It's Official!!!!!!

[Liz]

www.rfmsports.com

Go there and read the story on the front page.

Hurrah!

[Down F0rce]

CART, ALMS, Trans-Am & F1....all in the same weekend? fingers crossed!

[Flatspot]

I certainly like the idea of Bernie's money and name being associated with CART but I'm having a very hard time with the idea of positioning CART as a "training ground" for F1. I think DaMatta hits it on the head when he says that there are many in CART that are better than many in F1. They are different formulas and some will excel differently in either one. There aren't many Mansell's, Andretti's or Fittipaldi's that can do well in anything they drive.

[Jay]

I agree with Da Matta... I always have thought Cart was more of a step to the side of F1 rather than a step down. The cars aren't quite as fast around corners and the pressure to perform isn't as great, but I have no doubt that the guys that run at the happy end of the field in Cart could do the same in F1, given the right equipment.

[jcclausen]

Liz, looks like this is the beginning of the end for the IRL and Tony George. I share your enthusiam, of course. Most certainly, the USGP will no longer be held at IMS. Keeping in mind that T. George spent over $75 million in improvements to get the USGP, it appears to have been a poor investment. Now, George will have to schedule road races for the southern fried taxis and those other things that only turn left to get any return on his $75 million.

As I stated before, when the sharks get through with George he won't be able to afford a general admission ticket to the IMS. He'll damn sure need one to gain entry to watch the Indy 500 sanctioned by F1/CART at the track he once owned.

Arrogance and ignorance is a deadly combination, of which George has displayed an abundance of both.

[Liz]

Originally posted by jcclausen
Arrogance and ignorance is a deadly combination, of which George has displayed an abundance of both.

I like it!

I'm sure that there are many, many details to work out, and this is only the first draft of many more as to what they are actually on about.

But to my mind this accomplishes two things. It demoralizes all the deserters; and it gives the impression that the schoolyard fight between CART and Them has been joined by CART's big brother.

[macdaddy]

Wouldn't go so far as to say that anything's "official." Pook is simply stating that there have been discussions about "possibilities." There really wasn't anything in that article that I didn't already know, or suspect. No mention of Bernie's rumoured stock purchase, either. However, this announcement will end alot of speculation! I feel somewhat more confident that it's actually going to happen now. Be that good or bad, only time will tell.

TG must be getting nervous. Likewise some of the F3000 folks. And any of the CART drivers who have switched leagues recently in the hopes of getting an F1 test certainly must be second-guessing their decisions.

[FastCar5]

Liz,
The Globe and Mail has a story this morning online stating that any merger or takeover is "premature" according to Cart officials. Talks between Bernie and Chris are strictly on a friendship level. Or so they say.....

[jcclausen]

My guess would be that Bernie and Tony got into a pi$$ng match over the USGP. That being the case, what do you think is going to happen?

[rush1]

They are in negotiations, nothing has been decided. Hardly breaking news. Mr. Pooks comments are quite funny: "If there's a possibility to work out a relationship whereby we can develop F1 drivers or some of the guys over there on the back end of their careers, they can come and run with us"

Is that what CART becomes, a retirement home for F1? Now that will take off with the American public. I can see the lines in Clevland and Portland to grab those tickets now! I am sure Tony George is shaking in his boots.

[Liz]

The one in the Sun detailed what they have to go through with the stockholders and NYSE before they can do any financial dealings. This is not impossible to do but it will not be done tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. either. What this does is buy the series time, strengthen the faint hearted, get people to re-up for another year, and fill up the grids. If it takes all of the next season to become reality, so what?

It is the announcement we needed to put heart into us all. For now, that's enough.

[jcclausen]

I am sure Tony George is shaking in his boots.

Some just aren't smart enough to figure it out, including George.

[macdaddy]

I'm looking forward to a more detailed announcement come Fontana, in just a couple of weeks' time...

And I'm thinking that the Ecclestone announcement will be made hand-in-hand with that of Ford.

[Lee Janotta]

Okay, my thoughts on this _whole_ mess.

On the negative:

1. I don't trust Bernie one bit. I don't trust his words, his actions, _or_ his motives.

2. From the start I've had questions about Pook's loyalty. I would have felt more confident if there was an American or Canadian in that position.

3. CART isn't at _quite_ the same level as F1 in terms of the driver talent pool, but it's close, a hell of a lot closer than F3000.

4. CART has it's own identity as the top open-wheel series in the western hemisphere, where I believe it needs to stay. I _wouldn't_ be opposed to more of a presence in Latin America, though. But cross-continent trips are a big drag on the schedule and budgets.

5. A naturally aspirated engine formula could be death for CART. I really like the psuedo-spec approach. I'd miss the turbos and manual sequential shifting a ton if we lost them. 8 cylinders good, 10 cylinders bad!

