2015 new team applications
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Autosport is reporting that Gene Haas, Collin Kolles and Zoran Stefanović have applied to enter a new F1 team in 2015.
It’s good to hear an American team might make their way into F1, especially a name like Haas and with those facilities already in place, including facilities in Europe. Collin Kolles isn’t exactly the most popular man to ever roam F1, but I’d be interested to see what he comes up with.
As for Stefan GP, I believe he no longer even owns the TF110 chassis’ anymore. I think that’d be the most unlikely one.
Whilst Haas seems to be the most likely entrant and will probably be accepted (Amus is reporting they have already signed a Ferrari engine deal), a part of me really wants it to be Stefan GP as this is the third time they have applied.
Haas definitely seems the most likely;
“Gene Haas is financially prepared. He is not only the world’s largest manufacturer of CNC machines, but has the Windshear wind tunnel in Concord, North Carolina, also one of the best wind tunnels in the world. Renowned Formula 1 teams were part of the customer base of the wind sheer. Haas will enter 2015 with its own team in Formula 1 – Haas Racing. The cars are to be designed in-house, but initially built by Dallara. Engine and transmission partner would be Ferrari. Since Gene Haas prefer operates in the background, the role of team leaders from the former Red Bull team manager Guenther Steiner would be occupied. A three-digit million amount as Formula 1 budget would be for Haas Racing guarantees to a factory with the most advanced equipment in North Carolina. This ensures that the bankruptcy of the ex-candidate USF1 (2010) are not repeated.”
Source: http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/formel-1/haas-racing-will-2014-in-die-formel-1-7984603.html
Haas got everything to make it happen. I hope they get the spot.
And if that happens I believe theres a good chance of Danica Patrick drive in F1.Danica Patrick will be 33 by then. I’d much rather wait for some of the promising names in karting to come through around 2017/2020 and have proper drivers who happen to be female on the grid.
Collin Kolles seems to be involved with a Romanian bid: more on Adam Cooper’s blog.
Meanwhile, Ecclestone has said there’s talks with 2 new teams, rather than 3. Motorsport.com
I seriously doubt Gene Haas would be putting together a bid for the sake of getting Danica Patrick on the grid. He runs a pretty big NASCAR team, so his entry is news enough as is. He does not need Patrick.
@npf1 – I would say Eccelstone is right. Three teams applied, but only two are worth talking to. I don’t think anyone is sure what to make of Zoran Stefanovic – the last time he applied to the grid, it was found that the aerospace contractor he claimed to have founded had no assets other than a company name and 500 Euros in a Belgrade bank account. He somehow acquired the Toyota TF110 and decided to go to the Bahrain Grand Prix anyway, sending a shipment of “vital equipment” to the country in anticipation of getting an eleventh-hour grid entry, but this “vital equipment” was found to be nothing more than a shipping container full of collapsible picnic chairs.
So I don’t think anyone would seriously consider Stefanovic’s application.
I hope that the team will be stable enough financially to not have to rely on pay-drivers, and pick the two drivers that have the most skill and greatest chance to score points. I like the idea of new teams, but I’d like it more if I’d seen Marussia/Caterham/HRT attain some success.
In any case, it’s excellent news, so I’ll remain optimistic that they’ll be able to bring a team together for 2015. F1 could use some new blood.
As far as Patrick driving in F1… maybe she’ll get to test because of the affiliation, but I can’t think of her going beyond that.
We’ll never see Patrick in F1. She’s already turned down an offer from USF1 and she has a half-decent career going on in North America. I can’t see why she’d give it all up to spend a year driving at the back of the Formula 1 grid.
@Prisoner-Monkeys I’m surprised people still mention Stefanovic. His first application way back was laughable, there are no old cars to buy this time (unless Marussia or Caterham would sell him their old cars) and the 2010 saga is well documented. The rate at which he lost Toyota’s support was pretty telling. Not to mention he has 0 experience as a team owner, constructor or even as a credible business owner.
Haas and Kolles both have experience as team owners in F1 and with Haas’ windtunnel and Kolles’ involvement in an LMP1 squad, I’d put my money on them too.
@steevkay I hope so too, but Haas and Kolles probably know that, despite the F1 Strategy group saying otherwise, there won’t be a solid budget cap in place for 2015 and they have a lot more time (seemingly at least) than the 2010 teams, if the FIA announces the winning bid before September. Haas has won a ton of races in various guises and could probably get a lot more US sponsors interested in deals with any of his teams than USF1 ever could, or a Spanish team. Kolles I’m not so sure about, given the teams he has worked for in the past.
LOL on the last point @prisoner-monkeys.
But I think this team genuinely has a chance of being competitive (Haas). He last tried in 1986, and did score points (Brawn and Neil Oatley were involved). With at least a 100m budget, they should be ahead of Marussia, Caterham and perhaps on the tail of the midfield early on, given their resources. Think Stewart GP. They could have Danica at a test for the novelty of it, but I would think they would take some young US drivers like Alexander Rossi and Conor Daly instead.. who knows. Tony Stewart could have a test drive as well, but he would be nearing his mid-40s. Marco Andretti perhaps? Haas wanted Michael in 1986 as a substitute, but had to settle for Eddie Cheever (as the FIA wouldn’t give him a super-licence in time).
Kolles Ecclestone will talk to as well of course as he has already been a multiple team boss. But, how can his outsourcing team personnel bid beat Haas’? A Dacia-Renault would be nice, but F1 has always wanted to crack America. It also gives another alternative location that Brawn can end up at. With Dennis coming back to McLaren, that has now also risen up the scale.. he really does have the prime pick of jobs now. McLaren could also get him in quickly in time for 2014, as was allowed for Paddy Lowe at Mercedes in 2013…
I don’t think Haas would be stupid enough to take Rossi and Daly purely for the sake of having American drivers. Like any other team he would have to take the two best drivers available.
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