Who are likely to be the suitors to purchase the Honda F1 Team?

[Giuseppe F1]

Nick Fry has so far noted that there seems to be three serious bidders for the Honda F1 team - who does everyone think these 'realistically' are?

Id imagine the following:


- The Leach/Magma Consortium who were interested in buying Super Aguri.

- Texeiria - A1GP boss who was interested in buying STR and running as a Ferrari B-team - If Honda gets Ferrari engines this could strengthen this possibility. I never liked his motivation though....his idea was to use the team as a promotion devise for the A1GP champion each year and this all just seemed too gimmicky for my liking.

- Prodrive

- Paul Stoddart?

- Roger Penske?

- Nicolas Todt?

- Agag?

- WEGL group?

- Team Schumacher with Ross Brawn and Ferrari engines (Pigs might fly!)

- Any racing teams from the States?

- Peugeot

- Audi / Volkswagen / Porsche group (unlikley I know, but I can dream! Especially unlikely as Audi has just announced it wont run in either LMS or ALMS next season)



Any other realistic suitors which spring to mind at all by anyone??

[Nikki Katz]

I'm pretty sure it won't be another manufacturer if it does happen. It's much more likely to be some sort of consortium, possibly along the lines of those that tried to buy Super Aguri, but maybe not the same people.
Established teams buying it had better have backing!

[V12]

Prodrive seem the obvious one, they've been sniffing round F1 the past couple of years as is well known, and Dave Richards has been there before and is likely to know at least a decent proportion of the staff and the set-up there, although whether this would be a positive or negative factor I don't know...

[markabilly]

no body cause no body has the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[DazzlaF1]

I think Prodrive may be the most likely, and with Dave Richards also in ownership of a certain car manufacturer, maybe a re-naming of the team to Aston Martin perhaps? (i can dream)

As for any team from the states, only 2 come to mind, Penske and AGR and neither i think will have enough cash to make it work in the current climate

[Nikki Katz]

Yes, according to rumours now Dave Richards is the most serious of the three people they're talking to. I really hope that it happens. It's hard to tell given their last season but they've spend so much time on this new car, there's a possibility it would actually be quick.

[Hondo]

no body cause no body has the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$


I agree.

[markabilly]

I agree.


yeah and the other day Pino was celbrating the decline in oil prices......and now rumors are floating around that at under $50 a barrell, many countries are considering some type of bankruptcy or just not paying those massive loans FROM AMERICAN BANKS that are being bailed out for some bad mortgages.

If these loans start defaulting, weeeellll, the home mortgage mess will appear as a minor bump inthe road, compared to falling off mount everest and not stopping till one hits the very bottom

[Roamy]

andretti wouldn't take the time to piss on f1 so you can rule that one out. rahal maybe if he had a sponsor. What does one do in a recession?? they DRINK - so there is you clue = Also you Euro and us could get rid of this bull smoking ban.

[Ghostwalker]

i wouldnt be suprised if it will be some some wealthy oil sheikh or an investor of the same kind as Abu Dhabi that decided that he/they wanted an own f1 team. Espcially with the new tracks that have popped up in the arab world.

[Placid]

Do not expect AGR and "The Captain" - and not even Mark Cuban - to
jump the "Price is Right" bandwagon.

[Placid]

andretti wouldn't take the time to piss on f1 so you can rule that one out. rahal maybe if he had a sponsor. What does one do in a recession?? they DRINK - so there is you clue = Also you Euro and us could get rid of this bull smoking ban.

Rahal / Gurney was close in 2004 but they did not had that solid sponsor.

My bet is either Richards or Stoddart (If Maxie steps down).

[Valve Bounce]

Rahal / Gurney was close in 2004 but they did not had that solid sponsor.

My bet is either Richards or Stoddart (If Maxie steps down).

Stoddart has some serious misgivings about F1 before he left. I don't think he appreciated the way he was forced out. Why would he come back? :confused:

[wmcot]

markabilly has it right. No one can come up with the backing to field a team today. That includes the oil sheiks. Look for another couple of teams to bite the dust in the next year. It ain't gonna be pretty folks; and not just in F1 either.

But if anybody can come up with the money, they might get a very good bargain right now.

[CNR]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7769107.stm


Stoddart is well aware of the pressures of trying to raise the necessary finance to compete in a notoriously expensive sport, and he has nothing but sympathy for those Honda employees who are facing redundancy.

i would count him out

[Powered by Cosworth]

The team won't be sold, simply, Honda don't want to sell it.

They did the same with Super Aguri. They had plenty of decent offers, yet didn't sell. They just want to get out of F1 alltogether.

[RWD]

I read somewhere that Carlin was sniffing around. But I think Dave Richards will buy the team, he wants into F1, if he buys honda, he has a ready made factory, cars etc, all he needs to do is stick the Ferrari engines Force India dont want for 09 and then sign up for the cheaper Cosworth engines in 2010.

[Sarah]

NOTW says the team could be sold for £1 and Dubai Investment Capital are in talks. Any buyer would have to prove they have the £150m to fund the team next year.

Trevor Carlin and David Richards also been linked but don't have the budget.

[markabilly]

NOTW says the team could be sold for £1 and Dubai Investment Capital are in talks. Any buyer would have to prove they have the £150m to fund the team next year.

Trevor Carlin and David Richards also been linked but don't have the budget.


Dubai is one of a number of countries who maybe going in the tank, BIG TIME, due to the drop in oil prices

[CNR]

NOTW says the team could be sold for £1 and Dubai Investment Capital are in talks. Any buyer would have to prove they have the £150m to fund the team next year.

Trevor Carlin and David Richards also been linked but don't have the budget.

http://wot.motortrend.com/6351898/auto-news/kuwaiti-investors-buy-40-stake-in-uk-based-prodrive/index.html

Kuwaiti Investors Buy 40% Stake in U.K.-Based Prodrive

"I see a great opportunity to expand our current work developing the new generation of environmental technologies such as hybrid cars, hydrogen fuel cells, and variable compression ratio engines. With our unique motorsport approach, we can rapidly take these technologies from concept to reality."

[Mark]

The team won't be sold, simply, Honda don't want to sell it.

They did the same with Super Aguri. They had plenty of decent offers, yet didn't sell. They just want to get out of F1 alltogether.

Well they aren't actually selling it for any money. As I understand it the price is £1 + debt liability (although the extent of that can be negiotiated I'm sure). In effect Honda are paying to have the team taken off their hands.