[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Well, there is an interview in Pitpass that Haas has just had with Sylt, and either Haas is being utterly disingenuous or demonstrating an amazing level of naivety.

Firstly, lets look at logistics; he says he doesn't know how the Formula 1 teams pack their equipment and cars to either travel by road or to be transported for the fly away races. He says that he doesn't even know where they fly from! And he also needs to find out what they will require when they are at the races, so is going to Montreal to ask the teams there this coming week-end.

Next, he says that he hasn't yet got any premises in the USA to start the team. What he is expecting is to do is use the building that his NASCAR team are currently based in because he is constructing a new "workshop" for the NASCAR team which should be ready in a month or so. They will then have to adapt the old "workshop" to be fit for purpose for the F1 team.

Then we have the problem about setting up an European base. He had originally decided to open, in his words, a 'shop' in Milan, Italy but his accountant has now told him that that is not possible due to tax implications for Haas. So, he is now thinking about basing the European entity in the UK, but hasn't yet got anything in mind.

And, added to all the above, he doesn't have any staff lined up let alone any already employed.

Now, taking him at his word, this must mean that he hasn't costed out what it will take to set up a Formula 1 team nor how much it will cost to maintain the team for a season. Has nobody asked him where his business plan is, or do all those around him just think that just because he is a multi-millionaire that cost is of no significance?

At this juncture, I wouldn't necessarily expect him to have any staff lined up or any already employed, apart from the staff for the NASCAR team, however the rest smacks of pure naïveté and really makes me think this will never get off the ground. I wonder if he's go a toaster?