Ford returns to Formula 1

[honeybadger]

Interesting. Bit of an open secret in the F1 circles, but now it's official. Sure seems like an expensive way to get some publicity and access to F1 innovation/engineering. Cool nonetheless. Now, let's just hope Andretti Cadillac Racing becomes a thing too!

Ford announces F1 return in 2026 with Red Bull

Ford has confirmed it will return to Formula One in 2026 as it prepares to join forces with world champions Red Bull.

www.espn.com

 

[carver]

I also read Audi might jump in as well. Interesting times ahead for sure !!

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Excellent stuff...now we just need the Andretti/Cadillac thing to go through

 

[67GTA]

Excellent stuff...now we just need the Andretti/Cadillac thing to go through

Still one of my favorites….

 

[Frank.JD.Perez]

never cared for f1, but now ill probably take a peak every now and then

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Good deal it is finally official and I already have a Sergio Perez shirt , so I am ahead of the game, ha.

 

[blacksheep-1]

Wonder how this will affect Gt3 and Gt4 programs?
I think NASCAR has pretty much run its course.. sad to say but it's been legislated into the ground with cookie cutter everything.

 

[PatrickStapler]

Agreed. Haven’t watched a NASCRAP show in close to twenty years.

 

[Scootsmcgreggor]

Wonder how this will affect Gt3 and Gt4 programs?
I think NASCAR has pretty much run its course.. sad to say but it's been legislated into the ground with cookie cutter everything.

and/or NASCAR failed to innovate, and change along with the changing demographics and interests of the nation and brought about their own demise.

 

[RES_22]

The "stupid coin" has two sides: arrogance and ignorance. NASCAR has a pocket full of them.

It forgot its history, abandoned its core fans and used big data to try to grab the millenials...many of whom think that cars are appliances.

Aus Supercars...nuf said.

 

[JDee]

Au contraire, I think Nascar is doing fine these days. The new car is a huge step forward and it's hard to find any racing series with more potential winners on any weekend than in Cup. There were/are some teething problems, but they're getting sorted. The racing is good, it's not so common anymore where you have 1 team dominating and bringing into question whether Nascar was playing pick a winner or not as in the Johnson years where everything stunk. The days of Big Bill are long gone, thankfully.

This car is a very modern, state of the art design that is totally fit for road course work. No more stick axles makes a big difference. Designed and built by Dallara, its heritage is more international road racing than the good old boy style tube frames from the 70s. And the fact that it's a spec car makes the racing more close than ever.

They have more bums in seats and in front of TV screens than any auto racing series in North America. For a 1 country series, Nascar compares not bad to F1 in bums in front of screens, with 3.5 million vs 4 million for F1. The TV viewership is far more important than bums in seats at the track these days. And bear in mind F1 is global and Nascar is in the US only. If that's a demise, it's a good way to go.

I grew up on short oval stock car racing and old school sports car racing with MGA's and Healeys at WWII airport circuits and later with an FF team that dominated its class. It's long been fashionable for road racing types to dump on Nascar, without a doubt, but there were maybe 2 or 3 hundred spectators at a road course race and 3,000 spectators at the local oval every Saturday. No question which flavor drew the crowds.

I love 'em both and appreciate the finer details of both, but Nascar, by far, is the biggest show in town on this continent.

 

[blacksheep-1]

Au contraire, I think Nascar is doing fine these days. The new car is a huge step forward and it's hard to find any racing series with more potential winners on any weekend than in Cup. There were/are some teething problems, but they're getting sorted. The racing is good, it's not so common anymore where you have 1 team dominating and bringing into question whether Nascar was playing pick a winner or not as in the Johnson years where everything stunk. The days of Big Bill are long gone, thankfully.

This car is a very modern, state of the art design that is totally fit for road course work. No more stick axles makes a big difference. Designed and built by Dallara, its heritage is more international road racing than the good old boy style tube frames from the 70s. And the fact that it's a spec car makes the racing more close than ever.

They have more bums in seats and in front of TV screens than any auto racing series in North America. For a 1 country series, Nascar compares not bad to F1 in bums in front of screens, with 3.5 million vs 4 million for F1. The TV viewership is far more important than bums in seats at the track these days. And bear in mind F1 is global and Nascar is in the US only. If that's a demise, it's a good way to go.

