McLaren/Mercedes Deal to Change
Discussion
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/78660
So, I'm confused. Is Brawn going to be the Mercedes factory team? Is McLaren going to be left out? Personally I can't see it happening seeing as Merc own 40% of McLaren. But what if they do:
a) who will buy that 40% of McLaren?
b) what engines would they use?
Personally I'd like to see Honda return as an engine supplier and have an exclusive McLaren deal just like the 80's, and went back to the red & white.
So, I'm confused. Is Brawn going to be the Mercedes factory team? Is McLaren going to be left out? Personally I can't see it happening seeing as Merc own 40% of McLaren. But what if they do:
a) who will buy that 40% of McLaren?
b) what engines would they use?
Personally I'd like to see Honda return as an engine supplier and have an exclusive McLaren deal just like the 80's, and went back to the red & white.
"Zetsche revealed that part of the motivation for the future tie-up with Brawn was fuelled by a row with McLaren about developing its own supercar."
If Mercedes buy into Brawn they're securing themselves another team. If McLaren are now producing their own cars, I suspect, much like Ferrari, they'd like to build their own engines too, Mercedes need to ensure their role in F1 is continuous.
Mercedes won't mind too much, as their 40% stake in McLaren ensures they have exposure to any potential upside in McLarens activities.
If Mercedes buy into Brawn they're securing themselves another team. If McLaren are now producing their own cars, I suspect, much like Ferrari, they'd like to build their own engines too, Mercedes need to ensure their role in F1 is continuous.
Mercedes won't mind too much, as their 40% stake in McLaren ensures they have exposure to any potential upside in McLarens activities.
Red and white Honda McLaren and a black and gold Cosworth V8 Lotus. Nearly brings a tear to my eye 
Realisically, Honda will never make a return, and after the quantum leap forward that Braun saw by ditching the Honda mill, and plonking in the Merc motor (plus a few other tweeks admitedly), would anyone really want to swap the Merc for the Honda?
Realisically, Honda will never make a return, and after the quantum leap forward that Braun saw by ditching the Honda mill, and plonking in the Merc motor (plus a few other tweeks admitedly), would anyone really want to swap the Merc for the Honda?
Mercedes bod said:
"For a long period we had a lack of alignment on road cars, but we have now found a clear solution and we won't participate," he said on the same day that Mercedes-Benz unveiled its own SLS supercar.
FOR SURE, I agree mclaren will make their own engine in future.Hey - what if mclaren bought mercedes' ilmor plant, and re-badged them as mclaren engines? So we'd have mclaren, and mercedes-mclaren, for example?
dirty boy said:
"Zetsche revealed that part of the motivation for the future tie-up with Brawn was fuelled by a row with McLaren about developing its own supercar."
If Mercedes buy into Brawn they're securing themselves another team. If McLaren are now producing their own cars, I suspect, much like Ferrari, they'd like to build their own engines too, Mercedes need to ensure their role in F1 is continuous.
Mercedes won't mind too much, as their 40% stake in McLaren ensures they have exposure to any potential upside in McLarens activities.
Obviously, McLaren looked for funding when they embarked on this road car programme, which I believe was about 3 years ago. It would not take a rocket scientist to appreciate that McLaren would first have gone to Daimler for that funding, which was not forthcoming. Suffice to say that the two parties had considerably different views on the financial prospects of the programme.If Mercedes buy into Brawn they're securing themselves another team. If McLaren are now producing their own cars, I suspect, much like Ferrari, they'd like to build their own engines too, Mercedes need to ensure their role in F1 is continuous.
Mercedes won't mind too much, as their 40% stake in McLaren ensures they have exposure to any potential upside in McLarens activities.
Regardless of the thinking behind Daimler's decision (which was influenced by AMG's feelings towards McLaren, and not necessarily only on the basis of dispassionate business analysis), Brawn F1 did not exist until at least 2 years after Daimler elected not to support the McLaren road car programme. Therefore Zetsche's comment (or a journalist's summary of it) that the tie-up with Brawn was "fuelled by a row with McLaren" over the latter's road car programme was a bit sensationalist and misleading.
die fahrt said:
Mercedes bod said:
"For a long period we had a lack of alignment on road cars, but we have now found a clear solution and we won't participate," he said on the same day that Mercedes-Benz unveiled its own SLS supercar.
FOR SURE, I agree mclaren will make their own engine in future.Hey - what if mclaren bought mercedes' ilmor plant, and re-badged them as mclaren engines? So we'd have mclaren, and mercedes-mclaren, for example?
FourWheelDrift said:
Gold said:
I think it's stupid to think that Mclaren don't have some kind of F1 engine program of some size.... 
The McLaren base at Woking is like a Bond villains lair, there will be a secret sub-basement somewhere, where things are being designed and developed. Britain Vs Italy
Bring it on
disco1 said:
FourWheelDrift said:
Gold said:
I think it's stupid to think that Mclaren don't have some kind of F1 engine program of some size....
The McLaren base at Woking is like a Bond villains lair, there will be a secret sub-basement somewhere, where things are being designed and developed. Britain Vs Italy
Bring it on
Of course now macca have big road car plans a la ferrari and aren't simply a F1 constructor there may be some mileage in a macca-engine, but the above still applies. Mc-merc winning the championships doesn't really devalue the presitige for either over a sole entry IMO, the likes of honda/toymota having to go the full works route instead of engine supply was just arrogance.
The Hypno-Toad said:
As I've mentioned on many a thread, Mercedes will walk away from Mclaren at the end of 2010.
If I'm wrong fair enough but if I'm right remember where you heard it first....;)
I am sure that Mercedes bought into Brawn to ensure that the halo effect that comes from an association with an F1 team will be preserved, especially as others have said when McLaren have sourced their own engine.If I'm wrong fair enough but if I'm right remember where you heard it first....;)
Or perhaps Mercedes were pissed that McLaren pulled out of the final eisode of the last series of Top Gear when the threat of rain stopped Lewis from donning Stig outfit to run a 722 round the track and beat Schumacher's time in the FXX
Mercedes have what a 40% stake in McLaren? McLaren have ploughed a lot of cash into the roadcar side (I'm told the cars are being built at the old Woking site) so I cannot see how they could find the money to buy out McLaren from the F1 side, unless Ron and Mansour go cap in hand to their friends in the Middle East, as Ian Gorsuch has already intimated?...
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