and then there were 3

[Sonic]

So prodrive are 'seriously considering' an f1 entry for next season. Autosprt have the full story.

[CNR]

http://www.motorsportforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132809
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/23042009/13/aston-martin-others-eye-cheaper-f1.html

[Ranger]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74707

[555-04Q2]

They can use my Prodrive Impreza as their test car :D

[CNR]

http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?id=45655

[big_sw2000]

Prodrive, under the Aston Martin name.
Now that would be good.
http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/090423093810.shtml

[I am evil Homer]

I'd find that weird....Aston should be sports car racing not F1, same with Jaguar I could never get use to it.

[DazzlaF1]

Prodrive, under the Aston Martin name.
Now that would be good.
http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/090423093810.shtml

Seconded

[DazzlaF1]

If they enter, any possible guesses on drivers for those 3 new teams? The good thing about more cars is more opportunites for new drivers to enter than it is with a plain 20 cars.

I for one hope that all 6 seats will have gone to deserving drivers, Anthony Davidson i hope being one of them

[Ranger]

Prodrive, under the Aston Martin name.
Now that would be good.
http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/090423093810.shtml

They should throw in the Gulf livery while they're at it! :D

[big_sw2000]

They should throw in the Gulf livery while they're at it! :D
Nah. British Racing Green. Although Gulf would be nice.
But as already said, would be strange to get used to Aston, being in F1, just like Jaguar.

[ArrowsFA1]

I'd find that weird....Aston should be sports car racing not F1, same with Jaguar I could never get use to it.
I've thought much the same, although Aston at least do have a history (http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/con-aston.html) of being in Grand Prix racing, unlike Jaguar whose effort was little more than a Ford marketing ploy.

[veeten]

... and it looks like they aren't the only ones.

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns21393.html

the last bit in the AUTOSPORT article speaks volumes...

"AUTOSPORT understands that Lola is one of eight new teams that have entered into discussions with Cosworth for a supply of V8 engines for 2010, and that it could face competition for the available grid slots from a number of other prospective teams, including the USF1 project."

[DazzlaF1]

I've thought much the same, although Aston at least do have a history (http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/con-aston.html) of being in Grand Prix racing, unlike Jaguar whose effort was little more than a Ford marketing ploy.
Which failed big time (in my view)

[nigelred5]

Bring it on. I'd love to see F1 grid numbers like the 60's and 70's, loaded with smaller teams and far more independents going up against the manufacturers.

[jens]

I don't know in which team, but I think Davidson could have a really good chance to make a comeback indeed if all those new teams become actual reality. Who knows, maybe someone finally snaps up di Resta too. Klien, Pantano and other semi-experienced drivers without a race seat could become a real asset for a new team - they surely would want at least one more or less experienced F1 driver alongside a total rookie. This could also give a lifeline to the likes of Barrichello, Fisichella, etc, if they get booted out from their current teams.

[555-04Q2]

Imagine 30+ F1 grids :)

I'm getting all tingly inside :p :

[veeten]

I may be just speculating, but with the powertrain prices being capped at £5.8m (€/$6.5m), the Cosworth deal is what may not only drive a lot of these new teams, but also may also be an incentive to bring other engine builders into F1.

One I already know whom has past experience, and another that has made quite an impression with their products as of late. I am sure ArrowsFA1 knows whom I am referring to... ;) but for all others, they are known as,...

Engine Developments, Ltd (Judd)
and
Advanced Engineering Research (AER)

Remember, I am just speculating, but with all the great press as of late, who knows?... :D

[UltimateDanGTR]

will I be attacked and accused of being pesimistic by saying: absolute rubbish-3 new teams next year-nice big grids-ha yeah right-Ill believe it when I see it?

[Koz]

Who knows maybe Prodrive will make a rally car and try to race it with the F1 cars...

I just can't stop hoping that we'll see Audi (or an audi owned brand) in F1 (or in WRC, best in both) :D

[driveace]

I agree with Kos,I would have thought that Audi ought to be there,with Mercedes and BMW,they have done Le Mans,so move on now into F1
Dave Richards has always had Tobacco company,s on board but thats his problem now,sponcsership money

[Sonic]

Davidsons name keeps popping up on this forum in relation to getting a drive but I just can't see why. He's been beaten in every car championship he's ever raced in and there are IMO dozens of better candidates out there.

[emporer_k]

Prodrive want to enter f1, havn't I heared that somewhere before?

[Anubis]

Anyone else think the budget cap is going to see the eventual withdrawl of the full manufacturer outfits over time? Strikes me that this is going to cause a move away from the "win on Sunday, sell on Monday" marketing exercise and encourage more people to enter purely for the racing, maybe as a natural step up from GP2? I can't see what the manufacturers would gain from that kind of formula that they couldn't achieve in a semi-works sort of setup.

