OT: No Jaguar F1 in 2005

[F308GTB]

So down to 18 cars? Ferrari dominating F1, only 9 teams, many empty seats at just about every race. F1 racing may be in for some interesting times.

[DChaps]

Minardi and Jordan will be even slower without engines, although the Jordan's handling will probably be improved.

I too hope that Cosworth finds a home, but good riddance to Ford in general.

[pk500]

The ramifications of this announcement should shake worldwide motorsport and go way beyond F1.

For starters, look at the impact on F1.

1. Jag's Richard Parry-Jones was openly critical of Bernie Ecclestone's refusal to increase the teams' share of F1 revenue. Not a ringing endorsement for the sport. This is the first instance of F1's reality of unfair economic distribution and spiraling costs biting it in the ass, with a full works team withdrawing, in a long time. It also shows that relying on the manufacturers isn't a recipe for stability, as they can enter and leave the sport at their whim. They're not racers to the core like Enzo Ferrari, Frank Williams and Ron Dennis.

2. Where do Jordan and Minardi get cheap engines next year if Cosworth isn't sold in time? Does this accelerate the demise of these two teams?

3. The only American-based manufacturer with a connection to F1 is gone. Not good for F1 in America.

4. Does this give Dietrich Mateschitz a lower-cost opening to buy an F1 team with his Red Bull money and start the long-rumored all-American F1 team? I sure hope so.

5. The Concorde Agreement states that top teams need to add a third car to the grid if the grid size dips below 20 cars. How will this work if no one buys Jag and keeps the grid at 20 cars?

6. This decision will re-ignite the GPWC, the rival, manufacturer-based group that wanted to start another series in 2008, after the current Concorde Agreement expired, but reached a tenuous truce with Bernie this year. I bet that's now off, as Ford's move may embolden the other manufacturers to rally around the GPWC flag again. And Ford might join them, with limited financial support, in hopes that a GPWC-led world championship will create better financial windfall for teams, making it feasible for Ford to return to Grand Prix racing later this decade.

Now for the ramifications outside of F1:

1. Ford will have no presence in worldwide motorsport, as its WRC program also probably will be axed. Ford wouldn't have released Francois Duval and let Markko Martin sign with Peugeot for 2005 if it was continuing its program with full works backing, would it? As much as the boys in Daytona Beach and the northwest side of Indy would like to differ, NASCAR and OWRS are not forms of worldwide motorsport, remaining completely or largely domestic series.

2. Where does OWRS get its engines for 2005 if no one buys Cosworth or if the new owner of Cosworth doesn't want to supply engines to OWRS? The latter could be the scenario if GM buys Cosworth. Don't rule it out, as Cosworth already has a hand in the Chevy IRL engine, and buying Cosworth would give GM a low-cost, low-risk initial entry into F1 as an engine supplier.

3. What is the future of the Chevy IRL engine if Cosworth isn't sold or the new buyer doesn't want to participate in the IRL?

4. Will Ford put even more money into its NASCAR program or is this a complete cost-cutting move instead of a redistribution of racing expeditures?

5. Will Ford put more of an emphasis on national racing series, such as increasing its funding for worldwide Formula Ford, single-make rally series and touring cars, in the U.S. and around the world?

Very, very stunning announcement with quite a few ripples across the worldwide motorsport pond. It will be very, very interesting to see how this all shakes out over the next few months.

Take care,
PK

[Dave]

Wow, great analysis there PK, you hit pretty much every major point and potential ramification from this story.

The F1 thing never worked out well for Ford/Jaguar. The Stewart team appeared to be heading to the sharp end of the grid consistently, even picking up a win, so I expected big things from the outfit after being purchased by Ford. I was very wrong, clearly.

F1 is in big trouble. Manufacturers control the series and that is not a good thing--just look at major sports car racing. They want to win at all costs, until winning no longer matters (Audi). But if they're not winning, they'll take their money and go home (Cadillac in ALMS, Ford in this case). Very hard to justify the outlay of money these manufacturers are laying down right now. First CART, now F1...the IRL needs to be careful about this as well. NASCAR's costs are getting too high for most companies to even think about becoming a major sponsor.

Motorsports might just need to start over at some point.

Dave

[DChaps]

I think Paul brings up some great points, but F1 has been here before and I don't think Ford pulling out makes F1 any less stable than it already was.

I also don't think Ford pulled out because it wasn't winning. From everything I have read, Ford's heart really wasn't in it to begin with.

Let's face it, any manufacturer or sponsor getting into F1 or any other major motorsport with the sole idea being to make money is crazy. Does Ferrari sell more cars because of their F1 dominance? Hmmm...maybe, but I'll bet not even close to 600 million dollars worth of more cars. I would bet they are in it for the sport and the prestige first and foremost.

