Mclaren Money

[sirtyro]

Now that Santander have confirmed they are moving to Ferrari (even though we already knew this was going to happen) and Mercedes are looking at moving cash to Brawn....have they got a long term financial future secure? Not heard anything about new sponsors for next year....wondered if anybody knew anything?

[AlexS]

The deal with Santander was always planned to finish at the end of this year, so one would assume that McLaren have something already lined up.

[westtra]

virgin?

[Racefan_uk]

Will they get more from Vodafone perhaps?

[caz4213]

i always thought vodafone was their main sponsor anyway... they'll easily find someone to replace santander anyway i reckon... as long as they've got hamilton... he's sponsorship gold.

[10 Pence Short]

westtra said:

virgin?

I could always be proven wrong, but I don't think they're that desperate.

[sirtyro]

That 'Virgin Health Club' sticker looked aweful! I'm sure their long term future is secure but in the current climate I'm sure it would be nice to replace Santander with something.

[stifler]

I would think that with all the budget bks that will be happening from next year, McLaren are more than covered.

[Cobra Andy]

thought I read or heard a few weeks back that Virgin are going to be title sponser with one of the new teams, as basically Brawn upped their fees substantially once they had won a few races and Virgin were not prepared to pay that much etc etc etc

[Scuffers]

Cobra Andy said:

basically Brawn upped their fees substantially once they had won a few races and Virgin were not prepared to pay that much etc etc etc

not sure that's true, I think Ross was asking sensible money day 1

[skeggysteve]

Cobra Andy said:

thought I read or heard a few weeks back that Virgin are going to be title sponser with one of the new teams,

Manor Motorsport owned by John (butcher) Booth.
Called butcher Booth because in 1985 he raced in FF2000 and there was another John Booth - John (brolly) Booth.
I think Brolly owned Hoyland (sp) unbrellas and Butcher owned a butchers shop or two!

[flemke]

caz4213 said:

i always thought vodafone was their main sponsor anyway... they'll easily find someone to replace santander anyway i reckon... as long as they've got hamilton... he's sponsorship gold.

Precisely. Hamilton has got to be one of the five most marketable sports personalities in the world, and if these imbeciles ever re-establish a race in the US, he goes to top three.
If anything, Vodafone will have a more appealing package available to buy when their deal expires at end of this year than they did when they agreed it in late '06, when Hamilton was a rookie and unknown quantity.
Also, with McLaren rolling out a set of "exotic" road cars, there will be more brand back-up in the next few years than there has been recently. Combine that with what appears to be a long-term commitment by FOTA to get the costs down substantially and, despite the recession, one would have to think that McL F1 will have no funding issues.

[SmoothCriminal]

Merc wont move money out of McLaren no matter what they do with Brawn as they've still got a 40% shareholding in it.

[coetzeeh]

10 Pence Short said:

westtra said:

virgin?

I could always be proven wrong, but I don't think they're that desperate.

You are right, Virgin are not that desperate.

[Tony 1234]

SmoothCriminal said:

Merc wont move money out of McLaren no matter what they do with Brawn as they've still got a 40% shareholding in it.

I don't know, I'm a big LH/McL fan and I think MB have some long term goal that does not include McL, think of all the trouble McL have had with 'Spanky'

Edited by Tony 1234 on Wednesday 9th September 09:51

[stifler]

Tony 1234 said:

SmoothCriminal said:

Merc wont move money out of McLaren no matter what they do with Brawn as they've still got a 40% shareholding in it.

I don't know, I'm a big LH/McL fan and I think MB have some long term goal that does not include McL, think of all the trouble McL have had with'Spanky'

Or more to the point all the trouble Spanky had with Ron.

[flemke]

Tony 1234 said:

SmoothCriminal said:

Merc wont move money out of McLaren no matter what they do with Brawn as they've still got a 40% shareholding in it.

I don't know, I'm a big LH/McL fan and I think MB have some long term goal that does not include McL, think of all the trouble McL have had with 'Spanky'

Ron's now full-time road cars/rest of McL Group, the fuc1<wit's leaving in October, their clash would seem to be more yesterday's news. If M-B were going, it likely wouldn't be for that reason.

[tempus]

We would like to think he`s leaving in October however with an ongoing" Major Investigation" ongoing he may have to stay until hell freezes over,sorry but my pots half empty today.

[spend]

I'm not sure that the ephemeral butterfly syndrome is in the Merc Ethos, "stability", "reliability" seem to be more apt buzzwords than even maybe "success"?

Is it possible Merc are just helping Brawn out, Ross & co must have really extended themselves in the buy out (focusing budget on keeping running in 2009) and need a helping hand to carry on (at similar levels) next year. Whether Merc stay as a long term investor in Brawn, or it is just a stop gap to ensure continued success for a team using their engines is not clear to me, but I could imagine the Brawn have been in some ways a victim of their own success.

[Tony 1234]

Wish Ron would come back into F1, when Spanky goes he may have a chance as I think he is better than Martin W.