Grand Prix Rejects

Since Forza Rossa has its own thread now and we mostly discussed about Haas in this thread, I've changed the thread title.

Seems to have abandoned the Dallara plans and seems to want to take the latest customer/shared parts rules to their limit in order to get a car on the grid, as per Autosport, with the tub, bodywork and other mandated-proprietary bits done in-house.

In favour of the relaxation on appendix 6/listed parts rules myself, so long as it doesn't morph into a full-blown mandated standard parts crapfest.

It's definitely the sensible decision, and for the purists, the best as well because Haas will now build their cars themselves rather than contracting it out to Dallara. This then opens the door potentially for Forza Rossa to utilise Dallara's expertise...

Personally, I don't really mind the relaxed Appendix 6 rules, I think if we were to go down the route of customer cars, or increasing percentages of cars made up of customer components, then perhaps ensure they are a year old, providing they comply to the regulations. I think we will reach a point in a few years where it may have to be a serious consideration, unless some form of budget restriction is put in place.

AndreaModa wrote:It's definitely the sensible decision, and for the purists, the best as well because Haas will now build their cars themselves rather than contracting it out to Dallara. This then opens the door potentially for Forza Rossa to utilise Dallara's expertise...

Brilliant. Hopefully Dallara has penned some chassis ideas for the current regulations!

Danica Patrick admits F1 with Haas 'possible'
"I agree that anything is possible, but nobody has said anything to me. I am happy where I am at right now as far as racing goes" - Danica Patrick.

Jun.16 (GMM) Danica Patrick has refused to rule out entering Formula One in 2016.

Gene Haas, F1's newest team owner, has said the world's most famous female racer "would be the dream driver" for his new foray.
He admitted, however, that the fact Nascar driver and American Patrick will be 34 by 2016 could be an issue.
"The question was about the dream driver!" Haas - who already runs Patrick in his Nascar team Stewart-Haas - told F1's official website.
"But she surely fits the bill."

Patrick told the Toronto Sun: "I agree that anything is possible, but nobody has said anything to me. I am happy where I am at right now as far as racing goes.
"I am just starting to get the hang of (Nascar) sprint cup racing.
"Out of respect for Gene, if he came to me I would certainly listen, but I am almost getting too old to start a third career," she added.

Jocke1 wrote:

Danica Patrick admits F1 with Haas 'possible'
"I agree that anything is possible, but nobody has said anything to me. I am happy where I am at right now as far as racing goes" - Danica Patrick.

Jun.16 (GMM) Danica Patrick has refused to rule out entering Formula One in 2016.

Gene Haas, F1's newest team owner, has said the world's most famous female racer "would be the dream driver" for his new foray.
He admitted, however, that the fact Nascar driver and American Patrick will be 34 by 2016 could be an issue.
"The question was about the dream driver!" Haas - who already runs Patrick in his Nascar team Stewart-Haas - told F1's official website.
"But she surely fits the bill."

Patrick told the Toronto Sun: "I agree that anything is possible, but nobody has said anything to me. I am happy where I am at right now as far as racing goes.
"I am just starting to get the hang of (Nascar) sprint cup racing.
"Out of respect for Gene, if he came to me I would certainly listen, but I am almost getting too old to start a third career," she added.

I will never root harder against a team, or wish more ill-will upon them than if they do this.....

Calm down everyone, this is the Toronto Sun, they take any quote out of context given the opportunity

Though this surprises me a lot, The Sun doesn't usually report on F1 - they usually report on hockey, ufc, etc.

I wonder if Gene Haas will now change his name to Eugenio Hasso?

Ferrari announced today that Haas Automation is now a sponsor. Hmmm.......

Wallio wrote:Ferrari announced today that Haas Automation is now a sponsor. Hmmm.......

Welp, that pretty much confirms Haas will use Ferrari engines for 2016.

Ataxia wrote:

Wallio wrote:Ferrari announced today that Haas Automation is now a sponsor. Hmmm.......

Welp, that pretty much confirms Haas will use Ferrari engines for 2016.

I'll wager that it will be more than just engines - there have been signs that the FIA is relaxing the regulations on customer components, so perhaps we'll see other components (maybe some elements of the chassis, for example) being transferred so di Montezemolo's dream of a US based Ferrari customer team coming closer to reality...

http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... rtnership/

And there it is. Luca gets his Ferrari USA team, and Haas has some stability now.

