Stefan GP

[ESPImperium]

From my understanding, Stefan GP are a highly credible operation and ready to go at the drop of a hat.

Also from my sources, its Kazuki Nakajimma in the #1 seat with either Christian Klien or Takuma Sato in seat # and the test seat.

They have got the full support of Toyota, a support that is simmilar in finance to what Brawn had from Honda and BMW Sauber currently have from BMW, $80million for the first season and $60 million for the second (if you remain in that guise, Brawn have not got that second payment as they are now Mercedes GP) whitch means they have the financial clout.

The fact that Panasonic and KDDI havnt jumped ship from Toyota says to me the combined $35million from both of those companies will be behing the operation as well, as both were looking towards BMW Sauber and Kimui at one point.

My chances of Stefan GP making it to Bahrain with the TF110 and RVX-09 engines is roughly 90% certanty. The team to drop out will be Campos Meta 1 for the reason that Textera isnt wanted in F1 as he more or less ran A1GP out of existance. And the fact that its rumored that Dallara have a $8million default to be paid to them from Campos as they have missed the first payment of 2010 for the development, build and running of the chassis, that 2 of whitch have been built already. With that i expect that USF1 to pick up Bruno Senna or for Bruno Senna to jump into a Test & Reserve role at a team that still has that posistion open, most posibly McLaren for 2010.

However, ill throw a curve ball on this one. If the FIA, FOTA and FOM allow all the new teams to default on 3 GPs each this year, Stefan GP could fill in on those GPs, meaning that they wont be contractually breached as much as they would have been if only 12 teams turn up for a race, for each race promoter.

[WhiteBlue]

The fact that Panasonic and KDDI havnt jumped ship from Toyota says to me the combined $35million from both of those companies will be behing the operation as well, as both were looking towards BMW Sauber and Kimui at one point.

Do you remember your sponsor predictions for Sauber? This will go the same way IMHO.

However, ill throw a curve ball on this one. If the FIA, FOTA and FOM allow all the new teams to default on 3 GPs each this year, Stefan GP could fill in on those GPs, meaning that they wont be contractually breached as much as they would have been if only 12 teams turn up for a race, for each race promoter.

The chance that the FiA will consent is smaller than a snowball's in hell. Same for the teams, they can only profit when slots are not filled with competitors, so nobody will sign the check. Bernie of course will always vote for whoever pays him money or brings money to the circus. Bottom line, no way!

[WhiteBlue]

I don't think that Ralf would drive for Stefan. This is one of Bernie's crap ideas. As bad as having Stefan in the first place. I really want USF1 on the grid because they have been true to what they have said and they have not had any support at all. I don't care much about Campos and simply hope that some acceptable investor other than Stefan will materialize.

[Confused_Andy]

Its funny, you dont hear from Bernie for a few weeks/months then once you read something he's said you just wish he'd shut up.

[DaveKillens]

When it was confirmed that Michael Schumacher would return to racing in Formula One, I speculated that somehow Ralf might be somehow involved.

But this isn't about racing, it's marketing. Let's face it, the return of Michael Schumacher is going to increase the revenue Bernie enjoys. And if somehow Ralf could get caught up in this soap opera, it would attract even more attention, and of course, more money for Bernie.

I don't agree with this for a lot of reasons. First, Mercedes presently have both Schumacher brothers in their stable. Secondly, this is nothing less than a plot development for pro wrasslers. Invent a story line to get the fans stoked up, just to get them to watch.

[Fil]

Panasonic & KDDI were in F1 via their contracted partnerships with Toyota Motor Corporation.

No Toyota in F1, no Panasonic & KDDI in F1.

If StefanGP get in (if somehow Bernie manages to get the FIA to break a number of their regs), it will have to be a permanent 2010 entry granted. The FIA won't allow public confusion with various new teams floating in & out of the championship.

It would make (more of) a mockery of their organisation..

[Mr Alcatraz]

Bernie is such a pimp I'm going to nominate him for the King of "The Players Ball"

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NfUOX2j ... re=related[/youtube]


He's markets F1 like a real smuck. I've gotten used to it, but it's all so lame.
Plus testing in Spain was huge (especially in Spain) Why shoot yourself in the foot? Doesn't everyone know how shamelessly idiotic he is?

[xpensive]

I really want USF1 on the grid because they have been true to what they have said and they have not had any support at all.

[mx_tifoso]

Its funny, you dont hear from Bernie for a few weeks/months then once you read something he's said you just wish he'd shut up.

True, same goes for di Montezemolo.


And Ecclestone isn't evil, he's just the pimp, I mean in the one in charge of the commercial rights to F1. It's in his best interests to spark interest in the public. Who can blame him?

