Road-racing legends dream up American F-1 team

INDIANAPOLIS -- U.S. interest in Formula One racing has never been up to par with the interest in NASCAR or Indy car racing. But plans may be in the works to turn the tide in favor of Formula One. At least that's what U.S. road-racing legends Dan Gurney and Phil Hill are hoping for as they plan to start up an American Formula One team next season.\nGurney and Hill made the announcement Saturday at the United States Grand Prix practice session. Gurney said plans have been in the works for 2 and a half years to make an All-American team with a commitment from Ford-Cosworth to supply the team's engines.\n"The time is perfect for this to happen," Gurney said. "If we have our way, we'll see you here next September (with a team). It could be enormous. The reality is it would need to be done properly and be properly funded. I'd like it to be a U.S. Formula One team with U.S. drivers. "\nHill and Gurney are two of the more successful American drivers to ever compete in Formula One, including a World Drivers Championship by Hill in 1961 while driving for Ferrari. Hill had three wins in 48 career Formula One starts.\nGurney had a pair of second place finishes in the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, N.Y., in the 1960s and had four Formula One wins in his career. He also started nine Indianapolis 500s including back-to-back second place finishes in 1968 and 1969.\nFive-time World Drivers Champion, Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher is already pleased with the atmosphere at Indianapolis, but Schumacher said an U.S. Formula One team should improve the appeal to American fans and even improve the sport.\n"I think it would be good," Schumacher said. "I mean, as a big a nationality spread as you have is better for this for the coverage of Formula One. America being such a big country, and we have a race here, it would be great."\nBut questions still remain as to who the United States will find to drive in the competition.\nMcLaren-Mercedes driver David Coulthard said it will be important for the U.S. team to field a qualified driver and not just find an American to drive just to generate interest.\n"It is only good to have drivers from all over the world if they actually deserve to be there," Coulthard said. "We've seen countries where they have been fielding drivers for a number of years and haven't done anything. So, you know, there's no reason why there couldn't be an American in the right car do a competitive job in Formula One."\nSeveral options are open to Hill and Gurney in the selection of an American driver for the new team. And they may have to look no farther than their own bloodlines to find such a candidate. Gurney's son, Alex, and Hill's son, Derek, are both up-and-coming drivers with future aspirations of competing in Formula One.\n"They've both made wonderful strides and completed the steps to do super groundwork to get to Formula One," Hill said.\nAnother option in the search for an American driver may lead to Sarah Fisher, an Indy Racing League driver who took a test drive in a McLaren-Mercedes Friday afternoon. After her test run, Fisher said she acknowledged that three-time World Drivers Champion and Jaguar Racing Chairman Niki Lauda approached her to come to Europe for another run in a Formula One car.\n"Yes, if it was with the right team and the right people (I'd be interested in driving Formula One)," Fisher said. "Nobody had asked me (to do another run), (Niki) was the first to ask me."\nWith the plans laid for the creation of a U.S. Formula One team, now only time and fan appeal will tell whether or not this typically international community of teams and fans can sustain U.S. interest.