Rumor: ART to take over Sauber

[WhiteBlue]

http://www.motorsport-total.com/f1/spli ... 52802.html

German Motorsport-total.com cites Spanish sources for the rumor that Nicolas Todt may be preparing to take over the Sauber team.

[donskar]

If N Todt takes over Sauber, Can Massa be far behind? Especially if Massa does not feature this weekend?

[xpensive]

I don't know, I wouldn't be that comfortable with the son of the FIA president running an F1 team?

[ISLAMATRON]

Peter Sauber is telling everyone who will listen that the team is in big money problems and couldnt sign any sponsors at Monaco... would be a smart move for ART

[andrew]

Massa looks set to stay at Ferrari so I doubt he will move.

[ESPImperium]

Would be a good move for ART to get into F1, especially as it looks likley they will miss out on both the TF110 tubs and the 13th team entry.

The word i have heard is that ART have missed out on the TF110 as HRT is about to requsite the TF110s for the rest of the season as the Hispania team is in Cologne with a Cosworth CA2010 power plant so they can make it to the end of the season with a competitive package and IP they can develop over the next 18 months under an aggreement with Toyota.

Also, many people are talking up Epsilon to the 13th entry, as it has been rumored that they are turning down Cosworth for Renault power.

It would make sence, but i like many others wouldnt feel at ease with the Presedents Son in chanrge of a team. Altho, it would be a perfect situation for Ferarri, they would get the next hot-shot young guy in Jules Bianchi for a few years before a move to the red team.

I would say its likley, but if the Todt/Todt conflict of intrests can be addressed, im for it. Id say it could happen before the end of the season, get in to the team and sort it out, get the people in the posistions you need to take the team somewhere.

[WhiteBlue]

It would make sence, but i like many others wouldnt feel at ease with the Presedents Son in chanrge of a team.

It is an emotional/ethical dilemma. But it would be unfair to prohibit a good team to participate in the competition.

[xpensive]

A Todt/Todt situation would clearly be unaccepteble in any other walk of life.

[ESPImperium]

It would make sence, but i like many others wouldnt feel at ease with the Presedents Son in chanrge of a team.

It is an emotional/ethical dilemma. But it would be unfair to prohibit a good team to participate in the competition.

I can totally see where you are coming from with that comment.

I would say it is wrong to have a good team compete. But it is wrong to have the conflict of intrests. I think the only way will be for ART to have the take over, then Nicholas Todt step down and only manage his driver intrests.

Its a funny one this one. As i said im for it, but the ethics and emotional sides need to be assessed and some sort of compromise made.

If ART do take over i think its gonna be a team that looks like Kobiyashi and Bianchi with De la Rosa as the Test & Reserve guy with James Key as the Technichal director already with 3 or 4 designs on the board for the new car. Its gonna be a good well resourced and well financed team if the ART rumor goes ahead.

[marcush.]

I don´t get the problem here ...where is the issue with Todt and his son?
Mosley ,Bernie ,Todt himself ,and everyone involved for long enough can claim conflict of interest.
Jean Todt has in the time he is head of FIA demonstarted to take a very neutral and
pragmatic stance so as an ex ferrari guy he has shown he is his own man.
To have relatives in your working environment is a fact of life ,look two brothers were in F1 for more than one year ,conflict of interest.
Let them do their work and basta.

[andrew]

Was Nick Worth entering a team when Mosley could still influence the selection process not a conflict of interest?

[marcush.]

Was Nick Worth entering a team when Mosley could still influence the selection process not a conflict of interest?

Mosley was or is shareholder in Wirth technologies...yes?

[dp35]

I'm not disagreeing with the Todt/Todt conflict seeming suspicious. But isn't ART already competing in FIA regulated GP2 & GP3 racing? (or are GP2 & 3 not FIA?)

Ferrari has been saying how they'd like to promote an American team and/or driver lately - ART has Ferrari ties - Sauber cars are already Ferrari powered - ART has American Alexander Rossi on their GP3 team...maybe this move could help Rossi make it to F1. If that sounds far fetched, then you can see how badly some of us want to see a (good) American driver in F1.

[Dukeage]

GP2 and GP3 aren't FIA run (in the sense that they're not FIA championships, they're as much an FIA series as World Series by Renault is) - they're on the F1 bill due to an agreement with FOM.