Современная трактовка тюнинга допускает называть тюнинговыми и мелкосерийные автомобили, если в основе лежит распространенная модель. Все в них делается по законам жанра, в расчете на владельца, который желает сделать характер автомобиля более ярким, а внешность – более заметной. И то, что у автомобиля есть «близнецы», не беда – ведь это не крупная серия, а спецверсия, [...]
Dave Richards alza definitivamente bandiera bianca all’ipotesi di un ingresso della Prodrive nel 2008 (more…)
Prodrive Dave Richards Subaru Aston Martin Formula 1 Patto della Concordia Ron Dennis Mercedes 2008
A fascinating Q&A with David Richards on Autosport.com reveals a whole new perspective on the customer car issue, the future of F1’s Concorde agreement and the commercial viability of today’s racing teams.
In it he says that he’s still hopeful that Prodrive will be able to compete as a F1 team - but the conditions will have to be right for the project to have long-term commercial viability, rather than being done on an ad-hoc basis.
He says definitively that the team will not be racing in 2008 but he is hopeful that an entry in the 2009 championship will prove to be viable.
He also describes customer cars as a way of levelling the F1 playing field and ensuring that teams towards the back of the grid have more incentive to turn up and race.
And he questions whether car manufacturers are really the best partners for racing teams when their commercial priorities potentially differ so markedly from those of motorsport.
Here is a brief excerpt from an answer he gave to
What many, me included, have suspected for long time has been confirmed. Prodrive will not make it to the grid for 2008 season. The customer car row, the delays in agreeing on the new Concorde agreement are obvious reasons. This is what Dave Richards had to say to German Auto Moto und Sport magazine:
“There was a dispute about our eligibility. In addition, the new Concorde agreement has been repeatedly delayed. We asked the FIA to be able to start mid-way through the season: our request was rejected. So for 2008 there is not a realistic chance of there being a Prodrive formula one team.
Secondly, we must wait for the new Concorde. Only then can we fully assess our options. Our ambition is still to be in formula one. But there was the risk of legal procedures because we wanted to use a customer car. As a result, our entire business plan was put into doubt. So we have chosen to re-group instead of simply race ahead blindly.”
Well, that’s it then for 24 cars 2008 grid&h
The possibility of F1 having a full grid of 12 teams next year is looking increasingly unlikely as the odds of Prodrive making it to Melbourne in March recede into the distance.
And former F1 team boss Eddie Jordan, never one to mince his words at the best of times, thinks that if David Richards’ Oxfordshire-based crew don’t make it to the starting line then rival bids should be reconsidered.
Jordan, himself an unsuccessful applicant for the vacant grid slot, wrote in F1 Racing magazine: “What is disappointing is that several teams, some of proven F1 calibre, applied for this extra slot and the FIA, after careful deliberation, chose Prodrive.
“Once, when Toyota told the FIA they were unable to compete in the agreed year, there was a hefty fine. Will Prodrive be fined if they don’t enter in ‘08?
“And what of the other rejected teams? Surely the FIA must now allow them to reapply?”
Other disappointed applicants included former Minardi sup
So after wenting my disapointment with the latest issue of the F1 racing magazine I actually flipped the pages and read some stuff. There is an article on the customer cars issue and it is quite surprising that not much of what is said in there surfaced on the web so far.
So what is it that F1 Racing has learnt ?
There has been a meeting among the team principals on Saturday morning of the Brazilian GP at which Bernie said the following:
“It suited us (Bernie, Max) two years ago to foster and develop the idea of customer cars. But we don’t like the idea any more so I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
(more…)
April 28, 2006 - David Richards’ Prodrive team was granted entry to the 2008 Formula One World Championship. In total 22 applications were submitted that time - 11 from that time existing F1 teams, 11 new ones. All existing teams were granted entry to the 2008 F1 Championship. So basically 11 F1 wannabies were bidding for 1 available slot.
This is what Max Mosley had to say at that time:
Question: What was the process the FIA went through to reach this decision?
Mosley: “After the World Motor Sport Council decided that entries for the 2008 Championship would open on 24 March 2006 and close on 31 March 2006 we informed all of the current teams as well as other organisations we knew to be interested. We also issued a press release to inform anyone else who might want to tender an entry.
“We soon received applications from the 11 current Formula One teams as well as another 11 teams. Where necessary, we wrote to teams to ask for further information about their financial
Bernie Ecclestone told the F1 team principals in Fuji that Prodrive has the money that is needed to launch its bid to enter F1 next year - using McLaren chassis and Mercedes-Benz engines. Prodrive will be paying McLaren around $100m and should mean that the cars will be sufficiently competitive to produce good results. We hear that the team has a title sponsor that is new to the sport and also has an agreement with Ecclestone over prize money. The problem is that some of the other teams are more…
After few weeks of Prodrive radio silence, some new information emerged last weekend in Spa. As Autosport reports, the deal is on hold, until the new Concorde Agreement is finalized.From what David Richards says, it seems that all is in place:"We are there, but there are lots of issues surrounding the validity of the Concorde Agreement, it is those sort of things that leave question marks at the moment, and they need to be resolved. Every other aspect of it is cleared up."It is widely expected that Prodrive will run McLaren chassis next year. This deal will come handy for McLaren, they sure would not mind extra cash to fill at least a bit of the $100,000,000 big hole. But….For the whole deal to be possible there has to be new Concorde Agreement. The current one does not allow customer chassis… There are rumours that Max Mosley offered last weekend the teams an option to continue using current Concorde Agreement for another year and allow more time for coming up with new agreement.
