Alex Tai to leave Virgin Racing with immediate effect

[Giuseppe F1]

That lasted long then!

http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2010/01/12/upheavals-at-virgin/

[CNR]

title sponsor ?
this is bs Virgin is bs


The team has also been reported to be struggling to find a title sponsor as potential companies are worried that any big involvement will be overshadowed by the publicity-hungry Virgin brand.

[Giuseppe F1]

Isnt 'Virgin' itself the title sponsor in effect?

[V12]

To be fair, Benetton entered as a sponsor/owner and eventually acquired other title sponsors above itself, first Camel and then Mild Seven. The 1990s Benettons actually tended to have relatively little Benetton signage on them.

However, I still think Manor should have kept the team to itself and told Virgin that if they wanted their name on the car, they should have ponied up some reasonable cash. And kept it to strictly a title sponsor arrangement, rather than renaming the team.

Branson seems to have a knack of managing to get a relatively large amount of exposure for relatively little money, first with Brawn last year and now Manor this. Don't like it but as a self made man he obviously has a knack of doing very well for himself...

[RS]

I guess Manor were counting on the cache of the Virgin name bringing in more sponsors.

I was really surprised when read on pittpass yesterday that Manor are only getting £5m from Virgin for renaming the team and a cash loan.

It seems none of the new teams are particularly well funded :(

[V12]

£5m?! bloody hell.

At least Red Bull, when they buy a team and take over the look of the car, they put their money where their mouth is to the point where they barely need other sponsors.

[jens]

Alex Tai was a bit wrong man for that position anyway I think.

But as I have written in the past, Virgin Racing's general attitude towards F1 seems too idealistic to me and this may well turn out fateful for them.

[52Paddy]

Good that Lowden has moved up a step in the team.

But, Manor have been ripped off by Virgin in the sponsorship respect. It's going to be a bit of a hill to climb, what with the team already called Virgin now. How much power do Virgin have over Manor? For £5m, I'd be inclined to tell Branson to shove it! Maybe then, with the "publicity-hungry" Virgin out of the equation, Manor could attract more sponsors. A little late now I know.