The men behind the proposed USF1 team insist they have the financial and political support to enter Formula One in 2010.
American-based team want to enter Formula One in 2010
The proposed USF1 team has the necessary financial and political support to enter Formula One in 2010, according to the two men behind the plan.
Ken Anderson and Peter Windsor outlined their hopes for the American-based outfit in a broadcast on
Speed TV on Tuesday, during which it was revealed the team's cars would be designed and built in North Carolina, home to the Windshear wind tunnel facility designed by Anderson.
Windsor, who has previously worked for Williams and Ferrari and is now a journalist and television presenter, confirmed the project has the backing of F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
"I first told Bernie Ecclestone about this in Brazil 2006, and he was his usual specific self. He just said, 'great, get it done'," Windsor said in quotes reported by
Autosport.
"He has kept in touch ever since and has always been supportive."
Windsor, USF1's sporting director, conceded the team would not be supported by a major backer from either the manufacturing or private sector, but insisted he and Anderson had put together a viable business plan that they will be putting into action in the coming months.
"If you look at the way it's gone in the recent past, it's been either you find a rich trillionaire and have him dominate, or you are lucky enough to be invited by a large car company to set up their F1 operation," he said.
Experienced
"Ken and I have been around long enough to know we didn't want to do those things.
"We always wanted to do our own team our way. We have got some things we went to bring in.
"The key was not to sell anything more than a very small stake in the team.
"We set ourselves some unbelievably steep hills to climb in a recession, but we only wanted to sell a small part of the team, and, as we sit here now, I'm pleased to say we've done that and we're now two guys that can say we are going to do an F1 team because we have the capital to do it."
He added: "For those out there who say where is the money? Where is the huge facility? Where is the money pouring out of the sky? Well, that isn't going to happen with USF1.
"We have always had a very different approach, and that approach will become visible as time goes on and this year unfolds."
USF1 team principal Anderson, who worked for Ligier and Onyx in the 1980s, admitted he was unfazed at basing the team outside F1's traditional European heartland.
Technology
"Most of the technology in F1 comes from the US to begin with," he said.
"The cost of doing business in America is significantly cheaper than Europe. And there's a lot of good people here.
"As of next year less than half the races will be on the (European) continent, so there are less races there.
"We live in an age of FedEx, UPS, DHL ... the logistics are pretty simple.
"Whether you are going to Australia from here or England, it's kind of a moot point."
No firm details regarding an engine supplier or drivers were forthcoming during the broadcast, although
Autosport have reported that Windsor revealed the team would be contacting all existing F1 manufacturers regarding a supply of power units.
American drivers Kyle Busch, Scott Speed, Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti have all been linked with the team since details of the project first emerged earlier in February.
