New Teams in F1 for 2010??!

[modbaraban]

Only in case hee agrees to wear traditional Indian trousers and a turban

[WhiteBlue]

he is more likely to wear Nomex and jump in the car. mind you he is 59 now and may take it easier.

[Alexpcenteno]

Can you guys imagine a bugatti car... it's livery and colors... nice don't you think?

And audi??? A big logo on it's side!!

[Conceptual]

Can you guys imagine a bugatti car... it's livery and colors... nice don't you think?

And audi??? A big logo on it's side!!

What, 4 rings like the Silver Arrow?

And wouldn't it be best for Prodrive to make its move by buying up Super Aguri? They already have shown their meddle with old tech... Maybe Prodrive can buy and manufacture while inheriting a solid team and 2 VERY decent drivers?

I would possibly see Newmann/Haas buying up the other half of STR. They would get a proven Champ in Bourdais, and a rising star in Vettel, plus I doubt they are going to keep the name Torro Rosso when Red Bull is no longer an owner. Maybe someone like N/H could buy in, and DM of Red Bull could simply become the title sponsor to keep the name and logo in tact.

In fact, that might not be too far a stretch to the man that has billions from his $2/can energy dring that tastes like liquid Smarties. Especially if the contract stated that the team has to divulge all Tyre data to RBR. That alone might be worth the title sponsorship with the change to slicks next year.

Thoughts?

Chris

[ESPImperium]

What about UK Manufacturers???

I could see a Prodrive team in 2010, but with a diffrent Engine manufacturer to what they were planning on this year if Customer Cars were allowed, i can see a Prodrive team being a reality with Aston Martin engines, as David Richards has close ties with Aston Martin.

However same could be said for Subaru, but Toyota wont want to get into b teams.

I do think that there could be a new partner for Berger at STR, the intrest i could see there being in Itany is from Alfa Romeo, but they are owned by Fiat so same rules as Lancia.

Super Aguri, their future is uncartain, if someone can get $150-225m of sponsorship together, over a long term period (5 years) i could see them in racing next year, with Honda power and Tacuma at the wheel of one car, and make a impact close to last years impact.

Hyundai would be good new team, same with VW, they would be as successful as Toyota id say, but not as successful as Ferarri and BMW in the short to medium term.

American manufacturers will not participate un F1 in the long term for economic reasons and because the US public still have the race that was 2005 still in their memorys!!!

[WhiteBlue]

STR are looking for an owner who is prepared to invest and to spend serious money each year in return for his name on the car. Red Bull did that.

So it can only be a brand that can afford that kind of exposure. Automotives can do that, drinks can and then it gets tight. it is not an easy task for Gerhard.

[donskar]

WhiteBlue wrote:

STR are looking for an owner who is prepared to invest and to spend serious money each year in return for his name on the car. Red Bull did that.

So it can only be a brand that can afford that kind of exposure. Automotives can do that, drinks can and then it gets tight. it is not an easy task for Gerhard.

Actually, the field is not so narrow, it just takes broader business vision than is usually found in F1. Potential candidates:

Any number of rich men with high-level business connections (and the two - wealth and connections - usually go together), As a specific example, I give you Roger Penske, who made a run at returning to F1 a few years ago.

Several large companies in the BRIC countries (Brazil (Embraer?), Russia (oil companies?), India (Tata?), China (Cherry? Greater involvement from Lenovo?). Key point here: each of these countries has VERY powerful international businesses that the public has seldom or never heard of. F1 would give them international visibility and increased sales.

Huge American-based multi-nationals: H-P (remember Compaq?), IBM, McDonalds, Frito-Lay, Starbucks, and any number of financial companies (Fidelity, for example). And that ignores auto manufacturers (for good reason) whiskey/beer manufacturers, and oil companies. Pharmaceuticals is another untapped area.

Powerful European companies outside of the car business (Phillips leaps to mind).

Hotel chains.

National tourism boards.

And finally, a combination of complementary products: an all-Italian group to buy/sponsor Toro Rosso, for example.

Every current major sponsor should be considered as a candidate to step up to ownership or part ownership. Imagine a group of Middle Eastern companies: an airline, an amusement park/resort, and a financial and/or oil company.

The point is, the POTENTIAL is out there. The Western economy is stumbling, but the wealth is not gone, it has just moved.

I offer no easy solutions above, just leads to be followed up by professional marketers. Instead of endless time wasted on kinky sex, MosleyStone should invest in some business deevlopment/marekting professionals

[Conceptual]

What about UK Manufacturers???

I could see a Prodrive team in 2010, but with a diffrent Engine manufacturer to what they were planning on this year if Customer Cars were allowed, i can see a Prodrive team being a reality with Aston Martin engines, as David Richards has close ties with Aston Martin.

However same could be said for Subaru, but Toyota wont want to get into b teams.

I do think that there could be a new partner for Berger at STR, the intrest i could see there being in Itany is from Alfa Romeo, but they are owned by Fiat so same rules as Lancia.

Super Aguri, their future is uncartain, if someone can get $150-225m of sponsorship together, over a long term period (5 years) i could see them in racing next year, with Honda power and Tacuma at the wheel of one car, and make a impact close to last years impact.

Hyundai would be good new team, same with VW, they would be as successful as Toyota id say, but not as successful as Ferarri and BMW in the short to medium term.

American manufacturers will not participate un F1 in the long term for economic reasons and because the US public still have the race that was 2005 still in their memorys!!!