Wallio wrote:http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com/2014/09/03/haas-f1-confirms-ferrari-technical-partnership/

And there it is. Luca gets his Ferrari USA team, and Haas has some stability now.

Does this mean NART is back?

Simtek wrote:

Wallio wrote:http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com/2014/09/03/haas-f1-confirms-ferrari-technical-partnership/

And there it is. Luca gets his Ferrari USA team, and Haas has some stability now.

Does this mean NART is back?

I hope so, those red cars with the white/blue "American Racing" colored stripes were always pretty.

Haas has been quiet since the Ferrari announcement. Has anyone read or heard anything lately?

Faustus wrote:Haas has been quiet since the Ferrari announcement. Has anyone read or heard anything lately?

No, maybe because they're focusing on getting the car ready and there's not much to report?

Salamander wrote:

Faustus wrote:Haas has been quiet since the Ferrari announcement. Has anyone read or heard anything lately?

No, maybe because they're focusing on getting the car ready and there's not much to report?

I say quiet is not a bad thing. I would be more concerned if they had been posting videos of them building parts or doing guided tours to the factory.

I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing - teams and drivers are increasingly embracing social media. So reaching out to fans through a platform like YouTube is perfectly viable. The problem comes when you focus too much on that element to the detriment of all else.

DanielPT wrote:

Salamander wrote:

Faustus wrote:Haas has been quiet since the Ferrari announcement. Has anyone read or heard anything lately?

No, maybe because they're focusing on getting the car ready and there's not much to report?

I say quiet is not a bad thing. I would be more concerned if they had been posting videos of them building parts or doing guided tours to the factory.

But I really wanted to see their front noses and nothing else...

Ataxia wrote:But I really wanted to see their front noses and nothing else...

Just for you...


Great days...

Every time I see this title thread I think of



Even as they race.

Anyway not worried about them. Not like they'll be USF1...v2.

f1andrea wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT8tpqZ-fyA

It's official. I am now slightly concerned... It could be worse still, they could be showing front noses.

It's so epic

f1andrea wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT8tpqZ-fyA

If you want, you can watch it backwards to see the day when it all goes tits up and the sign is removed (and then un-ceremoniously dumped in a skip (unfilmed)).

So if Hass are entering in 2016, does this mean they will have much more time than the "2010" teams did to prepare?
I think that they could definitely perform better than those teams did in their first year anyway, with the ferrari backing on board (which Virgin didnt benefit from) and decent funding, backing, staff and equipment, they should do fine, you'd think?

Haas now planning to have his team based in the UK, although the designers will still be based in North Carolina: http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/d ... ew-f1-team.

Gene Haas wrote:A lot of the teams in the UK build everything themselves. They seem to have this English mentality that this is the way it has to be done and that is just not our business model at all.

Go 'Murica!

DanielPT wrote:

f1andrea wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT8tpqZ-fyA

It's official. I am now slightly concerned... It could be worse still, they could be showing front noses.

I know, right? I mean, what happens when they get to the first pre-season test for 2016, unload the car, and it runs under its own power without assistance for the entire test? I mean, that would be a travesty!

Gene Haas wrote:If we did it the way Caterham and Marussia did it we would have the same result so I think we are going to do it differently.

Hmm yeah, the way that involved entering the sport on the promise that there would be a £40 million budget cap only for it to fall to pieces.

I'm genuinely fascinated by how Haas thinks he's going to do this. Aside from the support from Ferrari, he's still going to have enormous operational costs, especially trying to run a team from both sides of the pond in two units rather than one. It would be nice to see Marussia's HQ continue to be used for motorsport as well. I can see it being empty for quite some time otherwise.

But as for Haas, I think there should be genuine scepticism of his team ever making the grid. I can't see where all the money is going to come from, he's not that rich.

According to F1 Fanatic, Haas has said he intends to bid on some of Marussia's assets at this week's auction.

Captain Hammer wrote:According to F1 Fanatic, Haas has said he intends to bid on some of Marussia's assets at this week's auction.

It makes sense for him to do that, since I imagine that it would potentially be a cheaper way for him to acquire equipment than on the open market - and if he goes ahead with the possibility of acquiring Marussia's former headquarters to boot, then he would have a pretty handy maintenance facility to boot.

