David Richards to buy Honda Racing F1?

[WhiteBlue]

As I said it was certainly the case in 2004. At that time they were throwing away four engines per race weekend, one for qualifying and one for the race per car. Mandating a minimum weight should have opened an opportunity for rebuilding. I could not find any reference that the practise has changed in the last years with the V8s so it is still an open question.

[xpensive]

I recall when, the somewhat paranoid Carlos Reutemann, kept track of all the Cosworth DFV serial numbers, to make sure he didn't have to drive one with too many retirements.

[Shaddock]

The engines next year have to last longer, so this years engine would be no good even if Honda through them in 'free' to sweeten any potential deal.

Cosworth won't be ready until next year and Honda may have already halted development of next years engine. Would Toyota supply an ex Honda team.... doubtful.

Ferrari having lost FI would be any buyers 1st port of call for drivetrain.

[timbo]

I think that next season's Honda car is already finished for a great extend, I think it would be a bit of a problem to adapt Ferrari engine on a new car in a short period of time, and reported high cooling demand of Ferrari is only making things worser...

[xpensive]

Ross Brawn cries over the quitting Honda team, saying; "We would have had a race-winning car and that's the tragedy."

Before any competitor's 2009 car has been presented, let alone tested? That's one helluva crystal-ball he's got, or dould this by any chance be marketing talk?

[Conceptual]

Ross Brawn cries over the quitting Honda team, saying; "We would have had a race-winning car and that's the tragedy."

Before any competitor's 2009 car has been presented, let alone tested? That's one helluva crystal-ball he's got, or dould this by any chance be marketing talk?

I think Brawn is using his reputation to give creedence to the new car in hopes that someone will buy HR-F1 and allow the team to still exist.

It sounds like marketing, but with Brawn's history, it is hard to call him a liar about such things...

[Conceptual]

I think David Richards should buy the Honda team, hire Aguri Suzuki to run the team, and for 2009, try to rebuild the 2007/8 engines that are still in existance (like Cosworth did or buy the Cosworth spec from 2006) and hire Takuma Sato and Jenson Button to drive.

With Brawn as the technical director (like Symonds st Renault) and Suzuki as team principal, I think the sponsorship would be easier to obtain, and I think that the team would be able to get a HUGE jumpstart since the cost of the 2009 car has already been paid for, and the cost of development through the season can be paid for by the sponsors.

I think that whoever buys this team (Richard Branson or David Richards would be great) may find themselves at the front of the pack in 2009, and even if they don't win, if they do well, the 2010 sponsorship money may come as a big increase.

/babble off

[axle]

lol I think Toyota should put their engine in the back...can you imagine if the "Honda" wins a GP with a Toyota engine in the back Ha Haaaa

[greenpower dude reloaded]

I actually met David Richards last tuesday, i've "bumped" into him once or twice before as well and it never cease's to amaze me how good his business mind is. He always remembers people's names as well as all of the little facts and figures he needs to know about things he isn't directly involved in.

From what i've seen he's also a great team player, and exactly the sort of person a team like that needs, I dare say I can't imagine Brawn getting everyone totally G'd up the way I imagine Richards would.

So, yes, I personally would love to see David Richards buy Honda, but having heard very little about this i'm finding it increasingly unlikely and more likely that we are going to lose our second honda team in the space of a year.

[Ciro Pabón]

As reputedly the Honda team is being sold for one dollar, I've already proposed elsewhere to buy it.

A bunch of cvnts ready to make offer for Honda

Why don't we take a chance? We cannot do worse than the "smart people" at Honda, who were not able to sell the team (or merge it with RBR or Force India) before its collapse. As I've said, I would be able to "sell" Ross Brawn alone.

So, there you go, guys. Who's interested? I think I can put forward up to 2 cents, I'm waiting for somebody to put up the other 98.

It's going to be fun. I simply want the dictator-for-life position and the pitbabes selection job. That's not too much to ask.

I need all your CV in my desk by Thursday, 5 pm, CET. No complains or you will be fired before being hired.

[Ciro Pabón]

As reputedly the Honda team is being sold for one dollar, I've already proposed elsewhere to buy it.

A bunch of cvnts ready to make offer for Honda

Why don't we take a chance? We cannot do worse than the "smart people" at Honda, who were not able to sell the team (or merge it with RBR or Force India) before its collapse. As I've said, I would be able to "sell" Ross Brawn alone.

So, there you go, guys. Who's interested? I think I can put forward up to 2 cents, I'm waiting for somebody to put up the other 98.

It's going to be fun. I simply want the dictator-for-life position and the pitbabes selection job. That's not too much to ask.

I need all your CV in my desk by Thursday, 5 pm, CET. No complains or you will be fired before being hired.

[xpensive]

Only if I can get such a position on the Technical side, that I can boss WB around in the KERS department...*LoL*

[Saribro]

Sure thing Ciro, if you provide the funds to actually run the team, I'll fork over the dollar to buy it :p.

To be frank, I don't think anyone is willing to buy this team, we would've heard something by now. And the $1 selling price comes with the requirement to run the team, which is still a several $100M operation. It's probably just too expensive.

[WhiteBlue]

I would put my 2 cents in the collection hat as I allways do.

On a serious note I agree with Saribro. Dave Richards has already said that the assets of the team make for a frightfull overhead, which reduces the attraction for most buyers. I would add that the ongoing cost cutting debate makes it more difficult for a potential buyer to put a solid business plan together. Nobody currently knows what will be agreed in terms of regulations. This will make people sit on the fence which is bad news for Brawn and his team.

[axle]

I don't think anyone taking it on would have to find anything like Honda's budget...so lets not get carried away.

Honda will HAVE to scaled down quickly to a unit the size of Williams/FIF1 running on a USD $100m budget or less. That means the team that race the car stay but a huge cut in the number of expensive engineers and designers and a cut in other costs like a wind tunnel.

That's obviously horrible for those involved but it's the reality of the situation. Honda leave the team in a good position for next year, the car should be a good racer (ignoring the powertrain issue). Even if development of it is slashed it could well maintain a good position in the WCC of 2009.

It's a relatively cheap way into F1. Keep RB for at least a year, get him to hand pick who stays...dump Nick Fry overboard...and go on from there...