in F1 but i still think he is a decent man and he is certainley an excellent choice to lead the pit wall. As for drivers i would go for Tomas Scheckter and Jay Howard. Looking forward to your ideas, Chris.

[GTRMagic]

The simplest solution is to hook up with an existing team. A logical solution may be to form an alliance with Dale Coyne Racing. They have people in place already (although I am sure more will help), they have a race shop, chassis, transporters.. sure the new influx of money will help update some of these things...

But the cool part about an alliance with someone already up is the instant credibility in place, the endowment of having DCR, as a longstanding entrant, as someone the racing world, and perhaps the general public, already know

This may be helpful in acquiring commercial partners, such that the lottery win does not recur to supply an annual racing budget.

Drivers would be interesting. No reason you cant run 3. Perhaps the best choice would be Mr Castroneves to supply competitive performances, perhaps also Mr Junquiera as part of the old DCR crew and also competitive, while Ms Patrick would be useful to improve the chances of achieving an income stream, and with the right engineering firepower, it is still plausible that her best results are to come!

Team personnel will come from here, there & everywhere I am sure. Depends how much is available in the tin to make that happen, but with those kinds of drivers on board, sourcing personnel should not be a huge issue....

Ah to dream

[ptclaus98]

I would form a three car team and try to work out a deal with Penske to be a satellite or junior team. Then I'd buy Luczo Dragon, and bring what's left of the DeFerran ALMS squad back into the fold. I'd run three cars:


Matos
Townsend Bell
JR Hildebrand


And a fourth car at Indy, Mid Ohio, Watkins Glen, and New Hampshire. The fourth car would be for drivers like John Michael Edwards or even Cole Whitt. I'm not up on my crew chiefs, but that's what I'd have Penske and DeFerran for.

[Hawkwood]

I've thought about this far too many times to be healthy for my sanity, here goes:
The name would be Team Grizzly (if I had the cash I'd buy the WTCC Lada Prioras from the Russian Bears squad and run them in the BTCC - so the name is a nod to them aswell as being pretty cool sounding).

The three cars would be pedalled by JR Hildebrand, Townsend Bell (I know ptclaus beat me to them but I really do think these two deserve a proper shot), and Ana Beatriz, she's shown good potential so far so why not. I'd also run a fourth car at selected rounds for James Rossiter or Simon Pagenaud or such like (or Wade Cunningham - it's about time he too got a chance).

[V8thunderfan]

Interesting .. love stuff like this.
I would be on the phone to WilkePAK motorsports to get the Leader Cards name resurrected or if not them then some other historical Indianapolis name. I would be looking to hire Pippa Mann and car for open for an up and coming Japanese driver such as Tsugio Matsuda, Keep the boys at Honda on side. I would also have a car for Buddy Lazier for Indy, always had a lot of time for Buddy he deserves another drink of the milk.
I would then open a design competition to graduates to design my 2012 aero package and hire the cream of the crop. I would base the team in Indiana but look to nurture European interest and talent in Indycars by having a development centre at Rockingham in the UK, maybe even base my aerodynamics team in the UK.

[gaaaaz]

I would invest this lottery in a 3 cars team with The Team Herta (to help the serie having an added decent contender )

My drivers?

Franck Montagny
JR Hildebrand
Adam Caroll

When Franck won't be available (cause of his Peugeot program), and for Indy as well (4th car) I'd hire Oriol Servia.

[JamesRamone]

Great thread.

I'd try and get Trevor Carlin or John Booth on board to establish a North American arm of their teams. Possibly tie up with Virgin if Booth was on board ...... Anyway

Would be looking for a 3 car team with the following drivers

Justin Wilson - I know he's taken but I would try and poach him. I think he's still got great potential and could challenge for the title if we get our act together.

Sebastien Bourdais - If money was no object, I would make him an offer he could not refuse. Great credentials.

Romain Grosjean - With his F1 opportunities seemingly minimal I would get him onboard. He's a great racer, and i'm sure he would adapt to ovals.

4th Car - Some outings - I would give selected outings to see how they fair to Stefan Wilson, Dillon Battistini, Martin Plowman and Jean Karl Vernay.