AndreaModa wrote:

Gene Haas wrote:If we did it the way Caterham and Marussia did it we would have the same result so I think we are going to do it differently.

Hmm yeah, the way that involved entering the sport on the promise that there would be a £40 million budget cap only for it to fall to pieces.

I'm genuinely fascinated by how Haas thinks he's going to do this. Aside from the support from Ferrari, he's still going to have enormous operational costs, especially trying to run a team from both sides of the pond in two units rather than one. It would be nice to see Marussia's HQ continue to be used for motorsport as well. I can see it being empty for quite some time otherwise.

But as for Haas, I think there should be genuine scepticism of his team ever making the grid. I can't see where all the money is going to come from, he's not that rich.

It seems that Haas is mostly pinning his hopes on the fact that the teams and the FIA have agreed to a relaxation on the rules permitting the sale of parts and IP rights to customer teams, which would therefore cut his development costs. It has already been confirmed that some areas are already being relaxed - I believe that teams will now be allowed to sell suspension components to customer teams - and I think that some bodywork panels might come under this too.

What might upset some of his plans would be whether the new management at Ferrari is quite so supportive of him as Luca was prepared to be - whilst Luca seems to have seen Haas as the closest option he would have under the current rules for a US based Ferrari customer team, the recent upheaval within Ferrari suggests that the team seems to be turning inwards, to deal with its own internal issues, rather than looking outwards towards its customers.

Haas has bought the Marussia factory (that sounded weird).

Good move. I feel like he's playing down his chances while slowly preparing everything a year ahead - I like it so far. Hopefully there won't be a Mastercard move involved.

Simtek wrote:Haas has bought the Marussia factory (that sounded weird).

Sensible move. What I wonder though is how big a role their North Carolina base will play. Surely for logistical reasons, they can't afford to house the cars, and therefore the workshop, in NC. So what else is there for them to do over in America bar R&D? They risk becoming American by name only, but I suppose this is to be expected from such a European-centric sport.

Biscione wrote:

Simtek wrote:Haas has bought the Marussia factory (that sounded weird).

Sensible move. What I wonder though is how big a role their North Carolina base will play. Surely for logistical reasons, they can't afford to house the cars, and therefore the workshop, in NC. So what else is there for them to do over in America bar R&D? They risk becoming American by name only, but I suppose this is to be expected from such a European-centric sport.

The plan, I believe, is to design and build the cars in North Carolina. The Marussia facility will be for the race team to prepare.

I seem to remember that Dallara were going to design the first Haas F1 car (from their USA design office, so Haas could claim it was a US effort, though for windtunnel testing Dallara will either have to use Windshear, or their Italian windtunnel), and then Haas were going to actually construct the chassis using their own facilities.

Biscione wrote:

Simtek wrote:Haas has bought the Marussia factory (that sounded weird).

Sensible move. What I wonder though is how big a role their North Carolina base will play. Surely for logistical reasons, they can't afford to house the cars, and therefore the workshop, in NC. So what else is there for them to do over in America bar R&D? They risk becoming American by name only, but I suppose this is to be expected from such a European-centric sport.

If nothing else, they can exploit tax loopholes and score money from the government. That's a national pastime for business in our country.

Gene Haas wrote:If we prove that we can be successful maybe that would be a model of how you start up. But, to have someone like Caterham and Marussia, where they just started with nothing, that just doesn't work.

At GPUpdate, Gene Haas seems pretty convinced his approach is better than Caterham's and Marussia's was. Will he be more successful than those two?

I think they will be financially more stable, but I have my doubts about their performance. Surely the customer parts will not be as good as the works parts and with the small differences between teams on the grid, they might not be good enough.

tBone wrote:

Gene Haas wrote:If we prove that we can be successful maybe that would be a model of how you start up. But, to have someone like Caterham and Marussia, where they just started with nothing, that just doesn't work.

At GPUpdate, Gene Haas seems pretty convinced his approach is better than Caterham's and Marussia's was. Will he be more successful than those two?

I think they will be financially more stable, but I have my doubts about their performance. Surely the customer parts will not be as good as the works parts and with the small differences between teams on the grid, they might not be good enough.

He's beginning to sound like Craig Pollock with his unsubstantiated claims (although still nowhere near as bad). Next season's going to be fun.