NASCAR team owner Gene Haas is behind a US effort to gain an F1 entry for 2015.
Today Haas said in a statement: “We have responded to the FIA’s ‘call for expression of interest’ regarding a Formula One entry on behalf of Haas Racing Development. We respect the FIA’s evaluation process and will share more details in the coming weeks.”
On December 11 the FIA announced a formal tender process, with a very short lead time, suggesting that interested parties had already been in contact. Late last year there were rumours of a potential F1 project in the USA.
The deadline for expressions of interest was January 3, with February 10 noted as the closing of full formal applications.
Three teams are believed to have started the process, with Haas joined by Stefan GP and a Romanian project involving Colin Kolles (see separate story).
The intention is that the Haas operation will be run by former Toro Rosso boss Guenther Steiner. Steiner, who runs a composite facility in North Carolina – ironically very close to the site of the failed US F1 effort – was an interested observer in the paddock in Austin in November. Haas apparently plans to utilise a Ferrari power train and initially a Dallara-built chassis.
The 61-year-old Haas owns one of the world’s leading CNC companies, and also owns the Wind Shear wind tunnel, also in North Carolina, which has been used by F1 teams. He first entered the NASCAR world in 2002, and latterly has been in partnership with Tony Stewart. Together they won the 2011 Sprint Cup title.
Bernie Ecclestone said this week that he had been in contact with two candidates.
More info on the selection process can be found here: http://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/basicpage/file/131112_12th%20Team%20Call%20%28final%29_clean.pdf
Adam Cooper F1 
This is good to hear, but its very hard to get enthused about a U.S. entry in Formula one after the USF1 fiasco.
What? WE heard about the USF1 thing about six months before it ended. No big deal, it failed. I wouldn’t call that a “fiasco”.
This is great news for F1 (along with two other potential new teams) and if it does happen, we will see more American fans getting involved.