MattW

BBC reporting Prodrive have submitted entry into F1 for 08 season.

ewanrw

Correct. They have 3 competitors for the last team place tho' -

Eddie Irvine (with Russian Backers)

Roger Penske (IRL team owner)

Paul Stoddart (European Minardi)

Will be interesting to see who gets the place.

ewan

Tidgy

y not let them all in and increase the number of cars in the line up? just a sugestion anyway

EddScott

Considering Stoddarts previous with Max Mosley, I can't see it being awarded to him. Also, think its more of a ply than anything else - if Stoddart has the 12th seat, I'm sure he'd put a hefty price tag on anyone wanting to buy that 12 th seat.

I would assume Prodrive will get it. Don't know much about Irvine and Penske are back in ALMS this season so got alot on thier plate right now.

Bald Speed Racing

They are building a new factory near me for the F1 cars and keeping the WRC and Touring car stuff in Banbury still.

MattW

Story here

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/moto...ne/4864990.stm

ewanrw

I think Prodrive will get it but the Russian bid is a darkhorse IMO. Midland F1 is Russian owned but based in the UK (formerly Jordan). With a Russian Grand Prix on the horizon, it would make financial sense for F1 to have a proper big budget Russian team.

Russia has a huge target audience and would generate mega bucks for Bernie and Co.

Do we really need another British F1 team ?

Iain Young

Hmmm,

Renault - French
Toyota - Japanese
Honda - Japanese
BMW - German
Mclaren - 50% german
Midland - Russian
Red Bull - American
Super Aguri - Japanese

They may have factories in this country, but they are not British teams. The only proper British team on the grid at the moment is Williams, so another one might be a nice addition...

ewanrw

Red Bull are Austrian owned.

And Mclaren are British, having a German supplied engine does not make them 50% German.

Anyway, the point is F1 will go where the money is and sadly thats not Britain anymore.

ewan

comic cuts

I can see the threads soon being:

My 06 STi with F1 PPP (remapped by my mate Stan) pulled 1850 BHP and 2 million ft lb on the Scoobynet rollers shootout

or

Dear Mike Wood, if I put the 07 F1 power plant in my WRX do you think I would need to uprate the springs/pots/discs/wheels? Have you any figures for this combination and would it invalidate my warranty at all?



CC

EddScott

You could ask if this will fit? It is Subaru after all.



Flat 12 F1 engine (it was rubbish BTW)

comic cuts

Thanks for the pic EddScott.......some of the folks here had told me about that lump.

Shame it won't fit Mrs CC's Justy!!

CC

Iain Young

Actually, mercedes had quite a large shareholding in Mclaren the last time I heard...

It's where the engineering talent is though. That's why there are so many factories here...

EddScott

And for an extra point -



Coloni Subaru. Flat 12 750HP. Underpowered and over weight (sound familiar ) failed to qualify for IIRC the entire 1992 season.

If you google coloni and subaru theres a little info around.

comic cuts

Thanks EddScott........will google this lot over weekend!

CC

ewanrw

Mercedes owner, Daimler-Chrysler hold a 40% stake in the Mclaren Group.

There are so many factories because Britain used to be at the pinnacle of the sport. But the heyday is long gone now and spiralling costs will only force the teams abroad.

I think the risk of Britain losing a GP spot only reflects this...

ewan

ewanrw

Turns out 22 teams have applied for the 2008 season, so 11 teams are going for one spot.

The 11 current teams are guaranteed a place as existing teams have priority. It is expected to be between Minardi and Prodrive with Prodrive to be the likely winner as Dave Richards and Max Mosley are good buddies.

Are we on for an upset ??

ewan

AudiLover

Mercedes own mercedes. Remember its daimler benz and they brought chrysler.

Also Mercedes nearly hold 50% or do now indeed hold 50% of mclaren. Its roumoured theyre gonna have a complete takeover.

rr_ww

FYI. Currently its:

40% DC
30% Ron
30% Mansour (through Tag)

Ron was rumoured to have offered DC his 30%. But asked for a price well into the hundreds of Millions. DC, decided against it. (McLaren allegedly have debts in the $20-30M region at the moment as a result of the move to MTC)

The interesting part will come when Ron retires, as Mansour is unlikely to remain if his close friend isnt the CEO.

Though the other rumour I heard from the calm isolated airs of McLaren was that Ron was planning on buying back the 40% from DC, as the new board members, whilst not anti-F1, dont feel they are getting their moneys worth from the ownership. Engine supply is unlikely to be affected.

AllanB

Isn't the Mercedes engine actually just a Mercedes badged engine made by Ilmor Engineering ?


AllanB

ewanrw

Agree with rr ww coz thats what it says on the Mclaren website. And Ilmor do make the engine but not sure what the relationship is.

ewan