In all, over the last 25 years, only 10 teams have attempted a ground up, from scratch attempt at F1 (ie. not through the purchase or rebrand of an existing team, like Red Bull or Brawn GP). Off those, only one still competes today under its maiden moniker, while only two would win a race in is original guise and just four scored in their inaugural campaign.
So based on near history, the odds are stacked against Haas to hit the ground running, but despite some testing niggles, many feel it has the ingredients to come good sooner rather than later – and the likes of some teams show what can certainly be possible for an F1 'newbie'
1991
Jordan Grand Prix
Points in first season: 13
Years of existence in F1: 1991 – 2005 (Jordan 1991 – 2005: Midland 2006: Spyker 2007: Force India 2008 – )
Headed up by charismatic eponymous owner Eddie Jordan, Jordan Grand Prix was the latest in a long line of title-winning junior formula teams to tread a path into F1 when it stepped up in 1991. At a time when making that transition seamlessly and successfully was becoming increasingly tough, Jordan bucked the trend to finish a remarkable fifth in the constructors' standings at its first attempt.
With Andrea de Cesaris and Bertrand Gachot at the wheel, Jordan scored its first points by round five – a double top five – and thereafter found itself frequently picking up digits. Famously of course, Jordan would earn its place in the history books as the team to give a young Michael Schumacher his F1 debut, the then 22 year-old scoring in three of the six races he competed in what would – unbeknown at the time – become the eye-catching prelude to an extraordinary career.
Interestingly, it took Jordan until 1994 to come close to matching that breakout campaign (it scored just four points across 1992 and 1993), the plucky outfit winning its long awaited first race in 1998 ahead of its pinnacle 1999 season that yielded three wins and third overall in the constructors'. Financial woes would begin to descend as the pennies pinched into the 2000s and Jordan eventually sold up to the Russian-financed Midland Group 2006, which then became Spyker F1 for 2007 and finally to its current form of Force India in 2008.
1993
Sauber
Points in first season: 12
Years of existence in F1: 1993 – (Sauber 1993 – 2005, BMW Sauber 2006 – 2009, Sauber 2010 – )
Though recent years have been somewhat less forgiving in terms of results and it seems to be operating on an increasingly shoe-string budget, it's easy to forget the odds Sauber has repeatedly triumphed against as the only new team from the last 25 years to still be operating in F1 as it started (albeit with some factory assistance along the way).
Entering F1 via a more alternative sportscar angle, where it had won Le Mans as a Mercedes partner in the 80s, Sauber stepped up to F1 in 1993 with some financial assistance from three-pointed star. Using competitive Ilmor engines, Sauber turned heads from the off by scoring on its debut in Kyalami courtesy of JJ Lehto's fifth place and though reliability issues kept points somewhat scarce thereafter, few teams in the history of F1 had hit the ground so convincingly given its minimal single-seater experience.
From here, Sauber went on to establish itself as a perennial mid-field runner, yet remain something of a pioneer, whether it was luring Red Bull into the sport, securing a long running engine branding deal with Petronas or putting faith in little known drivers – most notably Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa – who would go on to achieve great things.
It even attracted a takeover from BMW – who faithfully kept the Sauber moniker alongside its own – and worked itself into a race winner and competitive front runner. Had the global financial crisis not spooked BMW away, many feel Sauber – vicariously at least – would have been a world champion. It's a measure of the dedication that founder Peter Sauber was able to reform the original team in the wake of BMW's demise and it has taken more podiums since. Indeed, though times are tough, given the challenge of teams experienced on this list, its continued presence 23 years later ranks as one of F1's most endearing tales.
1994
Simtek
Points in first season: 0
Years of existence in F1: 1994 – 1995
A team that will forever remembered in F1 for all of the wrong reasons, Simtek's time in F1 may have been brief and tragic, but had its original plans for the sport ever come to fruition, it could have been a very different story.
Helmed by Nick Wirth, Simtek developed a close relationship with a number of F1 teams via its Simtek Research facility – founded with Max Mosely -, which included a windtunnel, so much so that it was commissioned by BMW to design a car for the German firm's planned full-factory entry. However, the project was aborted and Simtek instead planned its own entry for 1994.
With MTV branding and Ford engines, Simtek showed promise initially, but would be rocked to its core in only its third race when driver Roland Ratzenberger was fatally injured in an accident at the San Marino Grand Prix, in what would become one of the darkest weekends in sporting history.
Simtek continued, not helped by another almost career-ending smash for Andrea Montermini just two races later, but despite some tragic odds and financial constraints that would see six different drivers race alongside David Brabham, results were remarkably solid for an all-new budget team and it qualified for all but two races.
Simtek continued into 1995, but while the car was competitive – and may have stood to challenge for points is some unpredictable races with ex-Benetton driver Jos Verstappen at the wheel -, the money eventually dried up and the team was not seen again beyond the Monaco Grand Prix.
