[Team] Haas: Gene Haas of NASCAR attempting to start F1 team

[canamman]

Haas making the right moves so far. Buy into an existing team
then go see if Braun is bored out of his mind yet.

Time will tell.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by canamman

Haas making the right moves so far. Buy into an existing team
then go see if Braun is bored out of his mind yet.

Time will tell.

Has it been confirmed he's buying into an existing team, i.e. Caterham?

[canamman]

They said on the qualifying telecast its been rumored he may be visiting Lotus this coming week. I figure while he is over there he will talk with
any other prospects.

[F1Pete]

So much for building a new team from scratch based in the US flavoured with American Hustle...I mean muscle.

[321Go]

Originally Posted by canamman

Haas making the right moves so far. Buy into an existing team

Haas will NOT be buying out the Lotus F1 Team.

Originally Posted by canamman

then go see if Braun is bored out of his mind yet.

A shave and a haircut before his visits Braun??

[canamman]

Originally Posted by 321Go

Haas will NOT be buying out the Lotus F1 Team.

Buying into vs. buying out are 2 completely different scenario's.

To early yet but from what I hear, Lotus could use a couple bucks.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by F1Pete

So much for building a new team from scratch based in the US flavoured with American Hustle...I mean muscle.

I think we'll just have to wait and see but it would be nice to see a new team built from scratch.

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by 321Go

Haas will NOT be buying out the Lotus F1 Team.

A shave and a haircut before his visits Braun??

Why not? Braun used to sponsor Braun Team Tyrrell when they had backing from Shell and Honda engines (1991).

Then an invite to Ross Brawn might be in order, especially if the factory in the US is beside a river with lots of trout...

[321Go]

Originally Posted by canamman

Buying into vs. buying out are 2 completely different scenario's.

Haas will NOT be buying out - nor buying into Lotus F1. And Gene Haas will NOT be visiting Enstone next week either.

[garcon]

You seem awfully certain of this. Personally, I would want to be absolutely sure of my facts if I was going to contradict another member so abruptly.

Do you have a source?

[Hawkwood]

All the news sources from yesterday have him down to visit Enstone next week, though Haas today has dismissed rumours that he is looking at buying Lotus or Caterham.
It's on Autosport, but I can't link it over.

[Tucky]

Conflicting reports going on. Sky are still adamant that he's visiting, but Autosport have changed now and have said he's not planning on visiting lotus.

[Paradise City]

Reports now that Haas' reported flirtation with common sense are unfounded. Repeat, unfounded.

[bjohnsonsmith]

According to this, he's going to do it from scratch.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/113899

[Aysedasi]

Thank you to the other members for providing the sources........

[climb]

My personal view is: Haas want an F1 team to be recognized in the States to be an American team; buying Lotus o Caterham or whatever else out would be insightful from an operation point of view, but not many American fans would ever consider it as an USF1 team to get crazy for.

Much better in this perspective to start purchasing the car i.e. from Merc or Ferrari just to be on the grid in 2015, and then gradually pile up experience to open up their own US-based shop in the following years.

Pros: that's the best way to lure a fan base at home

Cons: the F1 know-how and supply chain circuits are elsewhere: UK and Italy; very hard to be and keep competitive staying on their own in the States.

[canamman]

Originally Posted by climb

My personal view is: Haas want an F1 team to be recognized in the States to be an American team; buying Lotus o Caterham or whatever else out would be insightful from an operation point of view, but not many American fans would ever consider it as an USF1 team to get crazy for.

Interesting point. Now thinking back about it, and this goes for motogp
as well, I was always been more interested in the team if the driver was from my country. Team principals? Not so much.

[Paradise City]

Noone accuses Gurney or Penske of being English and they built or at least operated alot of their kit from England. If Haas had his head screwed on he'd pick up an existing team, do a deal with Gurney to bring the Eagle name back to F1 and he'd basically achieve what says he wants to achieve with a higher chance of success. Once he stabilises the team, he then might be able to diversify more of his operation to America availing of the advantages of the information age. Right now the percentages are very low judging from his public intentions and I doubt he'll turn heads in America with NASCAR routinely dominating the headlines.

Gurney's F1 winnning Mk1 Eagle was American built. Belgium '67 is the only time an American built car has won but it has been done before today.

[climb]

Originally Posted by canamman

...
as well, I was always been more interested in the team if the driver was from my country. Team principals? Not so much.

Right point, but, if you want an US driver for an F1 adventure, he must be a strong one; and we all know that this kind of drivers are totally absorbed by Nascar.

I suppose that an US-based outift is more likely to lure one of them.

[Paradise City]

If people think Scott Speed 2.0 driving a half assed American built chassis tucked away at the back of the pack is going to interest Americans, we're going to have to part company on that particular question.

[davyboy]

Who knows what Gene Haas' motivation for doing this is. He appears to be very well heeled and if he wants to dump his money into this, then it's his prerogative. However, it would be foolish to believe this venture as the eureka moment when F1 goes mainstream stateside. It is, has been and always will be, a minority motor sport in the US. NASCAR is what race fans that side of the pond are interested in. It does what they want and there's no need for them to look elsewhere.

[Catingaround]

Originally Posted by davyboy

Who knows what Gene Haas' motivation for doing this is. He appears to be very well heeled and if he wants to dump his money into this, then it's his prerogative. However, it would be foolish to believe this venture as the eureka moment when F1 goes mainstream stateside. It is, has been and always will be, a minority motor sport in the US. NASCAR is what race fans that side of the pond are interested in. It does what they want and there's no need for them to look elsewhere.

NASCAR hasn't always been the most popular racing series in America, it's not beyond possible that F1's popularity will continue to grow stateside.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Catingaround

NASCAR hasn't always been the most popular racing series in America, it's not beyond possible that F1's popularity will continue to grow stateside.

I say this having lived in the US for a number of years. It's not beyond possible that F1's popularity will grow but I don't believe it will ever be anything other than a fringe series and I can't for a moment envisage it usurping NASCAR.

[ptclaus98]

Davy is spot on. F1 is gaining fans but NASCAR is still the king and will be until motor racing as a spectator sport dies out in the US.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

Noone accuses Gurney or Penske of being English and they built or at least operated alot of their kit from England. If Haas had his head screwed on he'd pick up an existing team, do a deal with Gurney to bring the Eagle name back to F1 and he'd basically achieve what says he wants to achieve with a higher chance of success. Once he stabilises the team, he then might be able to diversify more of his operation to America availing of the advantages of the information age. Right now the percentages are very low judging from his public intentions and I doubt he'll turn heads in America with NASCAR routinely dominating the headlines.

Gurney's F1 winnning Mk1 Eagle was American built. Belgium '67 is the only time an American built car has won but it has been done before today.

I like the Gurney/Eagle angle but unfortunately all Haas seems to know about AOWR, let alone F1, is Dullara,which is why he's going for them intially.