Colonel Bogey

Dan Gurney and Phil Hill to launch an All-American Formula 1 team to make its debut next year... Red Bull kid as driver?<ul><li><a href="http://www.autosport.com/newsitem.asp?id=20791&amp;s=5">link</a></li></ul>

TTommyZ

But - none-the-less - I wonder who is financing and providing the car? Superperformance?

btitus

"We are awfully close to it. I think in the middle of October we'll know (something). It would be in American ownership and it would be more than one person. I'd like it to be a US Formula One team with US drivers."

If they don't have a car built and running test laps right now, there's no way they're competing next year.

I think "national" teams are silly anyway -- Look at Prost -- tried to be all-French and failed miserably. If you want to run in F1, why hobble yourself with an unnecessary burden like that?

EifelbliTTz

... only guy to have designed, built and driven an American Formula 1 car to victory.

It's hardly surprising that these two would team up to establish an American presence on the international stage. We've been absent in any meaningful way for years. The odds are long (look at the Jaguar team taken over from Jackie Stewart), and incredibly expensive, but I can't think of anybody I'd rather see get involved in international motorsport on behalf of the United States.

If you look at the state of open wheel racing here in the States, you'd think we were a support series for foreign nationals to train for the F1 circuit, or worse, the rubbish heap has-been F1 drivers get tossed on when their careers begin to fade.

That's not to say that we haven't produced some talented open wheel pilots, or that sports car racing hasn't benefited from guys like Steffan Johanssen and Johnny Herbert, but we've been sorely lacking a top flight, home-grown, American presence at the highest level of motorsport.

IMHO, if Dan and Phil are willing to take a shot at putting together a team, I say go for it. Can't be bad and might be good for driver development here in the U.S. and the sport in general.

&lt;Mike gets off soap-box&gt;

BTW, I didn't forget Mario Andretti, he's a wonderful man and perhaps the best driver of his generation. I'm very proud that Mario chose the United States as his home.

AkRascal

Hey, CB, glad to know you're alive....

Lloyd of the Rings

Hi Colonel!!! This might actually work with these two heading it.

BigTT

Oh my... where the hell ya been???? Is the house finally finished???

btitus

Gurney, 71, said they have been talking to Ford about engines but he provided no further information on major sponsorship or what chassis they would use.

Gurney, a four-time Formula One race winner in the 1960s, said the next step is to get Ford on line. "It'll be difficult but it's very possible," Gurney is quoted as saying to the The Indianapolis Star newspaper by news agency AFP.

"We're past the preliminary discussions. We have key people in place and certain facilities in place. If and when we get a deal done with Ford, that will lend a great deal of credibility to the whole thing."

Former Formula One world champ Phil Hill had been mentioned as being associated with the plan, but he denied any involvement on Sunday. "I hadn't heard anything about it until 20 minutes ahead of when the story broke," said Hill. "I don't have anything to do with it."