SaveHondaF1, a Virginia, USA, based effort helpfully provides a FAQ page. Optimistically, the answer to "Isn't this all just wishful thinking?" is a very clear "NO". SaveHondaF1 at least appear to understand the financial requirements of running a team, and claim to have registered with the State of Virginia as a non-profit organisation (although RealHondaF1.com could find no trace of this). Again, non contact with Honda Racing F1 has been made, with the site stating "Memberships will begin being accepted once there is an agreement in principle with the Honda Motor Company to purchase the assets of the former Honda Racing F1 Team."

Finally, MyF1Dream has been kicking around since before Honda's exit, but appears to underestimate the commitment required for an F1 team. The target of 70,000 users, each 'investing' £35 (€37/$48) would leave the collective many millions short of being able to race, but at least you wouldn't be tied in to investing simply by registering. Currently the group has reached 8,957 members, although it remains to be seen how many of these would actually hand over their cash. Again, there's no confirmation of any contact with Honda Racing F1.

It's encouraging that people are making the effort to get involved, but it appears that all three options suffer from one major problem, beyond the time constraints that the rapidly approaching Australian Grand Prix creates, and that's apathy. The fact is that only a small number of people would agree to be involved, and an even smaller number of people would put up any money.

And, in Formula One, it's money that's more important than anything else.

Such fan based efforts have worked before, famously with Ebbsfleet United, a small English football club. In this case, around 27,000 people invested £35 (€37/$48) each, raising the £700,000 (€737,100/$952,700) required to purchase the club. Whilst a significant figure, it's well short of the tens of millions required to run an F1 team, let alone a competitive one.

Nick Fry has recently claimed there were as many as 30 bidders for the team, with 12 being serious. He could have added thousands to that figure by including the above three endeavours. Some might suggest that the resulting figure would have been no less realistic than that given by Fry...

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