Canadian Team ?

[fatbloke]

From F1 Rumours @ http://tentenths.com/news/f1/

As the Canadian Grand Prix approaches, speculation gathers that the Quebec and National Government is prepared to underwrite the cost of buying an existing Frmula One team.

"Project Vector" is gathering momentum, and involvement from John Nicholson (of Nicholson McLaren Engines) and Mike Earle (who ran an F1 team) lends credability to the project. If all goes to plan, the consortium will have it's first race chassis ready in 2002, and be set to buy into Formula One a couple of years later.

The intention to make a centre of motorsport excellence in Canada has long reaching implications. With Formula One returning to the USA, there is increasing call for involvement in the continent, to press home the increased "home" interest. Accordingly, it is not surprising to hear that the Bernie Ecclestone is believed to be backing this attempt, and sees the devolvement of the British concentration of teams as good for the competition.

What the feck ? Is it April 1st again already ? Maybe that's why they keep breaking into the pit garages there ?

Sounds as likely to happen as the Japanese Dome entry... whatever happened to that, BTW ?

[Jay]

Anybody who knows anything about Canadian politics knows that the Canadian Gov't and Quebec Gov't are totally opposite and would never work together on anything.

OK, next joke please.

[Minardi fan]

Good point... What DID happen to the Japanese Dome team??? It's all gone a bit silent on that front.

[marcus]

as far as I know Dome have run off into the distance and forgotten about F1..but I think they still make F3000 cars for the nippon series.

I dont know anything about canadian politics but the funds do need to come from somewhere and here in OZ the queensland government have handed over funds to young jason Bright to help him make his CART debut later this year...so it can be done but only time will tell.

[KC]

The rules will prevent the introducion of a new team into F1. The rest do not want to divvy up the spoils any more. Toyota bought the last new entry into the series. This would require the Canadian gov't to purchase an existing team. At a time when most national gov'ts cannot seem to run their own finances, what makes them think they could effectively run a racing team?

If they are interested in nationalism on the motor racing front, they should help to sponsor some of the young takent that cannot get in without a seat purchase. There are literally hundereds of untapped drivers out there who will never get the chance to show their talent.

[MichaelC]

Er, KC, isn't that what the first post said?

"...the Quebec and National Government is prepared to underwrite the cost of buying an existing Formula One team"

I agree with you entirely though. Most governments have no clue, and they would be a lot better off sinking money into driver development. Build a decent racing academy or something. I don't know what there is in the way of driver talent coming out of Canada, but I'm sure they would welcome any available help.

And anyway, if they did buy a team, they couldn't have any sponsors on the car, as a national government could surely never be seen to be endorsing any particular brands, could they??

[KC]

You're right MichaelC. I just didn't read it close enough, sorry about that.

The only thing I believe that a gov't could do in the way of advertising would be to push the tourism angle. "Visit 'wherever'" on the side pods with some national colors.