He says something about Ralf and everyone is going crazy and believing what he said. Take it for what it's worth, like most things he randomly says when asked by the journos that are hungry for a good bit.

[RH1300S]

From the source tazio links to:

Ecclestone says he does not expect Formula One teams USF1 and Campos to race this season and says Schumacher should race for Stefan having driven for them under the Toyota banner in 2007.

"I do not believe in the participation of USF1 and Campos," Ecclestone told German magazine Sport Bild.

"Instead, I have good contacts to Stefan GP and would like to give this team a good starting point.

Is this for real? Are the rumors true? Is Bernie still Evil Incarnate?

Nah - it's not for real.....look who Bernie is talking to 'German magazine Sport Bild' - he often refers to his audience when chucking driver names around.

If he was talking to Autosport he'd probably shout for a Brit in the car.

[WhiteBlue]

Although there have been rumours in recent days that Campos' deal with Italian racing car constructor Dallara was in jeopardy because F1 hopeful Stefan GP had reached an agreement with the company too, AUTOSPORT understands that the two projects are not related.

While Dallara is producing an entire car for Campos, the deal with Stefan GP is believed to revolve around the development and evolution of the Toyota 2010 chassis that the Serbian-based team has acquired.

I had a certain mistrust for the story that Stefan has bought the Campos chassis. Looks like it may not have happened after all.

[ESPImperium]

Panasonic & KDDI were in F1 via their contracted partnerships with Toyota Motor Corporation.

No Toyota in F1, no Panasonic & KDDI in F1.

If StefanGP get in (if somehow Bernie manages to get the FIA to break a number of their regs), it will have to be a permanent 2010 entry granted. The FIA won't allow public confusion with various new teams floating in & out of the championship.

It would make (more of) a mockery of their organisation..

I see what youre saying, and i must say that now that in the cold light, i may be wrong on this one.

I think that Toyota have now realised that they posibly have made a mistake on this one, and want back into F1, and now will have to wait. I think that Toyota were a little too hasty in their decision to leave. Since then they have to now repair a blown public immage with the recent throttle and brake pedal problems and the fact that the way they left F1 was rather a PR disaster. And with their recent profit announcements, maybes a cut in budget for Panasonic Toyota Racing would have been the best idea, reduce the budget from $320million to $200million, with a decent pay driver and Kimui on board may have been the best idea for them.

I admire SGP for the feat they have done, but feel that they may not make it, unless they buy Campos and race like this; A Serbian team with Japaneese cars/engines/support with a Spanish race entry. And the cost of a F1 entry could be valued at $20million plus. Whitch could help Campos pay off their creditors to just about make a small loss in my view, without looking at their financial books.

[donskar]

I think that Toyota have now realised that they posibly have made a mistake on this one, and want back into F1, and now will have to wait. I think that Toyota were a little too hasty in their decision to leave. Since then they have to now repair a blown public immage with the recent throttle and brake pedal problems and the fact that the way they left F1 was rather a PR disaster. And with their recent profit announcements, maybes a cut in budget for Panasonic Toyota Racing would have been the best idea, reduce the budget from $320million to $200million, with a decent pay driver and Kimui on board may have been the best idea for them.

No, I don't think so. I'm a Toyota employee, but have NO insider info on this -- it just does not make sense. Toyota is taking these recalls VERY seriously.

[wesley123]

Toyota does not want to rejoin the formula1, at least not until the recession is fully over.

What they did with the sudden retirement from formula1 is creating a hge hate over the paddock, with fans and over the rest of the world they created huge anti-advertisement for themselves, even more then they did with their years screwing around.

And behind the huge anti-PR they also created unnessecary problems in F1, they signed the concorde agreement and shortly after that they retire from f1, firing 70% of the employees and also leaving legal problems over the 13th spot, i dont think teams want to see them back

[dumrick]

Toyota made mess after mess, if they were considering to sell the team's assets to someone, they shouldn't have, in the first place, dropped their entry in the 2010 championship. BMW got away luckily with a similar move, but all other F1 team sell I can recall (Tyrrell/BAR/Honda/Brawn/Mercedes, Jordan/Spyker/Midland/Force India, Toleman/Benetton/Renault, Minardi/Toro Rosso, Stewart/Jaguar/Red Bull), involved the sell of the team's assets together with the right to participate in the championship.

Probably, Mr. Zoran Stefanovic had a big discount on the team's price as a consequence of not having an associated entry and decided to gamble on lobbying Ecclestone and expecting some failure to show by any of the new teams to get in F1. That isn't a serious business plan, but rather a poker bluff by someone who is trying to find a shortcut into F1 for over 12 years, when he bought the hopeless Lolas T97/30 and tried to build what would have been then the first Yugoslav F1 team.