USF1 Remembered... Please Post Your Favorite USF1 Memory Here....

[MSulka]

Just as the title says...

[Insighter]

My favorite

Originally Posted by Windsor

Dec 22,2009
"I'm surprised Bernie said that. We will be there. We're in good shape," said Windsor. "Everything is going well and we are looking forward to the year. We've just finished the chassis and are now in the hands of [engine suppliers] Cosworth."

[Insighter]

October 8th, Anderson predicts a rolling chassis in 3-4 weeks:

"Instead, we've taken out a lot of the guesswork and can get close to a race-ready piece right off of the machines, which is happening now.

"Our timing is according to plan, with an early November 'roller' and a finished car in time for January 2010 testing."

[diamonddave]

i just remember it being really embarrassing

[skidmark]

Money quote:

“For those of them out there who say, ‘Where’s all the money? Where’s the huge facility? Where’s the money falling out of the sky?’ That isn’t ever going to happen with USF1. We’ve always had a very different approach, and that approach will become evident as time goes on and this year unfolds.” — Peter Windsor, as quoted by Speedtv.com

http://formula-one.speedtv.com/artic...ready-to-roll/

[RacerX]

Ummm, the initial announcement that there would be an American F1 team for 2010.

After that, it has been all downhill.....

[Insighter]

So MSulka, what's your favorite?

[MSulka]

Originally Posted by Insighter

So MSulka, what's your favorite?

Good question, because they all revolve around Peter Windsor's ridiculous over-statements...

Things like "Ken and I have been planning this for years"

Then when there was a slight hint at the end of the F1 seasn that USF1 wasn't going to make it... Windsor said on Speed's F1 coverage... "Afterall, its Ken's team."

How about his first (and last) blog post on the team's website... Read that end-to-end... the hits are plentiful....

But I'd guess my favorite was Windsor's supposed conversation with Bernie where Windsor lays out his plan and Bernie basically responds like Rocky...

"Go for it".

[IndyAndy]

When I first watched those "TailEnders/US F1 - the Series" videos on Youtube a few months back, I thought; 'WTF? - I can't wait until these guys are proven wrong!'

Obviously, however, they possessed amazing powers of prescience.

Sadly, those videos will likely forever be the first thing that I think of whenever someone mentions USF1.

[chopperdave]

well it was fond at the time... Driving to Charlotte and walking into the building itself. that feeling of hope looking around that this could be totally cool..

now I hope Ken Anderson and Peter Windsor find it fitting to kiss the end of a shotgun....

[Insighter]

Originally Posted by IndyAndy

When I first watched those "TailEnders/US F1 - the Series" videos on Youtube a few months back, I thought; 'WTF? - I can't wait until these guys are proven wrong!'

Obviously, however, they possessed amazing powers of prescience.

Sadly, those videos will likely forever be the first thing that I think of whenever someone mentions USF1.

A lot of people had never worked with Ken. Myself included. But some had; and that is where you got the type of skepticism in those videos from.

I've come to find that Ken's resume is quite the stretch of the imagination. He was a decent engineer at Penske. But since then, he's tried and failed a tmany projects. You can see that he's worked in many places in a short period of time, often calling himself 'Technical Director' when he was definitely not that. Or 'designed a Indy 500 winning car' when he was just a small part of the project. He was part of the Windshear project at first but talking to people there, he was quickly moved down the ladder to a little-used advisor role.

The problem is many of these teams are defunct, merged, or changed ownership, and it is difficult to verify the exact employment status of an individual. One thing is clear though, that after Penske, Ken moved around a LOT.

Those that had worked with Ken, knew that this project had a slim chance of making it. I just wish they'd spoken up sooner (not that it was likely to make a difference).

People like John Anderson knew Ken, but they had never worked together before.

I talked with a well respected engineer before I visited USF1, back in October, and I asked him if he was considering applying there. He laughed and said he didn't drink the right kool-aid to be part of this project. He had worked with Ken in the past, but wouldn't elaborate. It doesn't pay in racing to burn bridges, so that's why everyone was tight lipped.