[Team] The new teams development for 2010 so far, discuss here.

[Richard C]

A related item that I forgot to mention above is the apparent different strategies each new team is taking. Apparently Lotus wants a physical car quickly (not a bad thing), then you have Manor who apparently don't plan to spend any time in a wind tunnel. They must really trust their CFD (or just can't get wind tunnel time for some reason). You could look at USF1 in two ways. First they trust their CFD, but also have access to a good wind tunnel locally so they will do both. But it still may mostly be a CFD car. Or they may have preferred to go more like Lotus and are just behind schedule. No real way to know for sure which it is.

[old man]

It will be interesting to see the outcome butmy money would be on the MG approach, but them I am old fashioned perhaps.

[ptclaus98]

Originally Posted by Peralta

I had a bit of a chuckle when I saw a pic of the windtunnel model by Lotus who had recently just got approved while USF1 can only come up with some pictures of shop equipment (Haas) that is not even state of the art when they have been saying since Feb 24 that they have been planning this thing for years. They have been planning this for years yet they are still working on the workshop. Am I missing something.

Lotus has been designing their car since USF1 has, and they have a world class shop that they just moved into last month. USF1's shop isn't even finished yet.

[Peralta]

I also wish them all the luck in the world as I would love to see all 14 teams on the grid.

[Hawkwood]

I'd like to see all 4 in Bahrain next year, and wish them all some luck. I can't decide between Manor or Lotus. Wirth did a great job with the prototype using only CFD, so I see no logical reason why he can't do a good F1 car, but logic and F1 don't exactly go hand in hand. For some reason though I've got a good feeling about Lotus, don't know why.

[strider]

This sounds good: Campos boosted by major Murcia tie-up.

This is just the sort of boost that a new team needs. Now, come on Adrian, name your drivers!

[Yannick]

It's too bad that the "new" Sauber does not have a guaranteed grid slot yet. They have got wealthy owners from the middle East, they have got a factory and a wind tunnel that is calibrated, they have a new car in the works, they have an engine deal - and they have an experienced crew of people handling all this.
It would be cruel of the other teams if they blocked them from entering just because these teams fear that the new Sauber would outperform them on track.

[duke_toaster]

"these teams"? It's more like just Williams ...

[ECW Dan Selby]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79636

Ahem, so it's logistical reasons for not wanting Sauber in, eh...?

Hmm, pull the other one!!!

Surely the could use the old Monaco format of just using pre-qualifying for the tighter venues?

Selby

[jab]

He makes some quite valid points. But I'm pretty sure it's financially-motivated, given how many sponsors Williams have lost/are losing

[ECW Dan Selby]

Exactly. I would have thought most of the tracks could surely facilitate that many? What about support races?

Even if Monaco/Interlagos can't, then do the pre-qualy for that.

Selby

[jab]

Originally Posted by ECW Dan Selby

Even if Monaco/Interlagos can't, then do the pre-qualy for that.

But as he said, that's a ridiculous idea in modern F1

[ECW Dan Selby]

But surely if it's agreed beforehand then it is not so rediculous? If it's only for 2 races out of 19?

Selby

[Richard C]

I feel bad for Sauber, but I think the quote below (Christian Horner) from the Autosport article posted above sums up my opinion...

"If only Sauber had signed the Concorde Agreement when they had the chance, but such is life."

[Wims]

Originally Posted by ECW Dan Selby

Exactly. I would have thought most of the tracks could surely facilitate that many? What about support races?

Even if Monaco/Interlagos can't, then do the pre-qualy for that.

Selby

Good luck finding sponsors for a car that might not even pre-qualify. The days of pre-qualifying is over and i have serious doubts about it ever returning to formula one

[Marbot]

Di Grassi (possible driver) said of Manor:

"From what I understand, it [Manor] has the best package available of the new teams – in terms of technical people who have joined the team, in terms of marketing, and in terms of financial backing. I think is very, very serious, so from my side I rate it very high on the list."

[jab]

Latest suggestion is that Dallara are struggling and are behind on the chassis design for Campos, and the Spaniards are now considering taking over the project themselves

[Marbot]

hmmmm.........not good.

[courageous]

do we know if qadbac have actually bought sauber or if the sale is conditional on a F1 entry?

What would you do with a top of the range F1 team & facilities if you had no F1 entry?

Pre qualifying is not viable unless there were enough DNQs to stage a support race imo.

[strider]

Originally Posted by jab

Latest suggestion is that Dallara are struggling and are behind on the chassis design for Campos, and the Spaniards are now considering taking over the project themselves

That Campos story is strange in the light of this one, which was only 4 days ago.

Dallara are so experienced in building chassis that you wouldn't expect them not to be up to speed,

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by Joe Saward

USF1 has woken up to the fact that its reputation in F1 circles was shaky (at best) and has sent out some photos of bits of machinery to show a little bit of action to back up a lot of meaningless talk

Thanks we're not the only ones who think that way.

[Sodemo]

So, are we taking bets on how many cars line up for the first GP of 2010 in Bahrain?

I say... 20.

[jab]

26

24 at the least

[Peralta]

Loyds to sponsor Manor for 15 million pounds!

[old man]

The logic, if that is the word, of having a spare team is that FOM have a fall back position to get 26 cars on the grid. We do not know what FOM have offered the new teams as what we used to call "start money" (if anything!) but let's suppose it equals 25% of the $40million projected budget and you get 2 drivers with decent backing and a test driver with a bit more any of the teams could see themselves half way to the dream of being in F1

Decent sponsors are thin on the ground and Sauber would seem more secure than the others, Lotus have MG on board and that gives them credibility to me. Manor have the Virgin name, it is 'unofficial' but nevertheless usefull when you are chasing other sponsors who want links to the Virgin group. USF1 are a mystery but can they really be all bluff or are they simply aware that all that really matters is having a car that passes the crash test and turns up at tyre testing. Campos announcing the link with Murcia is helful but will not pay the bills, just help reduce the cost by providing a cheap facility

The next moves will be driver signings and look for those that can bring or attract big budget contributions

Then there is the questionmark over existing teams some of whom are not in the best of financial health I am told