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Originally Posted by tblincoe
It wasn't Lola proper who didn't "have" the money - they were in several ways put in a bad monetary situation by a particular named sponsor. Lola produced, tested, and got a car to a race weekend under circumstances far more difficult than those faced by USF1. I've yet to hear a single F1 pundit lay the blame for the situation on anyone besides MCD and Mastercard. By comparison, USF1 hasn't even completed mandatory crash testing, let alone participated in any of the aforementioned racing activities. Once again, Lola was associated with a failure, but to even intimate that the two situations are related in the slightest so as to give USF1 the benefit of the doubt is beyond me.
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And USF1 says it became dead in the water when sponsors pulled out. Yes, Lola certainly got farther along in the process than USF1. Still, however you want to slice it, Lola and USF1 both attempted to enter F1 and failed to compete because of a lack of money from sponsors. I really don't think I'm wildly off-base in making that observation.
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I'm not sure I'm understanding your point - because the way your last two posts have sounded, it seems as though you believe Richards was given an entry more than once. Prodrive never got the chance to be on the grid in 2010 because they didn't get an entry, and it had nothing to do with USF1 being a 'better' team on paper or otherwise. I can assure you that if the FIA wasn't hell-bent on a knee-jerk reaction to the FOTA row by mandating that any new entry be Cosworth-powered, a condition that resulted in a legal challenge I might add, then Prodrive would be headed to Bahrain as we speak.
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Prodrive had an entry for 2008 and didn't make the field (and yes, for reasons that are completely understandable). They failed to get an entry in 2010... but they also had the opportunity to buy Renault or BMW Sauber. In the end they passed. I suspect they are not too keen on trying to build a car without the budget cap. I'm not at all sure they would attempt an entry in 2011.
And really, we're getting far afield from my basic point, which is simply this: people are acting as if Lola or Prodrive were somehow much more dependable choices than USF1. The fact remains, both teams were previously awarded entries and neither group successfully made it to the grid.
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Once again, opening up the process allows the FIA to accomplish all of these assessments you mention while allowing a comparison to other potential entries - and, more importantly, not being bound to USF1's promises which, up until now, leave something to be desired.
Okay, enough out of me! 
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Totally valid point. (Referring to the process, not that it's enough out of you.
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