I grew up on short oval stock car racing and old school sports car racing with MGA's and Healeys at WWII airport circuits and later with an FF team that dominated its class. It's long been fashionable for road racing types to dump on Nascar, without a doubt, but there were maybe 2 or 3 hundred spectators at a road course race and 3,000 spectators at the local oval every Saturday. No question which flavor drew the crowds.

I love 'em both and appreciate the finer details of both, but Nascar, by far, is the biggest show in town on this continent.

Problem I have ( one of them anyway) with NASCAR is that luck plays into NY race, say 40% car prep and strategy, 45% driver, 15% luck.
In NASCAR, especially on the big ovals, it's 80% luck, 15% driver and 5% car prep.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

I have to agree with JDee , because the same arguments could have been said about Formula 1 a decade ago. We sometimes forget " Racing " is like any other competitive sport and it needs to change with the times. We all can look in the mirror and acknowledge we don't like change, yet often , years later we have to answer that mirror that we grudgingly like something that before we were skeptical about. I have been a fascinated and loyal fan on F1 for 50-60 years and I realized a long time ago it was the interest my father had in it and racing while we were stationed in Europe in the 60s. Plenty of my friends complained that there was little or no passing in F1, it was boring, and the same drivers always won. Many of them are the biggest fans now , and previously they only liked Nascar , or World Challenge, or IMSA, or......................etc.

I have to commend all the various racing groups because the racing fields are off scale compared to even 5 years ago, and though many enjoy one group more than others, there are some of us who are entranced by all the racing that is going on Worldwide. None of the groups are perfect , but like JDee, I see Nascar as a Series that knew it needed to change and is still making more and more adjustments. The new car is great, racing is close and the powers that be recognized how much spectators liked road course racing, what a huge jump from their traditional roots.

Folks complained that Nascar had nothing but similar cars for all the drivers, yet isn't the purpose of racing to have equality with the machines so that the driver becomes the winning formula in the mix? If we all stand back and view the " Automotive Racing Groups Worldwide, " we will realize this is the " Golden Age " of vehicular competition. Start listing automotive racing series and whether you like them all, when has there ever been so many cars ripping up asphalt and concrete?

IMSA
Nascar
SRO American Motorsports ( prev. Pirelli World Challenge)
Trans Am
F1
V8 Supercars
IHRA
NHRA
Porsche, Ferrari, and Lamborghini stand alone series
DTM
British Touring Car
SCCA - amateur
NASA - amateur
SVRA - amateur
and on and on and on .................list all the Regional racing , from short track to various other venues like Midget, World of Outlaws, etc.



This barely touches the surface. There is so much racing going on, logically we may not like all of the groups, but thank goodness we have so many choices!

 

[carver]

Bill, you forgot the FIA World Rally Championship !

 

[misterpeanut]

Thankfully no one decided to complain about NHRA. Like; NHRA "We can't let Ford's in because they have 4.900" bore spacing", racer "but if you have a 500cid limit, what's that matter?" NHRA "Because it does, now get back in the staging lanes you lemming."

Anyways, I am excited to see GM actually have a go at it and Ford. I'm really curious where Honda will be with their now formidable powerplant. Audi is a total head scratcher with their electric only consumer offering and that was the reasoning for leaving DTM.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Carver, I had to leave a few racing Series so you could chime in, ha. Funny thing, is there are so many more not listed , and I did completely skip Lawnmower Racing League, ha.

 

[blacksheep-1]

Carver, I had to leave a few racing Series so you could chime in, ha. Funny thing, is there are so many more not listed , and I did completely skip Lawnmower Racing League, ha.

Lawnmower Racing is no joke down here in Fla. I stopped at a buddy's shop and they were scaling one.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

It seems to be big in Wisconsin and Minnesota , but that is one area I will admit I have little interest --- maybe I should since I have an acre to mow, ha, ha.

 

[Paul McWhiskey]

It seems to be big in Wisconsin and Minnesota , but that is one area I will admit I have little interest --- maybe I should since I have an acre to mow, ha, ha.

Hmm... Mower Track?

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Mowing down your competition , but pretty dangerous as they like to cut everyone off! I think the leagues motto is, " We kick grass!"