Formula One to add USA team in 2015

[Jon]

SAKHIR, Bahrain -- Formula One commercial chief Bernie Ecclestone says a U.S. backed team headed by Gene Haas is among two new teams the sport is likely to admit next season.

Speaking on Sunday ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Ecclestone said he had held discussions with the sport's governing body, the FIA, and there was agreement about expanding the grid next season.

"They will be accepted, and we've also accepted another team as well, although whether they'll make it or not is another story," Ecclestone said when asked about a possible Haas entry.

"I've spoken to (FIA President) Jean Todt and we agreed yesterday."

The initial deadline for a decision on new 2015 entries expired at the end of February, but an agreement between Ecclestone and the FIA would likely be able to override that deadline.

The new entries may replace existing teams rather than add to the grid, as several of the current F1 teams continue to struggle financially in the exorbitantly expensive sport.

The other 2015 bidder is believed to be an Eastern Europe-based entry backed by Colin Kolles, who formerly was at defunct teams HRT, Midland and Spyker.

Haas is the founder of the Stewart-Haas NASCAR team based in North Carolina, and also operates one of the world's most sophisticated wind tunnels for the testing of car aerodynamics, which will greatly aid any new F1 entry.

A possible barrier to Haas' involvement in F1 is a fit-and-proper-persons test that the FIA applies to those involved at high levels of ownership and management. Haas has a conviction for tax evasion and related charges.

A U.S. team was initially admitted to F1 in 2010 but lacked the funding and development to join the championship.

[Hondo]

Gene Haas is a scoundrel, no two ways about it. He was mostly a NASCAR also-ran until Tony Stewart bought half (or more, I don't remember) of his operation, brought in good drivers and equipment and made it a winner. I'm legitimately surprised that F1 would even consider getting into bed with him.

On the positive side though, this may finally be NASCAR's way of getting rid of Kurt Busch once and for all. Kurt's been wanting to run open wheels for a while now, send him on his merry way so we don't have to deal with him anymore.

[Ian "Wolfie" Trumps]

I dont watch a lot, but F1 is massive business here. So is this a good thing?

[GM Franchise]

I remember when they had Scott Speed in F1 which didn't last too long.

[Hondo]

I dont watch a lot, but F1 is massive business here. So is this a good thing?

Well it would certainly help make F1 more popular in the States if they had an American team involved, but Gene Haas probably isn't the right guy to run it. He's kinda sketchy and never did much in his time in NASCAR until he sold half his team to one of the best drivers in series history. So who knows.

As far as Busch, he's a major league peckerhead who hardly anyone likes, but Haas seems to have a real hard-on for. I mean, this is the same guy who got fired from a top-flight ride a year after winning a championship because his attitude was so bad.