Aston Martin for F1 in 2008....

JohnnyFiama · 7 Mar 2007, 15:07 (Ref:1860658)

Apologies if this is already being discussed and I've missed it:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/EDITORIA...ent/33744.html

chillibowl · 7 Mar 2007, 15:25 (Ref:1860672)

im really just confused by what Prodrives' actual plans for F1 are

are they buying customer chassis and engines from McLaren/Merc or even selling up and becoming an official "b" squad, or is DR just going to sell his spot to the higest bidder, and did they ever get the zoning rights to expand their F1 facilities?
as for the Aston Martin connection, they are small enough compared to the other manu's as to keep Prodrive in my mind anyways an independent so i would welcome it.

Glen · 7 Mar 2007, 16:00 (Ref:1860703)

Aston Martin is currently a Ford brand, and also currently up for sale I believe.

kmchow · 7 Mar 2007, 17:08 (Ref:1860735)

Hasn't Prodrive had F1 plans for many years now?

SennaTheGreat · 7 Mar 2007, 18:20 (Ref:1860794)

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmchow

Hasn't Prodrive had F1 plans for many years now?

I heard something like that about 3/4 years ago that prodrive were thinking about entering F1. I just thought they wouldnt do it with there Sportscars, and Rally team(s). (Subaru was it????)

**Adam43** · 7 Mar 2007, 18:54 (Ref:1860822)

Prodrive has an entry in the 2008 FIA F1 World Championship.

Prodrive are one of the potential buyers for Aston Martin. About a week ago the suggestion was they were dropping out of the race. That article above hints that they aree favourites (and maybe the deal is already done).

The two may or may not be linked. However it is quite likely not as Prodrive has many links in many areas of motorsport and the motor industry.

D-Angle · 7 Mar 2007, 21:11 (Ref:1860937)

Aston has been previously rumoured to be connected to Prodrive's F1 entry, Dave Richards has been very open about the fact that he wants to brand the team under a name other than Prodrive.

The impression I have always got from this position is that DR hopes to make some money out of doing so. If he owns the brand that he is pushing with the team, it would be good marketing for the car company he would own, but would possibly not be as lucrative as racing a team for an external brand.

Sodemo · 7 Mar 2007, 23:56 (Ref:1861084)

Didn't Prodrive build the Aston Martins for the FIA GT Championship?

- As I say, I don't know for sure, as I don't really follow sportscar racing that closely, but I believe they did.

Fogelhund · 8 Mar 2007, 00:03 (Ref:1861089)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monster

Didn't Prodrive build the Aston Martins for the FIA GT Championship?

- As I say, I don't know for sure, as I don't really follow sportscar racing that closely, but I believe they did.

Yes, Prodrive did build the Aston's that have competed in the FIA GT, LMS, ALMS, LM 24, FIA GT3... the past few years.

An Aston Martin/Prodrive entry to F1, needs a huge amount of sponsorship support to be viable.

Notso Swift · 8 Mar 2007, 02:45 (Ref:1861122)

It would be very easy to De-value the Aston brand if they were to enter F1, I think DR is smarter than that.

Sodemo · 9 Mar 2007, 10:40 (Ref:1862214)

More here.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6433349.stm

Prodrive tipped to buy Aston...

"Hello Aston Martin F1"

ss_collins · 9 Mar 2007, 11:52 (Ref:1862244)

Yes Aston F1 is likely I suspect, but with what - Merc would not want thier engines badged aston nor would Ferrari, Honda, Toyota, Renault or anyone else bar one - Cosworth - the CAV8 is homolgated for 2007/8 and I imagine an Aston Cosworth would be a nice package - the chassis? Williams I reckon

zac510 · 9 Mar 2007, 11:57 (Ref:1862248)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Notso Swift

It would be very easy to De-value the Aston brand if they were to enter F1, I think DR is smarter than that.

I agree! and as a privateer you would want to offer title/naming rights to someone who can pay for it.

There has to be a point where a road car company is large enough that a Formula1 campaign is justified in both brand marketing and increased car sales.

There is probably enough evidence to suggest that Ferrari is sitting right on this point. Without Ford, AM would probably be a smaller company than Ferrari?

ss_collins · 9 Mar 2007, 11:59 (Ref:1862249)

much smaller but a high value sponsor (Hackett?) would like to be associated with the Aston brand - Aston will bring some very classy sponsors with it.

Marbot · 9 Mar 2007, 12:26 (Ref:1862278)

I shall look forward to seeing a green car with a yellow nose.....nice.

ss_collins · 9 Mar 2007, 12:32 (Ref:1862285)

yup!

Moneyseeker · 9 Mar 2007, 17:53 (Ref:1862491)

I believe the deal to buy Aston Martin eminates from Saudi via an Egyptian Bank. It would make sense for Prodrive to make the team Aston Martin for all the obvious commercial reasons.

As already said Cosworth would be the only suitor for engines - as for chassis, unlikely another 'works' team would supply another 'works' team which leaves Williams (if they are still indie) or go for their own design.

Biggest mystery is why Ford are selling Aston (one of the few money making parts of their business - Volvo aside) seeing as common feeling is that they will attract half the asking price, (orginally $1.5bn) which in the scheme of things is a drop in the ocean compared to the $12bn they lost last year and the $23bn they have had to borrow to attempt yet another restructure of the business.

Marbot · 9 Mar 2007, 19:34 (Ref:1862563)

Maybe they'll be a Toyota chassis available at the end of this season.Well it's a start!

D-Angle · 9 Mar 2007, 21:16 (Ref:1862628)

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyn bott

Maybe they'll be a Toyota chassis available at the end of this season.Well it's a start!

Well, by the time the 2008 season starts, the Toyotas will have just about finished this year's Oz GP. They'll just have to pull into the pits and change engines and drivers.

cds_uk · 9 Mar 2007, 21:41 (Ref:1862637)

I said this on a similar thread a few months back, this is almost too good to be true, i am really not sure it will happen but i really really hope it does, you just get the feeling an Aston Martin team would catch the British publics imagination, Jag didn`t really but then Jag was always a sports car marque in my opinion, Aston have been in F1 before of course which to my mind would make them more welcome, whatever the ins and outs of it all fingers crossed it all happens.

rdjones · 10 Mar 2007, 11:12 (Ref:1862940)

Someone I know works at Prodrive, this is what he has said on another forum. Latest rumour is that Ron Dennis is to sell Mclaren to Mercedes and use the money to buy Prodrive (+ it's available slot on the F1 grid to run the Mclaren 'B' team from the old Mclaren factory). Dave Richards then invests his share of the prodrive sale into buying Aston Martin.

ss_collins · 10 Mar 2007, 11:39 (Ref:1862954)

thats been doing the rounds for a while now but as the sale is imminent I suspect this is not the case - also why would prodrive be fighting a legal battle over the team facility at Warwick

Greenback · 10 Mar 2007, 15:25 (Ref:1863091)

I really doubt AM will participate in F1 unless they are confident they can compete with the top teams.

JeremySmith · 10 Mar 2007, 15:46 (Ref:1863103)

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmchow

Hasn't Prodrive had F1 plans for many years now?

Yes but what are they? No one seems to know..

f1manoz · 10 Mar 2007, 16:04 (Ref:1863114)

How come I have a bad feeling that this could end up like being that embarrassing Jaguar saga, when their name was completely embarrassed from for around five years in F1 from 2000 onwards.

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