What are the top 10 British motorsport companies?
Discussion
steviebee said:
As for who should make road cars, Tom Walkinshaw had his fingers in many automotive pies including the manufacure of one of the Volvo model variants a few years back as well a history with Jaguar.
Firstly...
Eric McClouglin gets an F1 question wrong 
Walkinshaw - the final nail in Arrows' coffin - could have saved the company, chose not to...and for the life of me I cannot see why...up until the 11th hour he was gambling on a buyer emerging....what a waste of good talent (not him)....
Did anyone mention MSport BTW? For me the tighest run ship in British motorsport right now - along Peter Sauber's lines.
I also think Dick Bennetts works wonders with WSR - that MG is a very competitive car.
I think Lola are way too understated. They do all the indy cars, a load of prototype/endurance stuff and will be building all the cars for the new A1GP "world cup" racing.
Along with Prodrive, McLaren and Cosworth, they are the companies i'd want to work for.
80% of F1 is based in the UK too.
Along with Prodrive, McLaren and Cosworth, they are the companies i'd want to work for.
80% of F1 is based in the UK too.
TonyToniTone said:
80% of F1 is based in the UK too.
Closer to 50% I reckon..
Mclaren - England
Williams - England
Jordan - England
BAR - England
Renault - England
Red Bull - England
Ferrari - Italy
Minardi - Italy
Sauber - Switzerland
Toyota - Germany
Shall we make that 60%? I don't include sub-contracted parts and that Jordan may be a Dallara (Italy) next season, but that is now looking unlikely!!!
rubystone said:
What about engines then? That takes it a bit nearer to 50/50...unless you count the fact that most (if not all) are cast in the Midlands. BMW Germany, Renault France, BAR Japan, Jordan Japan
Good point - though isn't Jordan laden with a Cosworth? You know I can't even remember - maybe it's badged a TATA and that would make it Indian.
We should do
Team Owners, key staff - then you'll get a right mix . .
Eric Mc said:
I think it's all pretty academic. Most of the teams are either foreign owned, part foreign owned or were founded by foreigners.
(Founders)
Mclaren - Kiwi
Williams - England
Jordan - Irish
BAR - England
Renault - Must be some French bloke
Red Bull - Swiss
Ferrari - Italy
Minardi - Italy
Sauber - Switzerland
Toyota - Japanese
Renault is the oldest of all racing teams having started in motor racing in 1902/03. They were founded by two brothers, Louis and Marcel. Marcel was killed in the last great city to city race, the Paris - Madrid race of 1903. There were so many fatalities in that race that the authorities stopped it at Bordeausx - motor racing's first dafety crisis.
I'm surprised Renault didn't make more of their 100 years of motor sport in 2002/03.
Isn't the Red Bull chap Austrian?
>> Edited by Eric Mc on Monday 11th July 12:41
I'm surprised Renault didn't make more of their 100 years of motor sport in 2002/03.
Isn't the Red Bull chap Austrian?
>> Edited by Eric Mc on Monday 11th July 12:41
Renault was definitely NOT founded by Ted Toleman.
As I said earlier, Renault were one of the pioneers of motor racing right at the dawn of the sport 100 plus years ago. They dropped out of motor sport during the inter war period and renained outside the mainstream (apart from some rallying in the 50s and 60s) until the 1970s. In that decade they made big efforts in Formula 2 and noteably, Le Mans, winning the 24 Hours in 1978.
In 1976 they tested their first turbo-charged F1 car - thereby starting a whole new era in F1 and competed at the very top levels of F1 bewteen 1977 and 1985. Unfortunately, they ultimately failed in their efforts in that they didn't achieve the World Championship success they had spent so much money trying to achieve. As a result, they withdrew from F1 at the end of the 1985 season. Up to that point, Renault was 100% French.
In 1989 they returned as engine manufacturers supplying both Williams and Benetton with both teams winning World Championships powered by Renault engines. It was Benetton which set up when the Benetton family bought out Ted Toleman's F1 outfit. Prior to that, Benetton's main involvement had been as major sponsors, first of Tyrrell and then of Alfa Romeo.
Benetton, in turn, sold out to Renault two years ago. Therefore, the link between Ted Toleman and the current Renault F1 effort is rather stretching the connections a little bit.
As I said earlier, Renault were one of the pioneers of motor racing right at the dawn of the sport 100 plus years ago. They dropped out of motor sport during the inter war period and renained outside the mainstream (apart from some rallying in the 50s and 60s) until the 1970s. In that decade they made big efforts in Formula 2 and noteably, Le Mans, winning the 24 Hours in 1978.
In 1976 they tested their first turbo-charged F1 car - thereby starting a whole new era in F1 and competed at the very top levels of F1 bewteen 1977 and 1985. Unfortunately, they ultimately failed in their efforts in that they didn't achieve the World Championship success they had spent so much money trying to achieve. As a result, they withdrew from F1 at the end of the 1985 season. Up to that point, Renault was 100% French.
In 1989 they returned as engine manufacturers supplying both Williams and Benetton with both teams winning World Championships powered by Renault engines. It was Benetton which set up when the Benetton family bought out Ted Toleman's F1 outfit. Prior to that, Benetton's main involvement had been as major sponsors, first of Tyrrell and then of Alfa Romeo.
Benetton, in turn, sold out to Renault two years ago. Therefore, the link between Ted Toleman and the current Renault F1 effort is rather stretching the connections a little bit.
This bit of fun really looks at the lineage of the current teams, rather than their true history. So technically, the current Renault team is indeed a direct descendent of Toleman...
....Pat Symonds was in at Toleman from the very start and 20 years (and many thousands of cigarettes) on, he is still with the team that begat Renault F1 in the noughties. I'm not sure whether any of the other Toleman originals remain - Alex Hawkridge went to Reynard and Chirs Witty disappeared from sight.
....Pat Symonds was in at Toleman from the very start and 20 years (and many thousands of cigarettes) on, he is still with the team that begat Renault F1 in the noughties. I'm not sure whether any of the other Toleman originals remain - Alex Hawkridge went to Reynard and Chirs Witty disappeared from sight.
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