Peter Windsor: From reporter to protagonist in the biggest F1 con ever

Peter Windsor knows better than anyone how the media world works and how to make the most of it. With his own channel on YouTube - full of sponsorships - the Australian (71 years old) is currently earning a pretty penny. With his online presence, Windsor mainly benefits from the time he made a name for himself as one of the most respected journalists in the F1 paddock in the 1970s and 1980s. It was a different time when journalists could still mingle with the drivers in the hotel bar and hear the tastiest stories.

Windsor in the car with Frank Williams

Frank Williams and Windsor got along really well. Therefore, the journalist was asked to join the Brit's F1 team, first as sponsor manager and later, after a short period at Ferrari UK, as team manager. Windsor was also in a car with Frank Williams when it crashed badly in southern France in 1986. Windsor had only minimal injuries, and Williams spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

After his time at Williams, Windsor returned to various journalistic roles, although he also led the Formula 1 press conferences for a short period of time. Returning to a managerial role at a Formula 1 team was always in the back of the Australian's mind. That dream had to and would come true, and together with designer Ken Anderson, Windsor decided to sign up for the 2010 World Championship with his own team. The name of this team? US F1 Team. This name is now synonymous with the biggest con in Formula 1 ever.

Millions involved in US F1

The plans were magnificent, but the execution was less so. The newly-formed team moved into a former NASCAR factory in North Carolina, USA. They signed a talented driver with Argentinian José Maria Lopez, who reportedly took home $8 million in sponsorship money. Several major investors, including the co-founder of YouTube, also joined the team.

But there were still doubts, first of all by Bernie Ecclestone, who was the owner of Formula 1 at the time. Was US F1 really capable of becoming a decent F1 team? Charlie Whiting went to the US on behalf of the FIA to visit the Windsor and Anderson factory and was shocked. His conclusion was adamant: US F1 was not F1-worthy. Not by a long shot. This announcement caused great concern among the already doubtful sponsors - some of whom had already pulled out.

FIA had no sympathy for Windsor

There were also misgivings about Windsor and Anderson's management style, which was said to be indecisive and without any expertise. Yet, all the while, the pair publicly stated that nothing was wrong and US F1 was in full preparation for the season. It was a message that could no longer be sustained in early March 2010. Staff were fired, and the team collapsed. It was a mystery where all the (millions) money disappeared to. In any case, the FIA was anything but happy with the course of events. The FIA World Motor Sport Council reviewed the case and fined the team €309,000 for misleading the motorsport federation. US F1 were also banned forever from all FIA competitions.

The regulations did not allow Anderson and Windsor to be prosecuted personally, yet the consequences for Windsor were significant. After a brief stint at Mercedes, none of the F1 teams dealt with Windsor again. The Australian can no longer be found in the paddock. However, Windsor still manages to find a way back to the F1 public on YouTube.