Autoracing is a tricky pro sport, but its really not unlike many other pro sports. Does Steinbrenner get back what he puts into the Yankees? How about what Arthur Blank paid for the Atlanta Falcons? They may make some money on it, but I doubt money is the be all end all of their decisions.

I think that bascially Ford is sucking wind and their international motorsports was not that important to them business wise.

I don't want anything bad to happen to Cosworth because they have been an integral part of international motorsports for so long, but if this helps to put an end to OWRS and get Indycar racing 100% back to one series then I am all for it.

[Neckthai]

2. Where does OWRS get its engines for 2005 if no one buys Cosworth or if the new owner of Cosworth doesn't want to supply engines to OWRS? The latter could be the scenario if GM buys Cosworth. Don't rule it out, as Cosworth already has a hand in the Chevy IRL engine, and buying Cosworth would give GM a low-cost, low-risk initial entry into F1 as an engine supplier.

GM hasn't mentioned anything about this today with any of the IRL officials who routinely talk to them. Don't know if it's likely, but I wouldn't rule it out. Incidentally, I'm taking donations, so I can buy cosworth and be a key player in worldwide motorsports.

3. What is the future of the Chevy IRL engine if Cosworth isn't sold or the new buyer doesn't want to participate in the IRL?

GM has a contract with the IRL through 2005. GM Racing head Joe Negri said the status for the end of the chassis-engine cycle in 06 will be evaluated at the end of the season during GM's annual review. That said, I was chatting with Chevy's PR guy at Chicago and GM isn't keen on any racing program that doesn't start with an "N" and ends in "CAR" even with the success of the Pontiac in Pro Stock with Greg Anderson and other makes.

[pk500]

Don:

>>>I think Paul brings up some great points, but F1 has been here before and I don't think Ford pulling out makes F1 any less stable than it already was.<<<

I beg to differ. First, Jag is the first total works team to withdraw from F1 since Renault in 1985, I think. So it's been nearly 20 years since a manufacturer killed a works team. This pullout comes in a time of great financial instability, inequity and future worry for F1.

Ford's move also gives more fuel to the GPWC and could create another war for commercial control of the sport between the GPWC and Bernie similar to the war between FISA and FOCA in the early 80s. Ironically, Bernie and Max fought against the status quo of Balestre in that dispute and won. Now Bernie is the status quo.

Then again, Bernie may not fight. He's north of 70 and a multibillionaire, so maybe he'll just sell his stake in F1 to an investment bank, which then will battle the GPWC for future control of the sport. If so, then pure racers like Frank Williams and Ron Dennis are the losers because you have bankers and car manufacturers -- neither of which are racers at the core -- running the show in F1.

And people forget that even though Bernie is the financial czar behind F1, he shares much with Ron and Sir Frank as a core racer, as he used to own Brabham.

>>>Let's face it, any manufacturer or sponsor getting into F1 or any other major motorsport with the sole idea being to make money is crazy. Does Ferrari sell more cars because of their F1 dominance? Hmmm...maybe, but I'll bet not even close to 600 million dollars worth of more cars. I would bet they are in it for the sport and the prestige first and foremost.<<<

You can't compare Ferrari to any other manufacturer in F1. Enzo Ferrari formed Ferrari as a racing company first. The company built racing cars, which it then sold as production versions to the public. Racing always has come first for Ferrari, even before auto sales. That was the Old Man's ethos, and it didn't leave the company when he died.

All of the other manufacturers in F1 -- BMW, Ford, Mercedes, Toyota, Renault and Honda -- are auto manufacturers, first and foremost. Racing is an aside for them, a marketing exercise that hopefully helps them reach their primary goal, selling more cars to you and I.

Sure, there is some residual technology from F1 that trickles down to passenger cars, and F1 is a good training ground for engineers. But every other manufacturer in F1 other than Ferrari is in it first to sell passenger cars, not win races.

Take care,
PK

[Dave]

Didn't one of the higher-ups at Ford once pose a question along the lines of who is Edward Irvine and what does he do to be our highest paid employee?

At the end of the day, outside of Ferrari, manufacturers either get tired of spending money with no results or see no reason to continue to win.

PK, you are right on about Ferrari. Remember when Porsche was known for making world class [racing] sports cars? Now, they're just another company, albeit one with the highest growth in the truck segment

[pk500]

Dave:

One William Clay Ford Jr. asked "Who the hell is Ed Irving?" when he took over Ford two or three years ago and saw that Irvine was the highest-paid Ford employee.

True story.

Yep, I remember when Porsche was known for great prototype race cars and not spunky GT cars and uber-powerful SUV's.