As an American, I can honestly tell you that the 2 people that I personally know that actually can admit that they have even heard of F1, that the 2005 race never seems to be mentioned... Mostly, I hear, "If F1 is such a big deal, why don't we have it here in the US?"

And my answer is always the same, and that is "Because there are no American teams or drivers, so the marketability is too low to justify the media exposure."

The Americans that DO know about F1 always seem to refer to Kubica in Montreal 2007, because that accident was all over the US media.

The bottom line is that F1 doesn't have a foothold in the US simply because it is a finesse sport. Americans have been indoctrinated to love the brute-force racing of NASCAR, and to be perfectly honest, the spectacular wrecks that ensue from such primitive behavior as bump-drafting.

Now, if they would have done a weekly reality show about Scott Speed's time in F1, you would have seen the interest in the US go up exponentially, because the drama that was involved with STR and Speed last year would have achieved top ratings. I understand that is very, very sad to admit, but it is true none the less.

EDIT: This makes me wonder if Richard Branson of Virgin wouldnt be interested in getting in... Especially if they could turn it into a reality/drama show like American Chopper. Everyone in the US knows of OCC, I wonder how long it would take for those same people to know about F1.

Chris

[donskar]

Conceptual, I agree that interest in F1 is low in the US. And I do not see F1 challenging NASCAR or even Indy cars in the near future.

However, that does not mean that a US-based multinational would not be interested in buying or (more likely) putting up major financial support for an F1 team. The key is "multinational". Most companies that have the financial resources to support an F1 team also have a need to support their brand globally.

I can see a multi-billion dollar US business backing a Dan Gurney, Roger Penske, Phill Hill, Carroll Shelby, or another "name" (Jay Leno is a rabid car nut).

[Alexpcenteno]

You guys do have a good ponit.

Like if you list the big companys that could and should come to F1 as sponsorsyou will find many but the number is reduced when you think about companys that have something to do to racing...

Here is a list by Forbes of the biggest 2000 companys in the world...

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/18/biz_2000global08_The-Global-2000_Rank.html

As you can see many are in F1 already!

[Carlos]

A parallel to consider, why not a parallel American series of races. Non denouncement. Consider for just one moment. As Europe has a prototype race shedule and Le Mans. The USA has an American Le Mans Series. It's true. Here's a link:

http://www.americanlemans.com/home/ALMSHome.aspx

Why can't America have an F1 series. A precedent exists. The Tasman Series, during the 1960's the Grand Prix circus migrated to exotic Australia, New Zealand, even
Tasmania. Why not an off season F1 series ( 3>5 races) in America using the last seasons cars, give some test drivers and new talent a turn to race. Package the series and have all those companies we have been considering (above). Perhaps Frito Lay would not purchase a team outright, but may put out a good dollars. Something to do with those cars that are instantly obsolete at the end of the season. Low salary drivers and American Pit Babes. Could heaven be far away? Could be at least as much fun as drivers wearing Indian jodhpurs and turbans.

Today's entries in this thread are suggestive:
viewtopic.php?p=75576&f=5&sid=34782243d6e4326068a0697def4e99e1#p75576

[Belatti]

Carlos, that´s a very good idea!
Can we include a race in Argentina?

It could be:
- Laguna Seca
- Road Atlanta
- A canadian track? Street racing in Vancouver? Toronto?
- Circuito Hermanos Rodriguez (Mexico)
- Autódromo Juan y Oscar Galvez (Argentina)

I´ll call Bernie to see if he likes the idea...

[Alexpcenteno]

Belatti I never actually knew why argentina got out of F1 path?
I'm 21 years old so if you don't mind telling me I would be all ears.

[puttenham]

I think it more likely teams (and current sponsors such as AMD with Ferrari) will leave F1 rather than enter the sport by 2010.

Renault, Toyota and Honda will be under pressure to focus on their main businesses
as car sales may fall in North America and Europe due to high fuel prices and inability of enough customers to obtain car financing. Toyota and Honda are also in a high stakes race off track developing their hydrogen powered and hybrid cars. Honda had two hydrogen powered FCX models as honorary pace cars at the IndyCar race in Japan.

FIA did Michelin shareholders a favor by switching to a one supplier series and forcing Michelin out. Prior to Michelin's defrocking, The Wall Street Journal suggested in an article that Michelin and Bridgestone were spending in the neighborhood of US$ 160 million each on F1 for a single season. Financing F1 teams may not be sustainable at current rates.

If teams do leave F1 and in order to fill the field for F1, the FIA will have no choice but to lift the ban on "customer" cars. Hopefully, enough high net worth individuals and multinational corporations with poor or weak accounting departments will be around to fund teams using customer cars (and customer engines).

I hope I am wrong. I hope the sport continues to have exciting races such as Monaco and passes for the lead on track as at Turkey. I am looking forward to a highly competitive and safe Canadian Grand Prix with an overflow crowd and organizers who break even.

[vyselegend]

Sorry to throw that out of the blue with almost no arguments, but, what about Mazda?

They're one of the greatest manufacturer in the world IMO in terms of technology innovations, being as far as I know the only manufacturer having succeded to make rotative engines reliables.
They are in the electric products industry (batteries, capacitors etc), so they'd have twice as much advertisement considering the use of KERS.

Mazda haven't competed seriously in a World's scale event since their Le Mans victory in 1991. Time to consider F1?