Wps

Bradley · 10 Mar 2004, 13:53 (Ref:900872)

what's the deal with the WPS team? I thought they only ran one car because the GP is invitational or something? aren't they running both cars in adelaide? if they are runnning one who is driving?

cheers,

Brad

**GTRMagic** · 10 Mar 2004, 19:53 (Ref:901206)

If you look at their team, despite the best of intentions, they are not yet at a staffing level that can sustain the trackside preparation of 2 cars.

There were ads for positions in last week's AA, and presumably now Mr O'Brien is onboard full time, then the team will build up to a level where it is going to be able to keep 2 cars alive at a race meeting.

Dirk · 10 Mar 2004, 20:48 (Ref:901261)

The grand prix was limited in numbers but still they didn't have another vehicle ready to race so I understand.

**GTRMagic** · 10 Mar 2004, 20:51 (Ref:901265)

The second car is prepped and ready to go. But as a first meeting without enough crew to manage the two cars properly, there would be little point in stretching the resources...

Dirk · 10 Mar 2004, 20:56 (Ref:901276)

Does anyone else think that they are jumping in too far? If it was myslef I would be focusing on entering just one car for the first season and try and get that car up the front before putting yourself behind 8 ball with a 2 car line up. Just like Kevin Murphy is doing with Tasman.

Gaz170 · 10 Mar 2004, 20:58 (Ref:901279)

Have they got the 2nd franchise yet? And if so, does that mean they HAVE to front with a 2nd car?

Phase3 · 10 Mar 2004, 21:08 (Ref:901299)

Have they got a 1st Franchise yet? It's a safe bet the 2nd Tasman slot will return to Sydney next year....

pete55 · 10 Mar 2004, 22:05 (Ref:901354)

Am i right in saying that the whole franchise system is up for review at the end of this year. I thought i heard a whisper about it.

Archer · 10 Mar 2004, 22:32 (Ref:901385)

The WPS team still have the second Tasman slot for 04 but are still without a second licence!

There are 3 of them sale, hello! They have 2 cars, 2 drivers, granted not enough crew but that hardly matters when you only have 1 licence.

Say for example they buy the PWR l2 after round 2 and can run 2 cars for the rest of the season, what happens when Tasman take back their second half...? Their left with one licence again. Did they think this through at all?!

Dirk · 10 Mar 2004, 22:52 (Ref:901406)

Maybe they are going to run Besnard in the Konica Minolta Series

**GTRMagic** · 11 Mar 2004, 07:37 (Ref:901646)

Technically they could, there is always Mark Noske's AU sitting there gathering dust

There are 3 franchises for sale at the moment, and at least 2 parties I am aware of looking to buy/lease them.

So when the music stops, one of the three wont have a new owner, and that unlucky duck will have to enter a car each round....

And the review of the franchise system is the same one AVESCO & TEGA have threatened to have each season, to make all the franchise levels the same, and bring the number of available licences down to 32 from the current 35 to satisfy various grid density issues

**GTRMagic** · 15 Mar 2004, 09:03 (Ref:905626)

It seems the WPS squad went testing again at Queensland Raceway at the end of last week.

David Besnard, Mark Noske and Charlie O'Brien each tested the #23 car Mark ran at the AGP. Times werent forthcoming, but most of the running would likely involve scraping the rust off a couple of guys who havent had a run for a while in this kind of car.

That there is still only a single car to test suggests that there wont be a second franchise any time soon.

Wise move by an old hand like Keith Evers most probably, until the team has a handle on these fundamentally unsorted cars, and has enough people around to keep 2 of them on the road at the same time. Especially when the acclaimed suspension guru had long since departed for Dynamik by the time these cars were nailed together.

Still not sure how Mr O'Brien fits in here, I mean I would have said having 2 team managers would be unwieldy, especially with a team owner involved in minutiae at the moment, maybe its a case of too many chiefs and not enough indians?

Archer · 15 Mar 2004, 09:48 (Ref:905674)

I think its more a case of too many indians and not enough franchises!

Considering there are three of them availible for purchace and WPS dont seemed to be light in the mint department, I'd be getting my act together!

**GTRMagic** · 15 Mar 2004, 10:35 (Ref:905706)

Why bother, there is only one other serious player in the buying department, and none of the 3 franchise holders has any intention of fielding a car unless they absolutely have to...

Perhaps WPS will wait till one of the teams cops a $150k fine for non attendance, and then agrees to pay that, in return for use/ownership of the franchise

Just Do It! · 15 Mar 2004, 10:54 (Ref:905723)

Perhaps they have a grander plan

**GTRMagic** · 15 Mar 2004, 10:58 (Ref:905727)

The plan is relatively simple, tick the boxes on the simple stuff, prove you can do that without operating like a Chinese fire drill, then start to progress to bigger and better things.

They have 2 drivers, a couple of cars, enough bits to do the season, and a passionate benefactor/sponsor who wants to do the right thing by the team, but doesnt want to piddle his money up the wall either.

Seems a sensible way to go... might even get some rivalry going between Mr Besnard and Mr Noske

Ozfords · 15 Mar 2004, 11:02 (Ref:905731)

Is Charlie going to be a figure head like Dick?

Ozfords

**GTRMagic** · 15 Mar 2004, 11:06 (Ref:905739)

Mr O'Brien is active in the running of the team, the press release says he will get his hands dirty. I cant recall Mr O'Brien ever being a technical boffin type, so would wonder if he wouldnt get under the feet of the people in charge of the oily bits...

Just Do It! · 15 Mar 2004, 11:16 (Ref:905750)

Charlie is no idiot, and is very good at testing. Whilst he may not have driven much in the past few years, he has been running the Porsche.

I would back him over others in the current field.

**GTRMagic** · 15 Mar 2004, 11:19 (Ref:905753)

Ah but therein lies the rub. A frustrated driver where there is no current race seat. Has been known to be an issue in the past...

Arai GP5 · 16 Mar 2004, 13:23 (Ref:906996)

Well, if all else fails, the newly painted WPS Audi safety cars look very, very nice. The colours suit the car.

dayton · 16 Mar 2004, 15:30 (Ref:907094)

Besnard is driving at adelaide... dont think there will be 2 cars by then so noske will be sitting in pit lane!

rdmdog · 16 Mar 2004, 15:51 (Ref:907117)

Quote:

Originally posted by GTRMagic
Technically they could, there is always Mark Noske's AU sitting there gathering dust

Is this right?

Isnt the reason behind Crompton staying away from Konica in 03 because he wasnt allowed to as he finished in the top 26 of the main series?

Dont know the details, but I believe the story goes something like this.

**GTRMagic** · 17 Mar 2004, 08:32 (Ref:907960)

The car is sitting there, doesnt mean Mark Noske would drive it. Shane Gore would be the likely pilot if anyone were chosen, but its likely a 2005 project now.

Dirk · 17 Mar 2004, 20:33 (Ref:908586)

The new Safety Cars don't look to bad sporting the WPS livery.