The day Ferrari builds an SUV is the day I no longer care about performance vehicles. The reality of BMW and Porsche SUV's still sickens me.

Take care,
PK

[Dave]

Thanks PK, knew someone would remember the exact details.

Sort of back to the topic, does anyone have a clue what the 2006 rules are going to be? And who are the teams constantly alluded to in the press conferences that could be leaving? How much longer can Jordan and Minardi tool around?

Which factory will be the next to end the glorified marketing enterprise of F1?

I have no answers, can you tell?

Dave

[DChaps]

From Speed:

http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/formulaone/13923/

Red Bull Buys Jaguar F1 Team

Ford confirmed the sale of its Jaguar Racing Formula 1 team to energy drink company Red Bull at a press conference in London on Monday morning. The announcement came just hours before all prospective entries in the 2005 World Championship have to be lodged with governing body the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone’s Formula One Management company.

The deal brings an end to weeks of uncertainty since the Blue Oval revealed its intention to withdraw from F1 in September, citing that it could not make a “compelling business case” for its continued involvement. It safeguards over 300 jobs at Jaguar’s Milton Keynes, UK base, and - coupled with the announcement that Ford’s engine division, Cosowrth, has been sold to Champ Car co-owners Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe, and that Jordan has secured a supply of Toyota engines for 2005 - seems to ensure that there will be a full complement of ten teams on the grid next season.

[pk500]

This is all good. It's rumored that Red Bull will have its sponsored drivers Christian Klien and Vitantonio Liuzzi in the seats for next year. But Red Bull ownership of an F1 team certainly makes it much easier for a talented member of the Red Bull Driver Search program, designed to put Americans into F1, to get a seat.

Scott Speed in F1 in 2006, perhaps? Speed as test driver for Red Bull Racing in 2005, perhaps?

Let's hope so!

Take care,
PK

[Zeppo]

This is all good. It's rumored that Red Bull will have its sponsored drivers Christian Klien and Vitantonio Liuzzi in the seats for next year. But Red Bull ownership of an F1 team certainly makes it much easier for a talented member of the Red Bull Driver Search program, designed to put Americans into F1, to get a seat.

Scott Speed in F1 in 2006, perhaps? Speed as test driver for Red Bull Racing in 2005, perhaps?

Let's hope so!

Take care,
PK

Yeah, here's hoping!

[GB_Simo]

PK, the initial talk seems to be of Scott Speed in a testing role of some sort next year. He's certainly being evaluated for some sort of role within Red Bull Racing for 2005, though whether anything comes from it is another matter.

Mateschitz and Helmut Marko, the ex-racer masterminding the various Red Bull driver initiatives, seem to be developing an ignorance of the long term that disturbs me a little. I don't know if it's just my perception of things but their interest in various men on their Driver Search programme seems to disappear very rapidly, and their insistence on putting Christian Klien in a race seat this season, along with their casting him aside for Liuzzi when the results didn't immediately come, could have killed the Austrian's career before it ever got going. Anyone at all worried by their management of Driver Search or is it just me?

Probably just me. For RBR, keeping hold of Pitchforth and Purnell to run the operation is a good move, though Mateschitz is apparently inviting Gerhard Berger to climb aboard too - sounds a bit crowded to me. Klien and Liuzzi is the obvious driver pairing for next year, but with the old management team remaining might there be a vacancy for DC? His non-invite to the Williams test sessions with Heidfeld and Davidson must surely mean that his last chance of a halfway decent seat next year lies at RBR, though Jordan's 2005 package may be appetising.

Cheers,
Adam

[pk500]

Berger would be a very shrewd hire, honestly. Jaguar management was filled with pragmatic, smart engineers like Pitchforth, Purnell and Agathangelou the last two years but no one with petrol running through their veins like Jackie Stewart, Rahal or Lauda.

Berger is the perfect pick because he can see the racer's point of view from his vast experience behind the wheel, but he also balances that with the business acumen developed during his tenure with BMW. He also was a hard-working, pretty unobtrusive presence and surprisingly devoid of ego when working for BMW with Williams, surprising considering his status as a longtime elite driver with a penchant for women and booze.

Berger also is a no-bullsh*t guy like Briatore who pulls few punches, which a technical-based team like Jag needs. That said, I'm glad Red Bull is keeping Purnell, who is one of the freshest, outside-of-the-box new thinkers in F1. I thought he was just a faceless drone until he came up with so many common-sense solutions to technical and race weekend formats this summer during FIA press conferences and in media interviews.

Berger also could help Red Bull lure an engine manufacturer because of his experience with BMW and Williams. I doubt Red Bull wants to run with the Cosworth engine for very long, as that mule of a motor only will provide dependable power that's low on grunt. Today's Cosworth F1 engine is not the DFV of past legend, not even close.