Prodrive has launched a range of parts for the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, which improves the car’s performance and enhances its driving dynamics. The range includes: a performance pack for the engine; new driver-adjustable suspension; unique forged wheels; and a discreet aero package.Prodrive has tuned the 4.3 litre V8 engine to raise peak power from 283 kW (380 bhp) to 317 kW (425 bhp), as well as increasing peak torque from 410 Nm (302 lbft) to 440 Nm (325 lbft). This reduces the car’s 0-100 km/h time from 5.0 secs to 4.7 secs (est) and increases the top speed by 13 km/h to 293 km/h (est). A new throttle map, combined with the increase in torque, also make the engine more responsive throughout the rev range.Prodrive has worked with suspension specialists, Bilstein and Eibach, to develop new driver-adjustable suspension. A switch in the cockpit allows the driver to choose between normal and sports mode. The normal mode has been designed to enhance the V8 Vantage’s existing ride an
News about the future of several F1 teams emerged during past 24 hours. The financial trouble at Spyker Cars NV pushed the company into considering to sell part or the whole of the Spyker F1 team. These are statements from Spyker.Spyker Cars NV might sell some or all of its Formula One team as part of a refinancing plan and strategic review.Of the various refinancing scenarios being considered, the (partial) sale of the Spyker Formula One Team is one possibility.They are now looking into several offers for part or whole of the team, they only bought in September last year. One of the possible buyers is Michiel Mol, current director of the Spyker F1 team. This would (and probably will) be the 3rd sale of the former Jordan team since 2005. Let's hope they find some solution to their financial woes, otherwise we may have the repeat of Arrows situation in 2002...The problems with payments from the main sponsor SS United are causing headaches at Super Aguri. The team is now looking for a b
News about the future of several F1 teams emerged during past 24 hours. The financial trouble at Spyker Cars NV pushed the company into considering to sell part or the whole of the Spyker F1 team. These are statements from Spyker.Spyker Cars NV might sell some or all of its Formula One team as part of a refinancing plan and strategic review.Of the various refinancing scenarios being considered, the (partial) sale of the Spyker Formula One Team is one possibility.They are now looking into several offers for part or whole of the team, they only bought in September last year. One of the possible buyers is Michiel Mol, current director of the Spyker F1 team. This would (and probably will) be the 3rd sale of the former Jordan team since 2005. Let's hope they find some solution to their financial woes, otherwise we may have the repeat of Arrows situation in 2002...The problems with payments from the main sponsor SS United are causing headaches at Super Aguri. The team is now looking for a b
Aston Martin has been sold to a consortium led by the founder of Prodrive, David Richards, ending almost twenty years of ownership by Ford. Other key investors in the group include investment banker John Sinders and Kuwaiti investment groups Adeem Investment and Investment Dar.[Source: Motor Authority]Continued- ArticleDavid Richards is the boss of Prodrive, the company responsible for Aston Martin’s racing program and several performance packages for the V8 Vantage roadster. With the backing of the new investment group and Dr Ulrich Bez remaining as the CEO, Aston Martin is poised to expand its model lines and become a major player in the luxury-performance segment.http://www.motorauthority.com/news/industry/official-aston-martin-sold-to-consortium-led-by-prodrive-boss-david-richards/
It is understood that Prodrive, set to be F1's twelfth team in 2008, has been successful in its recently reported bid to buy Aston Martin.Backed by US and Middle East investors, Warwickshire based Prodrive's boss David Richards led a consortium that reportedly bid an estimated $900 million to buy the English car manufacturer from Ford.The ultimate price may have increased to as much as (US) $965 million, with a deal set to be announced on Friday at the Geneva auto show.Prodrive declined to comment, but Ford may have favoured Prodrive's offer because the company already runs Aston Martin's racing programme for sports cars.Aston Martin raced eleven times in F1 in 1959-60.Source: dailyf1news.com
Prodrive’s founder David Richards was previously reported to be leading a consortium to buy Aston Martin, and latest news is that Ford is now in exclusive talks with the motor racing company over the deal. Quoting unnamed sources, The Times of London has reported that Prodrive was having trouble raising finances to reach its bid, rumoured to be close to $875 million. However, Ford is said to be still interested in Prodrive because it placed the highest offer when bidding for Aston Martin closed back in late January. Other potential groups in the final round of bidding were Doughty Hanson & Co., Syrian-born property magnate Simon Halabi and Egyptian investment bank Naeem Capital. If Prodrive’s bid falls through, it’s likely that one of these other consortiums will be the new owner of Aston Martin.[Source: Motor Authority]Type rest of the post here
