US Team to Make F1 Debut?

Formula One may not want the USA to be part of their schedule in the near future, but the North Americans are sure planning to be part of the Great Circle next year. As reported by German motorsport site motorsport-total.com, it seems that Bernie Ecclestone has secretly agreed to grant permission in Formula 1 for a newly-based team called USF1.

The news comes as a shock to all F1 fans out there, as the series has never had that many fans in the US to begin with. However, through the efforts of former F1 stalwart and broadcaster Peter Windsor and former Ligier Technical Director Ken Anderson, the team might make its debut in Formula 1 from as early as next season.

Although no official statement has been made on the matter, the team has already registered their new web page as usf1.com. For the time being, the site only provides the viewers with the team's future logo.

Apart from that, according to the aforementioned source, the team will be based in the heart of the NASCAR series, North Carolina (Charlotte). In order to attract a higher number of fans into watching F1 races during 2010's early morning, the team will have a patriotic slogan also: Made in America.

The decision to field an F1 team in 2010 was apparently the consequence of FIA's latest measures aimed to drastically decrease costs inside the sport. As the USF1 will most likely enter the series as an independent team, the force ratio between manufacturers and private teams within F1 will be perfectly equal.

Cosworth's condition to FIA on building new standard power trains for 2010 was that at least 5 teams within F1 would purchase the new units. As none of the manufacturers should agree on using non-in-house engines, USF1's debut would come at the best time.

However, further details on the USF1 project are expected to emerge soon enough.