Red Bull never will compete with the big dogs without a factory engine deal, even if the reduced testing and two-race engine rules are in place in 2006.

As for Jordan, it still will suck in 2005.

First, Eddie will have cobbled together his usual merry band of half-baked sponsors to have just enough cash to survive.

Second, all of Toyota's power won't help Jordan a bit if it builds another chassis as diabolical as the 2004 car. And Jordan doesn't have the technical resources, funding or personnel to improve much on that chassis.

The only advantage the Toyota will provide is that it will allow Jordan to run extra downforce to overcome the inherent instability of its chassis, the Toyota grunt prevailing over the extra drag of the high-downforce setup.

Take care,
PK

[Neckthai]

I wouldn't rule out Red Bull-sponsored A.J. Allmendinger as a future U.S. F1 driver for Red Bull F1.

Dinger routinely beat Scott Speed in karts and I think in Barber Dodge, too. He turned down his invite to test in 2002 so he could chase the Toyota Atlantic title in 2003 with RuSport.

The kid is good, though he did align himself with Paul Tracy, which could ruin him. Still, I wouldn't mind seeing him race at Indianapolis one day.

(After further review, it's fitting that I spent post 450 on a racing post)

[Dave]

I don't know that I've seen a chassis as twitchy as that Jordan shitbox in a long time. Who knows though, having Toyota engines could allow EJ to attract more sponsorship. Damn I miss the days of the Mugen-Honda Jordan on the sharp end of the grid.

What does the Red Bull purchase do to the Sauber sponsorship? That's another team that just can't make the next step, despite being the Ferrari Jr. squad.

But I'm excited for the possibility of an American driver thanks to this move.

One question, is this Helmut Marko the same one from the dreadful RSM Marko IRL squad?

[pk500]

What does the Red Bull purchase do to the Sauber sponsorship? That's another team that just can't make the next step, despite being the Ferrari Jr. squad.

It's gone. But Peter Sauber isn't upset because he had a 10-year run with Red Bull, and Sauber said Mateschitz has been up front with him for the last 10 years about his desire to buy an F1 team. So Sauber knew this was coming. Plus Petronas and Credit Suisse have emerged the last couple of years as primary sponsors of Sauber, so the financial hit, while large, isn't as big as you'd think.

One question, is this Helmut Marko the same one from the dreadful RSM Marko IRL squad?

It sure is. But Marko is fairly highly regarded in European racing circles, I believe.

Take care,
PK

[GB_Simo]

RSM Marko won the F3000 title with Jorg Muller in 1996, I think, and Marko ran the Red Bull Junior outfit with moderate success until 2002. Helmut has helped to further the careers of drivers such as Berger and Karl Wendlinger and would have been an F1 hotshoe himself had he not been blinded in one eye by a stone during the 1972 French GP. As a nurturer of young talent his reputation is good, though 'highly regarded' might be a stretch.

If Pitchforth and Purnell are staying, then what exactly would Berger do?

PK - Jordan do have Mark Smith returning to the team from Renault, which is bound to have a positive effect on the '05 car at some stage (though I'd be surprised if it happened before mid-season), and the Toyota engine is a step up from the Cossie, which is every bit the donkey you make out. Even as a Jordan devotee, I know that bunging a Toyota into the '04 chassis wouldn't be that much help, but that's not what they'll be doing so while I'm reserving judgement, I'm more hopeful for 2005 now than I was a month ago. I'd keep them in mind if I was hunting for a drive, though I wasn't suggesting that they should be high on DC's list.

Toyota could do worse than putting Ryan Briscoe there, though, which is why it strikes me as odd that their deal with Jordan doesn't involve a driver placement.

Cheers,
Adam

[pk500]

Adam:

At least one of EJ's drivers in 2005 will be the one who brings the biggest check.

EJ is a con artist supreme who cared more about flying in his jets and playing the drums than racing when his team was good in 1999. I have little use for him, and I'm Irish!

Ron Dennis may be an uptight wank, but racing always has been at his core. Same with Frank Williams and Patrick Head. I respect those guys -- I have little respect for EJ, especially after his shameful, ludicrous case against Vodaphone earlier this year.

That entire case summed up EJ in a nutshell -- a fraud.

Out,
PK

[Dave]

That case was definitely a shot across EJ's bow. But what can I say, he duped me back in the team's "glory days," and even though a fraud, provided a very nice contrast to the dour (but very effective) bosses of most teams.

[pk500]

Dave:

True. EJ does know how to have fun, something I doubt Jean Todt would even know if it slapped him in the face.

Out,
PK