Trouble Looms for USF1
Reports have emerged that USF1 team has asked to defer their entry into Formula 1 for an entire season, after initial reports of their request to defer for up to 4 races.
"We're working with the FIA to clarify how many races we can miss," USF1 team's co-founder Ken Anderson told the New York Times. "In an ideal world, we can miss the first four races and show up in Barcelona." Financial and development issues have been identified as major roadblockers for the team to show up on the 2010 F1 grid.
This news has excited the Stefan GP team, which is next on the waiting list for an entry slot to the 2010 grid. However, their recent slamming of the USF1 team and the FIA has incurred the ire of some observers. In a statement issued, the team expressed, "In case we don't receive the chance to compete in Bahrain, and also when some of the teams fail to show up, somebody should have trouble explaining what has happened to all of us.
"And the dreamers from the USA will have to explain their actions, because they are deliberately weakening F1, dreaming about a perfect world and fairytales of success. And success doesn't come by talking but with hard work and a lot of guts." It is important to note that the allocation of race slots is not automatic - the absence of USF1 from the 2010 grid does not naturally mean an entry slot for the Stefan GP. The Stefan GP team realised it when 48 hours later, they issued another statement in an attempt to soothe any ruffled feathers. "SGP would like to re-confirm its desire and, importantly, its ability to compete in the whole of the FIA 2010 F1 World Championship. "It recognises that this can only happen with the consent of the FIA and the FOM, but we have faith that the F1 'family' will make the correct decision in the end. "There will be no more press releases on this subject and we look forward to being allowed to show everyone our team in Bahrain." That'd be one very important lesson for the new team - the importance of PR in Formula 1.