1994
Pacific Racing
Points in first season: 0
Years of existence in F1: 1994 – 1995
Though its brief and unremarkable tenure in F1 would lead one to automatically group Pacific as one of motorsport's ambitious but flawed efforts, is timeline could read very differently but for matters out of its control.
Champions in British F3 and International Formula 3000, with a roll-call of drivers to include Eddie Irvine, JJ Lehto and David Coulthard, it came into F1 with a stronger privateer pedigree than few before it. Its plans were respectable too - enter F1 in 1993 with a Reynard-designed chassis, already well-established from the American company's stillborn plans to enter F1 itself. However, the original design team had departed to Benetton and the designs sold to Ligier – who turned it into a podium winner - , leaving a skeleton crew to adapt what little remained of the available blueprints.
Time constraints would force Pacific to defer entry to 1994, but the PR01 remained an already out-dated, compromised 1993 design with minor modifications to bring it into line with 1994 regulations. It was not competitive and in the 32races it entered, it qualified on just six occasions. In those six starts, it failed to finish any of them.
Holding out for 1995, a stronger (if still not competitive) engine-chassis package, coupled to a slimmed entry list that did away with pre-qualifying, meant Pacific started nearly every race but it still found itself mired towards the back of the grid, leading it to withdraw back to F3000 at the end of the year.
1995
Forti
Points in first season: 0
Years of existence in F1: 1995 – 1996
A plucky Italian team that had grown from frequent non-qualifier at Formula 3000 level to a race winner and title contender, Forti made the bold decision to step up to F1 for the 1995 season. Though somewhat against the grain of the current trend as financial pressures and poor a roll-call of success for F3000-turned-F1 teams, founder Guido Forti persevered with his plans, with Brazilian investment from Abilo Dos Santos Diniz, which guaranteed his son Pedro a drive, along with experienced (albeit renowned backmarker) Roberto Moreno alongside him.
It was a tough induction, however, the visibly chunky and uncompetitive FG01 proving woefully slow to the point it was so far off the leaders (9 laps) at the end of the Argentine and San Marino Grands Prix it couldn't be classified with a result. Revisions throughout the year, including an entirely new chassis, brought it up to the likes of Pacific and it was more reliable. It was even one position shy of the points at a destructive Australian Grand Prix, but firm back-marker it would remain.
The team lasted just half-a-season more as financial woes set in and a misguided last ditch deal from the Irish Shannon Group led to the courtroom rather than the points.
1997
Stewart Grand Prix
Points in first season: 6
Years of existence in F1: 1997 – (Stewart 1997 – 1999: Jaguar: 2000 – 2004: Red Bull Racing: 2005 – )
Having established itself successfully in F3 and F3000, arrived with plenty of headline-grabbing pedigree courtesy of Jackie Stewart (father of team manager Paul Stewart) and a secured a lucrative development deal that would see Ford supply engines with a view to morphing it into a proper factory team in the coming years, Stewart Grand Prix was a bold and exciting entrant for 1997.
With Rubens Barrichello and rookie Jan Magnussen – fresh from destroying the opposition in F3 – at the wheel, Stewart certain arrived with some impressive credentials. The car wasn't disgracefully slow out of the box either and, particularly in the hands of Barrichello, seemed capable of points on merit. However, reliability would prove disgracefully poor, Barrichello repeatedly forced to retire from promising positions. To put into context, of the 34 starts Barrichello and Magnussen made in 1997, only eight of those were completed.
Ironically, one of those was a remarkable second place finish for Barrichello at a weather-affected Monaco Grand Prix, marking the only team in this list to achieve a podium feat in its first year. It is also one of only two teams in this list to claim a win in its original guise, with Johnny Herbert triumphing in one of F1's more bizarre races at the 1999 European Grand Prix around the Nurburgring.
Though Ford came good on its promises to take more control, rebranding the team as Jaguar in what would become a fairly average stint between 2000 and 2004, better days for the erstwhile Stewart team were still to come when Red Bull finally pitched in for its own team in 2005. A race winner by 2009, that success would prelude its four-year run of world titles between 2010 and 2013.
NB: Lola entered the 1997 season with its ill-fated effort, but competed – and failed to qualify in – just a single race before exiting the sport, thus it is not counted here
2002
Toyota
Points in first season: 2
Years of existence in F1: 2002 – 2009
The last all new team to score in its debut race, Toyota's immediate F1 success was admittedly more through more fortune than pace out of the box. Announced with big fanfare, conceived with a huge budget and armed with a fine pedigree of success from World Rally and sportscar racing, Toyota's move into F1 was much anticipated and came with some lofty expectations – not least from its own bosses.
With the experienced Mika Salo and Allan McNish at the wheel, the TF102 broke cover in 2002 but was not quite the world-beater many had expected. A sixth place finish on its debut in Australia provided a great headline but came in a race of seven finishers and where minnows Minardi and Mark Webber took their famous fifth place. Just two top six finishes would occur all year – ironically within the first three races when the car was at its least developed -, but while the TF102 proved respectably reliable, the team that many believed had a bigger budget than Ferrari ended its year mired towards the back of the field.