6. Association with Bernie inevitably means dealing with Max Mosely and the FIA. By their charter, the FIA is a great organization, but Max and the World Motorsport Council are inept, corrupt, and take _completely_ the wrong position on nearly every issue. Can you imagine CART giving up rulemaking power to a bunch of aristocratic fools in Paris?

Now, for the positive aspects, as I see them:

1. It's better to be Bernie's friend than his enemy... I think.

2. _If_ F1 regs are changed to make it a more affordable and open Formula, one _could_ concieve of continental championships in Europe, Asia/Australasia, and the Americas which would absorb CART and F3000. You'd have to cut the cost of running a team by around 80%, though. Customer chassis and less of a reliance on unobtanium, electronics, and super-tight tolerances. Plus, it'd have to produce _much_ better competition. I honestly don't think it's possible unless Bernie believed in it wholeheartedly. But could you just imagine? A championship based on prize money, not appearance, TV, travel and contingency money? Where wildcards could compete with the world's best, and actually stand a chance??? It'd be like the '60s all over again.

3. _If_ this World Championship manufacturer's series goes down, I'd rather be on this side of the fence with Bernie. A true manufacturer's series will be _nothing_ but a massive spending contest which will further dehumanise the sport.

4. CART needs money and publicity. That's the simple truth, and Bernie can deliver both by the boatload. Enough to bury Tony George, and _really_ make the Frances bleed.

One more thing... For CART, Bernie, IMSA/Panoz, and the FIA to all get along with each other, there's one more group to deal with: The ACO, which runs the 24 Hours of LeMans. There will need to be an agreement on class rules the ACO and FIA before everyone can get along.

I just hope the American powerbrokers like Forsythe keep the fans in mind in whatever they decide.

[paul-collins]

Well, Lee, I agree with your analysis. Keep your friends close, they say. Well, I'd rather have Bernie screwing me in front of my face than behind my back.

I think, on the whole, it provides CART with a whole lot of short-term positives. Long-term depends largely on F1 improving its own breed...

Finally, although I always discount the source, I thought this one was good:

Originally posted by rush1
Is that what CART becomes, a retirement home for F1?

And Andretti shows us where you go when you retire from retirement from F1...

[Tiresmoke]

To be honest to ourselves, this deal won't please absolutely everybody. Those of us who love the turbos will be heartbroken, because they'll pretty much be gone forever in open wheel. With CART in Bernie's control, it'll feel like as fans, we're being dragged around by the ear doing whatever he wants to do, going where he wants to go. Alternatively though, its better than not being around at all. Pook did a marvelous job of trying to save the ship, but without the help of a major international racing presence, the north american based-international series would have succumbed to strict budgets, a lack of ROI and greed. CART needs Bernie's clout right now. Bernie needs CART's proven and challenging series. And, there's 22 drivers that need jobs next season, and I'm prepared to watch 'em race.

[Liz]

Me too. We have the turbos for two more years and anything can happen by then.

In fact, it is better to have Bernie on your side than against you, no matter what you may think of him and his tactics.

Welcome, Bernie. Don't bring Max though.

[Flatspot]

Good post Lee, I agree with it all, but, damn I love the sound of turbos in the morning (the smell of methanol isn't bad either). That said, I'm still not wholey convinced Bernie's coming to the dance.

[mac]

This could be interesting. And if Dario wants a crack at F1, he may well have jumped too soon.

Some of the **** being dribbled down here is ridiculous.

I got home from work last night, and Mum said, "see, it's the end of CART."

I replied, "who says that?"

Mum answered, "um, Franchitti."

Mum knows nothing about motorsport, but had obviously seen some garbage on the news. The sooner he and Mikey are gone, the better.

[Liz]

Dario is too old for F1 and he's probably ruined his chance of coming back into the new and improved Champ Cars.

I also suspect he's not going to have a lot of fun this weekend as people continue to remind him that they think he made the wrong choice....

My webmaster asked me "What are we going to write if one of them wins?" I told him I'd light a bunch of candles to try to avoid that eventuality.

[f1manoz]

We only want Bernie's money!!!

But there are far better circuits than Indy that F1 can use, so the 'alliance' between Tony and Bernie means bugger all in the long term.

[tanalised]

Just hope Mosley doesn't get too involved or he'll commission that German guy Tilke to redesign Road America or Mid Ohio, and hey presto! we'll 17 mickey mouse European tracks on the schedule; everyone of them as exciting as the new Hockenheim

[The Snout]

Pook has been talking about Gasoline V10s for 2005, F1 runs V10s, I'm no technical expert but are they angling for some crossover there. For instance Cart running year old or so F1 engines, giving the manufacturers double the bang for their buck without having to build 2 different engines eg. Toyota build F1 and IRL next year but if Cart aligns to a point with F1 then maybe they only have to dev the one engine.

Anyway, just something I thought of as I was thinking about the gossip.

[Liz]

Good though, although I don't like the current F1 engines much. They sound like sewing machines.

[mac]

That could well be the traction control. Get em on a straight bit, and they sound delish.