Williams sold to private investment firm Dorilton Capital

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raymondu999
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Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 07:31

Re: Williams sold to private investment firm Dorilton Capital

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Big Tea wrote:
22 Aug 2020, 15:34
Am I correct in thinking if they want FIA money they have to keep the Williams name ?
For the following year, I think. Remmeber when BMW pulled out and Sauber saved it? after 2009. Peter Sauber had to pull strings to Keep his team’s winnings from last year. Equally remember when Renault pulled out in 2010? Then 2011 Genii maintained the Renault name to keep the team winnings, before formally addressing the name change paperwork in 2011 to contest 2012 as Lotus
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Badgers1234
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Joined: 22 Aug 2020, 15:51

Re: Williams sold to private investment firm Dorilton Capital

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So the fund is called BCE ltd, I can’t believe no one has drawn the link that BCE is also Bernies initials.... it wouldn’t shock me he has been wheeling and dealing behind the scenes!

gshevlin
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Joined: 23 Jun 2017, 19:33

Re: Williams sold to private investment firm Dorilton Capital

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Big Tea wrote:
22 Aug 2020, 15:34
Am I correct in thinking if they want FIA money they have to keep the Williams name ?
The announcement of the sale of the team within 2 days of LibertyF1 announcing that all teams have signed the new Concorde Agreement, in my opinion, was not a coincidence. I suspect the deal was agreed a while ago, but Dorilton wanted to make sure that (a) there would be a commercial agreement in place that they regarded as equitable, and (b) that they would continue to get the money that Williams was due under the existing agreements.
Team name changes are not the same as ownership changes. Those require the unanimous consent of the teams,which is what happened last Winter when Toro Rosso was re-branded to Alpha Tauri (I suspect that the Red Bull company that owns the team remained unchanged and a new operating company was created named Alpha Tauri Racing or similar).

Ringleheim
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Joined: 22 Feb 2018, 10:02

Re: Williams sold to private investment firm Dorilton Capital

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The fact of the matter is that when Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman died, so did his racing team, Lotus. Sure, it hung on for several years and didn't die immediately, but the life blood of the team was gone when Chapman died.

I have felt the same with Ron Dennis leaving McLaren, though I think McLaren will survive better than I initially thought.

And the same is true with Williams. Williams was all about Frank Williams and Patrick Head. Those 2 are old men now and no longer involved in the team, and the team has been slowly dying without them for a long time.

Eventually, it will be dead completely.

gshevlin
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Joined: 23 Jun 2017, 19:33

Re: Williams sold to private investment firm Dorilton Capital

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Badgers1234 wrote:
22 Aug 2020, 15:54
So the fund is called BCE ltd, I can’t believe no one has drawn the link that BCE is also Bernies initials.... it wouldn’t shock me he has been wheeling and dealing behind the scenes!
He could certainly afford to buy the team outright...that would be amusing, Bernie coming back as a team owner. But I could not see Liberty agreeing to that. Why would they invite the fox back into the henhouse?

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Big Tea
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Re: Williams sold to private investment firm Dorilton Capital

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gshevlin wrote:
22 Aug 2020, 18:31
Badgers1234 wrote:
22 Aug 2020, 15:54
So the fund is called BCE ltd, I can’t believe no one has drawn the link that BCE is also Bernies initials.... it wouldn’t shock me he has been wheeling and dealing behind the scenes!
He could certainly afford to buy the team outright...that would be amusing, Bernie coming back as a team owner. But I could not see Liberty agreeing to that. Why would they invite the fox back into the henhouse?
I think Bernie has already made all the easy gains available. Would he come back into F1? I can not see it.
He now has other things to do (don't know what though) and enough money to last several lifetimes.

If he feels his age half as much as I do(and he is much older) he would not want the commitment any longer.

Although, stranger things have happened (apparently)
When arguing with a fool, be sure the other person is not doing the same thing.

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Scorpaguy
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Joined: 04 Mar 2010, 05:05

Re: Williams sold to private investment firm Dorilton Capital

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I would love to see "The Bern" as a team owner. While no one was happier to see him unceremoniously exiled from his F1 throne than I...as a team owner his "old school" F1 beliefs would be welcome by me. He was a bad boss...but he is a good "car guy".

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Zynerji
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Joined: 27 Jan 2016, 16:14

Re: Williams sold to private investment firm Dorilton Capital

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Scorpaguy wrote:
22 Aug 2020, 22:38
I would love to see "The Bern" as a team owner. While no one was happier to see him unceremoniously exiled from his F1 throne than I...as a team owner his "old school" F1 beliefs would be welcome by me. He was a bad boss...but he is a good "car guy".
Bad boss?