Inevitably, changes of approach, experience and bolder driver line-ups would see Toyota progress as time went on and by the end of the 2000s it was a regular podium winner. However, while it came close on several occasions, its failure to win any races in seven years and the looming pressures of the global recession would see Toyota back out counting its costs but not its trophies. Despite this, having already made a successful return to sportscars and will re-enter WRC next year, many feel it could look to 'finish what it started' in F1 in the coming years too…
2006
Super Aguri
Points in first season: 0
Years of existence in F1: 2006 - 2008
Creating an entirely new team to ensure a driver stays in F1 may seem rather extreme, but Japanese custom when it comes to F1 still boggles the mind of many. Either way, 2006 brought a surprise new team in the form of Super Aguri, a Japanese funded, British-based outfit created with Honda blessing as a means of keeping national hero Takuma Sato in the sport
The result was Super Aguri, helmed by eponymous former F1 driver Aguri Suzuki. Based on a dated Arrows chassis, the rushed and untested SA05 kept Sato and team-mate Yuji Ide (who was replaced by Franck Montagny before Sakon Yamamoto replaced him too) pinned to the back of the grid throughout the year.
For 2007, Honda stepped in an effort to bring Super Aguri up to speed, but ran into controversy when rivals felt it was simply running lightly modified version of its own chassis. Though not explicitly against the regulations at the time, Honda came up against constant resistance from rivals. Nonetheless, Super Aguri began the year competitively as a mid-field team in a remarkable turnaround, with Sato scoring its first points with eighth in Spain before landing a sixth in Canada. However, as Honda counted its own pennies, Super Aguri's also continued to struggle financially and though it made the start of the 2008 season despite suggesting it would not, it last just four races before it was forced to withdraw indefinitely.
2010
Virgin Racing
Points in first season: 0
Years of existence in F1: 2010 - (Virgin 2010 - 2011: Marussia 2012 – 2014: Manor 2015 - )
The promise of a cost cap and enticed by furthering its 'innovative' brand by designing a car almost entirely using CFD saw Richard Branson's Virgin bring its distinctive brand to F1 in 2010 as one of three new start up teams.
Behind the scenes it was long-existing F3 outfit Manor Racing pulling the strings, but when those cost cap promises weren't kept and Virgin – along with Team Lotus and HRT - struggled woefully. After two years, Branson pulled his backing at the end of the 2011, decrying F1's failure to lower costs.
The team continued on as Marussia – Russian manufacturer that seemingly only ever built, let alone sold, one sportscar -, scored its first points in 2014, but suffered with the serious accident of Jules Bianchi, which led to his eventual death ninth months later. Plunged into administration at the end of 2014 as Marussia exited, only for Manor to get an eleventh hour reprieve and return to the grid in 2015. Significant new technical backing and experienced staff sees it head into 2016 arguably in better shape than ever before…
2010
Team Lotus
Points in first season: 0
Years of F1 existence in F1: 2010 – 2014 (2010 – 2011 Lotus; 2012 – 2014 Caterham)
Helmed by charismatic AirAsia founder and entrepreneur Tony Fernandes, he returned the Lotus name to F1 (though naming rights would get messy in ensuing years), bringing a wealth of Malaysian financing and sponsors with him.
Much like Virgin and HRT, however, Team Lotus suffered on the back of cost-cap promise failures and found itself mired at the back of the grid, despite a race winning driver line-up of Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli. Experience wasn't enough to lift it anywhere close to an opportunity to challenge for points, though it was generally considered the more competitive of the three new start-ups entering that year.
Fortunes wouldn't improve over the coming years, the team coming out worse in a naming rights dispute to rebrand as Caterham before folding altogether towards the end of the 2014 season when, having been brought under investor ownership and Fernandes had exited, it slipped into administration.
2010
Hispania Racing Team
Points in first season: 0
Years of F1 existence in F1: 2010 – 2012
Spain's first-ever F1 team entry would prove a brief and troubled one. Originally entered as the Campos Meta 1 team to run a Dallara designed chassis, the GP2 race winning team arguably the best pedigree of the three new teams initially, until team owner Adrian Campos decided against F1 after all.
Jose Ramon Carabante's Hispania Racing Team (HRT) stepped in, purchased the Dallara chassis' and signed Bruno Senna and Karun Chandhok in a very late eleventh hour deal that took it right up to the opening race.
Hampered by a car that was never properly finished by Dallara – who halted development when it became clear it wouldn't be receiving payment to develop it and reportedly didn't see a further penny from HRT following purchase – Sakon Yamamoto and Christian Klien also tried their hand at the car in 2010, but HRT found itself chasing Lotus and Virgin all year to finish bottom of the standings, a position it would maintain for two more seasons before folding altogether having not come close to a point.
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by Ollie Barstow
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