[V12]

will I be attacked and accused of being pesimistic by saying: absolute rubbish-3 new teams next year-nice big grids-ha yeah right-Ill believe it when I see it?

To be honest, I agree. Let's face it, if just one of these teams makes it, it will be a bonus. I've been let down too many times before (Prodrive, Dome, DAMS, Honda '99, etc.) to get my hopes up too much.

One thing I will say though, assuming these three teams are on the grid with their Cosworth engines or whatever. I'd urge Max and co. not to get overzealous with the whole "equalisation" stuff. New teams coming in on a smaller budget WILL be nearer the back initially barring an impressive Jordan-like start, just like Williams, McLaren, Renault (as Toleman), etc. were. The key is giving them the opportunity to stay in the sport for more than just a couple of years and grow organically like the aforementioned examples.

[Sonic]

V12 I agree with you 100%. There will always be teams at the front and teams at the back. The rules should not go down the wtcc route to allow weaker cars to battle at the front. Small teams like minardi and perhaps lola in the future play a valuable role in providing a testing ground for younger drivers.

[jens]

Davidsons name keeps popping up on this forum in relation to getting a drive but I just can't see why. He's been beaten in every car championship he's ever raced in and there are IMO dozens of better candidates out there.

Dozens of better candidates? Really that much? Who are they?

[BDunnell]

If Prodrive'e entry does come off, I will be interested to see whether David Richards' intentions as expressed in an interview either last year or the year before with MotorSport are fulfilled, namely his desire to make his F1 set-up one of the smallest, if not the smallest, on the grid in terms of numbers of employees.

[555-04Q2]

Dozens of better candidates? Really that much? Who are they?

Takumo Sato and me :D

[Sonic]

Hi jens - just looking at FFord for a sec I would have said at the time drivers like james courtney, mark taylor and nic kiesa were all destined for bigger things than ant. Nothing against the bloke but I just don't rate him - although he is hella funny on 5 live.

[jens]

Hi jens - just looking at FFord for a sec I would have said at the time drivers like james courtney, mark taylor and nic kiesa were all destined for bigger things than ant. Nothing against the bloke but I just don't rate him - although he is hella funny on 5 live.

Well, Nicolas Kiesa reached F1 and did way worse than Davidson.

[Sonic]

Good point but perhaps 2 races in a dying minardi team isn't fair on the guy. I supose my main doubt about Ant (coupled with what I saw of him as a young man) is that BAR, Honda had his services for years - IMO if he was really that good why was he left rotting in test roles and b teams?

[christophulus]

Great news and I reckon Prodrive could do a good job.

The problem could well be the name. Aston Martin-Cosworth? Aston Martin-Ferrari??? AM is a prestigious name, more so than Prodrive, but I can't see them building their own engine.

[MJW]

Throw Mercedes in the mix. There is some long term business deal between AM where MB will be supplying the engines to the next generation of Aston Martin road cars. It would be just like DR to come up smelling of roses!

[V12]

Great news and I reckon Prodrive could do a good job.

The problem could well be the name. Aston Martin-Cosworth? Aston Martin-Ferrari??? AM is a prestigious name, more so than Prodrive, but I can't see them building their own engine.

Well we had "Jaguar-Cosworth" from 2000-2002 before they saw sense and badged the engines as Jags. I imagine that if they ended up using another manufacturer's engine they'd enter as Prodrive, while if they were able to secure badging rights for a customer unit, or even (wishful thinking) develop their own motor, it would be as Aston Martin.

[aryan]

Great news and I reckon Prodrive could do a good job.

The problem could well be the name. Aston Martin-Cosworth? Aston Martin-Ferrari??? AM is a prestigious name, more so than Prodrive, but I can't see them building their own engine.

They don't have to. They can just buy the Cosworth engine and re-badge it as Aston Martin: a la Sauber Petronas, McLaren TAG, Williams Mecachrome, Arrows Supertec, Benetton Playlife.

Prodrive Astron Martin sounds like a good name to me.

[CNR]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/motor-sport/irish-team-poised-for-f1-return-1720287.html


Martin Birrane (http://www.independent.ie/topics/Martin+Birrane), the owner of Mondello Park (http://www.independent.ie/topics/Mondello+Park), is planning to enter an Irish team in next year's Formula One (http://www.independent.ie/topics/Formula+One+Management+Ltd.) Championship.
Four years after Eddie Jordan (http://www.independent.ie/topics/Eddie+Jordan) sold his F1 team, Birrane has applied to the FIA, the governing body of the sport, for one of the two slots which will see the grid expand from ten to 12 teams next season

In six weeks he will discover if his application has been successful.