Another Rumour
Discussion
Everyone thinks that Prodrive are going to be a McLaren customer team.
I hear that David Richards has been talking to Toyota as well.
Maybe taking the current Toyota operation over. Or parts of it. Obviously not the drivers.
Makes a lot of sense for everybody.
Except Bernie who gains one team and loses one team. So the grid numbers remain the same.
I hear that David Richards has been talking to Toyota as well.
Maybe taking the current Toyota operation over. Or parts of it. Obviously not the drivers.
Makes a lot of sense for everybody.
Except Bernie who gains one team and loses one team. So the grid numbers remain the same.
If they're entering an Aston Martin team, perhaps they could devour Spyker? Surely taking over an existing team with an already-developed (albeit poor) chassis and aero would be better than starting from scratch.
I doubt the management in Japan would want to see Toyota F1 in any hands other than their own.
I doubt the management in Japan would want to see Toyota F1 in any hands other than their own.
I assume their entry into F1 is based on creating a new team to up the grid numbers to 12 teams, so I doubt Bernie would allow them to take over an existing team, at least not without some serious handing over of cash because its a bit late in the day to invite another new team to enter.
LocoBlade said:
I assume their entry into F1 is based on creating a new team to up the grid numbers to 12 teams, so I doubt Bernie would allow them to take over an existing team, at least not without some serious handing over of cash because its a bit late in the day to invite another new team to enter.
Yes, although history suggests that, if the price is right, you can get pretty much anything done in F1.As for an AM link, Richards has said already that the plan is not for AM to be involved in any serious way. Indeed, AM is going to need all its funds for product development if it is to have any chance of surviving in the long run. It's not inconceivable that there would be a few AM logos on Prodrive's F1 cars, however.
If Prodrive were talking to Toyota, it would more likely be in the context of Toyota's potentially supplying P. with customer cars.
If you were Richards, you wouldn't talk exclusively with McLaren, even if you really wanted their cars only. You'd have to hold talks with other potential suppliers, in order to keep Ron on his toes.
mchammer89 said:
I've heard Prodrive will be entering an Aston Martin team, that was a while back though, would be nice to get some british racing green back on the grid though, miss the old Jags
Forget it. Aston Martin will not be in F1, even if Prodrive and DR are invloved with the F1 project. Aston's image and customer base are not associated with F1 racing - sport car racing yes.That's why Aston are focussed on Sports cars, and in fact DR has expressed interest to up the anti and move from GT1 to prototypes in the near future for the Aston Margue now that Prototypes are moving to a close coupe formula instead of the open type we saw at Le Mans today.
If DR gets invloved with the Jaguar/Land Rover buy out, then I would suggest that long term that Jaguar would be the right brand to return to F1 as their customer base is more suited to that formula.
I don't think either of them have a place in F1. Jaguars last attempt was a disaster. Much better to spend the money devoloping the road cars. Must admit though I would like to see Jags in LMP1 at Le Mans with Aston continuing in GT1. Much more in keeping with each marque's image. The enthusiasm for Jaguar at Le Mans in the 1980s will stay with me for ever. Jag in F1 will not!
Interesting - problem is that Toyota's "expertise" is in Cologne. If they sell out to DR for zilch and he gets his planning permission, perhaps it might be a goer, but Toyota aren't going to supply him with chassis for ever more are they?...and he's already stated that he wants to run a lean and mean operation with someone else building the car and him taking a customer engine.
Final nail in that coffin? DR has committed to announcing his intentions at the British GP. Rumour I heard was that he hadn't quite got all his sponsors squared away, which was the real reason why the announcement was delayed until 7th July.
Final nail in that coffin? DR has committed to announcing his intentions at the British GP. Rumour I heard was that he hadn't quite got all his sponsors squared away, which was the real reason why the announcement was delayed until 7th July.
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