USF1 Announces Intent To Race '10 Schedule, Offers Few Specifics

USF1 Principals Ken Anderson and Peter Windsor "officially unveiled their plans Tuesday for the creation of an American Formula One team based in Charlotte," according to Jim Utter of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. Anderson and Windsor "offered a driver wish list, a probable location for their team's headquarters and a timeline for the team's start but offered no specifics on sponsors, where its engines and cars will come from or the identities of four minority investors." USF1 already had announced its plans to begin competing during the '10 season with two American drivers, with the IRL's Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti "mentioned most prominently." Other drivers mentioned as potential candidates include NASCAR and former F1 driver Scott Speed and NASCAR driver Kyle Busch (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 2/25). The AP's Jenna Fryer noted the team plans to "hire roughly 100 team members and operate with an annual budget of about" $64M. The team also plans to have a "'logistical base' in Europe to house transporters and equipment." But Fryer noted beyond that, Windsor and Anderson "would reveal little else" (AP, 2/24). Windsor and Anderson "conceded that the global economic crisis had added to the enormous challenge but said it had also opened up opportunities for new start-ups, with the International Automobile Federation determined to introduce cost-cutting measures." REUTERS' Steve Keating noted there currently are "no American drivers competing in the championship and no races in North America after the U.S. and Canadian Grands Prix were dropped from the calendar" (REUTERS, 2/24).  

STAR SEARCH: In Indianapolis, Curt Cavin notes both Andretti and Patrick are scheduled to be free agents at the end of the upcoming season, and Patrick said that she "would be interested in talking" about driving for the new USF1 team. Patrick said F1 is "not No. 1 on my list, but a conversation never killed anyone" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 2/25). Meanwhile, Busch's agent Jeff Dickerson said that his client "would 'certainly leave the door open' to try Formula One 'at some point'" after Busch was named as a possible candidate to drive a USF1 ride (SCENEDAILY.com, 2/24).