I guess he didn't manufacture the current F1 spectacle into a multi-billion dollar, world wide business that is consumed by 100million people...🙄

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Scorpaguy
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Re: Williams sold to private investment firm Dorilton Capital

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Zynerji wrote:
22 Aug 2020, 23:52
Scorpaguy wrote:
22 Aug 2020, 22:38
I would love to see "The Bern" as a team owner. While no one was happier to see him unceremoniously exiled from his F1 throne than I...as a team owner his "old school" F1 beliefs would be welcome by me. He was a bad boss...but he is a good "car guy".
Bad boss?

I guess he didn't manufacture the current F1 spectacle into a multi-billion dollar, world wide business that is consumed by 100million people...🙄
Yep...but bankrupting venues right and left,nixing established tracks for new ones located in countries with highly questionable human rights records, creating an atmosphere catering to the uber rich/elite. "Successful"...yes, but as a motorsport fan, I will stand by my original adjective.

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Zynerji
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Joined: 27 Jan 2016, 16:14

Re: Williams sold to private investment firm Dorilton Capital

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Scorpaguy wrote:
23 Aug 2020, 04:29
Zynerji wrote:
22 Aug 2020, 23:52
Scorpaguy wrote:
22 Aug 2020, 22:38
I would love to see "The Bern" as a team owner. While no one was happier to see him unceremoniously exiled from his F1 throne than I...as a team owner his "old school" F1 beliefs would be welcome by me. He was a bad boss...but he is a good "car guy".
Bad boss?

I guess he didn't manufacture the current F1 spectacle into a multi-billion dollar, world wide business that is consumed by 100million people...🙄
Yep...but bankrupting venues right and left,nixing established tracks for new ones located in countries with highly questionable human rights records, creating an atmosphere catering to the uber rich/elite. "Successful"...yes, but as a motorsport fan, I will stand by my original adjective.
I understand. It takes a ruthless personality to forge steel from iron. And those people are extremely rare.

My only problem with Bernie is the politics that he allowed to become the Modus Operandi of F1...

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Scorpaguy
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Re: Williams sold to private investment firm Dorilton Capital

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Zynerji wrote:
23 Aug 2020, 04:38
Scorpaguy wrote:
23 Aug 2020, 04:29
Zynerji wrote:
22 Aug 2020, 23:52


I understand. It takes a ruthless personality to forge steel from iron. And those people are extremely rare.

Which is exactly why I would like to see him own a team!

Manoah2u
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Joined: 24 Feb 2013, 14:07

Re: Williams sold to private investment firm Dorilton Capital

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What if......bad Santa turns out to be behind this, and we'll see Williams in Rich Energy livery next year.
"Explain the ending to F1 in football terms"
"Hamilton was beating Verstappen 7-0, then the ref decided F%$& rules, next goal wins
while also sending off 4 Hamilton players to make it more interesting"

bill shoe
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Joined: 19 Nov 2008, 08:18
Location: Dallas, Texas, USA

Re: Williams sold to private investment firm Dorilton Capital

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Big Tea wrote:
22 Aug 2020, 15:34
Am I correct in thinking if they want FIA money they have to keep the Williams name ?
Yes, but there is apparently a gentleman's agreement with the other teams & FIA so that "dba" name changes are allowed. Think Toro Rosa changing to Alpha Tauri. But the underlying registration paperwork with Williams will still probably always be done with the original Williams name and company number regardless of new public-persona team names. In a similar manner I think Mercedes, of course, does business as "Mercedes" or "Mercedes Petronas" or whatever, but they still technically register in F1 every year with the Tyrell name and company number.

Manoah2u
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Joined: 24 Feb 2013, 14:07

Re: Williams sold to private investment firm Dorilton Capital

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bill shoe wrote:
24 Aug 2020, 21:10
Mercedes..... still technically register in F1 every year with the Tyrell name and company number.
you sure? would love to see something like that on paper tbh.

don't get me wrong, not saying you're wrong, i have no idea about whether they do or not, but i'd love to actually see that.
"Explain the ending to F1 in football terms"
"Hamilton was beating Verstappen 7-0, then the ref decided F%$& rules, next goal wins
while also sending off 4 Hamilton players to make it more interesting"

bill shoe
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Joined: 19 Nov 2008, 08:18
Location: Dallas, Texas, USA

Re: Williams sold to private investment firm Dorilton Capital

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Manoah2u wrote:
24 Aug 2020, 21:31

you sure? would love to see something like that on paper tbh.

don't get me wrong, not saying you're wrong, i have no idea about whether they do or not, but i'd love to actually see that.
Not sure, but I believe correct. I think I read this info from a guy named Forrest Bond who ran a website (and fax line) called RaceFax.com. It's since gone out of business and I believe Forrest Bond is no longer active. Anyway, he claimed that at one point someone anonymously mailed him a copy of the then-current Concorde Agreement, plus he was more of an old-school journalist who focused on verified info rather than the repeat-what-you-hear types out there on the web now (yes, I realize I'm being a repeat-what-I-hear source).

Any other people with info on this question of F1 team registration names?