Why doesn't Alain Prost come to CART?

[DNQ]

I've read rumours of Alain Prost running privateer Audi's in the ALMS, and more recently, I've read rumours about him starting a Winston Cup team.

But what about Champ Car racing? Prost himself has said that Formula One is "Changes are needed quickly beginning with a drop in costs and giving more importance to the driver" - he is right. Apparently he is interested in running a motor racing team in some form. Why not Champ Car racing then?

At this point in time though, it seems NASCAR is the most likley place he'll end up: "With a budget of 10 million dollars you can form a NASCAR team and have success. It's a formula that could tempt me."

Please come and start a champ car team, Alain

[senna12]

Perhaps Alain already knows that Bernie plans to use CART as his vehicle when the GPWC gets going in a few years, so would rather not get involved. Then again, I'm not sure how Al feels about Bern.

[Lee Janotta]

A French team'd be the death of NASCAR.

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Go for it Alain!

[Lee Janotta]

Originally posted by senna12
Perhaps Alain already knows that Bernie plans to use CART as his vehicle when the GPWC gets going in a few years, so would rather not get involved. Then again, I'm not sure how Al feels about Bern.

Gah... A cold chill ran up my spine when you said that. This is why I like Pook, but I don't trust him. He _doesn't_ seem to have long-term plans for a self-sufficient CART.

Bernie's already ruined one race series, how dare he try to get his filthy wrinkled troll hands on another one?!

[gaines]

Bernie only has like ten cars left on the F1 grid. F1 is everything that is bad about open wheel racing. CCWS is everything that is good. Why wouldn't he try and triple his grid size, lower costs, etc by swollowing up the CCWS series and merging it with F1? Of course Schumacher would get his panties wrinkled but I'd love to see some of our kamikaze drivers from CCWS put Schu in the gravel. I'd pay big money to see PT bumping tires with Schu. Of course, you have to catch him first and that only happens when he slams on the breaks for team orders.

[BootsOntheSide]

By 2008 Bernie will be nearly 80, so I doubt he'd still want to be in charge of F1, espeically if the cosntructors launch their own series.

Personally, I don't expect anything like the GPWC to happen. Constructors will realise that F1 only represents good advertising if you are at the from, and there is only room for a few competitive cars a season.

If it were to happen, this would effectively be a way for Alain to get an established team into F1 again. Even if it doesn't, this racing is much closer to what he has historically done, and should hold more appeal.

[indycool]

Lee, I agree. I like Pook but I don't trust him. There're loose ends all over the place and whether CART saves F1 or F1 saves CART is out there somewhere in the bushes and trees, depending on one's viewpoint. Guys like Prost and others are just looking for a stable series to run with the best deal they can make. NASCAR is stable and "racy." Think that's why Fittipaldi went there. His showing may well determine a future for foreign competitors in NASCAR and why Toyota and Honda want to go there.

[BootsOntheSide]

Toyota and Honda want to go to NASCAR for one reason. And it's on the 4 key of your keyboard.

I can't see how Fitipaldi can achieve anything next seasonw ith only a handful of Busch Series races behind him. He obviously thinks some open-wheel success and a famous name is enough to get you to the top of a very tough racing series which is nothing like anything he's done before.

[KC]

Prost is looking at where the money is. I would imagine that any number of major European sponsors are interested in NASCAR at this time and they are not particularly interested in CART because of the difference in TV audience.

[Fogelhund]

I think the bigger question is why would he be interested in CART? Frankly, I can't think of many reasons, not meaning to be harsh in any way.

He if French and has a Family in France, with no connection in any manner to CART at the moment.

To run a Sportscar at LeMans, or to run a F3000 team would make a great deal more sense in both location and would relate to his background.

Prost was a great driver, and I do hope we see his name again in Motorsports, though I hope he is more successful next time around, and has more financial support.

[Snrub]

Originally posted by Lee Janotta
Gah... A cold chill ran up my spine when you said that. This is why I like Pook, but I don't trust him. He _doesn't_ seem to have long-term plans for a self-sufficient CART.

How can you make long term plans when the short terms has so many uncertainties? As such he's concentrated on the short-mid term.

Bernie's already ruined one race series, how dare he try to get his filthy wrinkled troll hands on another one?!

LOL! Can't argue with that! I don't see what Bernie would really gain from CART. If CART becomes a HUGE success and over the next 20 years gets Americans watching it and not Nascar then they're ripe for the picking by F1?

Why the F*CK would Prost be interested in Nascar?!? We should mail him over some Winstons and Bud (ala Pook) to give him a tast of what he's talking about.

[Lee Janotta]

Originally posted by Snrub
How can you make long term plans when the short terms has so many uncertainties? As such he's concentrated on the short-mid term.

I can sympathise with that, but so far his announcements for 2005 have all been F1-lite. Losing the turbos is _not_ an option, nor is giving up CART's independance from the FIA. The best solution I can see is a CART/IMSA merger, possibly with the combination strengthening their position with a takeover of professional rallying in the US (as the SCCA is simply squandering their position). Possibly involvement with the NASA (National Auto Sport Association) could provide further security.

The FIA's great in principal, but seeing the damage Bernie, Mosely, and the current leadership of the World Motorsport Council, I don't want anything to do with them.

[Snrub]

Originally posted by Lee Janotta
I can sympathise with that, but so far his announcements for 2005 have all been F1-lite. Losing the turbos is _not_ an option, nor is giving up CART's independance from the FIA. The best solution I can see is a CART/IMSA merger, possibly with the combination strengthening their position with a takeover of professional rallying in the US (as the SCCA is simply squandering their position). Possibly involvement with the NASA (National Auto Sport Association) could provide further security.

I agree with everything you've said there. Maybe I'm missed something before, but did Pook ever announce anything that gave up CART's power to the FIA?

We're all going to have to go on a blitz in 2003 to keep the turbos in CART.

[Lee Janotta]

He hasn't announced it, but he's been suggesting it with the talks with Bernie, the suggestion Champcars can become an F1 feeder series, and the V10s. It's got me worried.

Yup, that's why I've been putting up those polls, we need to make a campaign to CART to keep the turbos and the chassis regs.

[DNQ]

Originally posted by Fogelhund
I think the bigger question is why would he be interested in CART? Frankly, I can't think of many reasons, not meaning to be harsh in any way.

You are right - but why then is he looking at starting a NASCAR team of all things...?

[Liz]

Where is he going to get the money to start any kind of team? The last time I looked, his team was bankrupt and owed money to everyone and his horse.

If Prost does anything in racing, I expect it will be sports cars. But I don't look for him to do anything right away. Until he can get the money he's socked away from the creditors of his Prost GP team, anyway.

[Fogelhund]

I am fairly sure that the NASCAR bit is nothing more then a made up rumour from somewhere. I didn't address it, as I feel that it is with such little merit, it isn't worth discussing.