Maybe Brawn is after some of the same sponsors. Publicly casting doubt from someone with credibility. Computerized crash modeling should be very well known and/or calibrated by now with low risk for major changes in the final components. However, it is a gamble to wait too long. If a significant changes are required it can have a snowball effect on adjacent components. Especially the outer A surfaces that dictate aerodynamics. USF1 is not made up of MEs just out of college. They have a lot of F1 experience on board. I think the other teams are just skeptical about a non-traditional start-up. I'm betting they make it. However, Windsor is not stupid. Being able to sell your spot as a fail safe isn't a bad idea.

Thankyou CrusherCountry, I stand corrected, I have gone thru my old F1 magazines and found that, that is the case. Alonso did indeed carry the no 1 on his car, while Lewis carried no 2, which makes no sense whatsoever as it was Lewis's rookie year in F1. Logic would dictate that if the WDC recieves the no 1 then all the drivers would recieve their numbers according to their standings the previous season, and any new drivers would recieve their numbers according to entry into F1 behind all active drivers . In any case the drivers numbering is as illogical as most things in F1, and consistant with most FIA decisions.

Ross Brawn should shut his pie hole. His silly team is a gift from Honda and throughout the year Honda helped their development. Only advantage Brawn had was using the Mercedes motor. The headlines about the Jenson contract dispute is also typical British crap. The season is over, team principles need shut their traps and concentrate on the winter testing.

kalspeed, your remarks are totaly unwarrented, and out of line. If it had not been for the work that Ross Brawn did for the Honda/Brawn team it would not have been the great season that it was. I would think that you would see that new life has come to F1

kalspeed, please go back to watching NASCAR, no USF1 will not have a team in 2010. Thanks.

USF1 doesn't show it will be a long time before another USA team is even considered.

I think you mised THE major point. Crash testing requires at least a tub. No tub, no test. From what I saw in the SPEED feature last weekend there is probably no tub yet. This is not quite a failure because along with CFD (computational fluid dynamics), I am sure that they are using FEA (finite element analysis) to simulate the performance of the tub in various modes, including crash testing. Do I think they are on schedule? Not after the SPEED feature last weekend. Do I think they may make it? Possible, but we all have reason to doubt the possibility of USF1 getting to the grid. Get it done Windsor.

I am skeptical that they will make it to the grid myself, but I hope I am wring. The little feature they did there last week did nothing to bolster my confidence, in fact it mademe feel worse about it because it looked like a ramshackle set up compared to looks we've had into other teams', like RPM's segments with Red Bull. But, who is Ross to squawk about it? Worry about your own team and keep your nose out of it, Rossy.

Wasn't it also the Germans who have been saying that USF1 is doomed, and that all they had was an empty building and some computers. Obviously they have more than that, but are they ready for the season. Maybe not. Now, I think I will give peter the benefit of the doubt, but it does seem odd that they are not up to the rest of the field. But, why does anything surprise anyone in F1, they are all doing things differently than each other. But still, Maybe Peter Windsor isn't really doing anything, but just didn't want to be on speed anymore. LOL

Crash testing is expensive. I'm sure they will do computer testing until they have to do a live test just prior to submitting the tub to F1. Destroying 2 tubs is cheaper than 4 or 5. Braun would be doing the same if they actually paid their drivers.