Brawn GP takes Honda F1’s place on the 2009 F1 grid

[iceman1]

The two main interests seem to be from Richards and his Middle East links,the Citroen/Peugeot possibilty

[why so serious]

Citroen and Peugeot not planning F1

French company might buy the assets of Honda Racing F1 are not going to become a reality. The company was involved in F1 between 1994 and 2000 as an engine supplier with McLaren (1994), Jordan (1995-1997) and Prost (1998-2000). There is obvious merit in F1 for image-building but Peugeot sources say that it is not possible to invest the kind of money needed at the same time as it is closing down production facilities and idling factories. The company does not know how the rumours started.

The spokesman also added that he had no idea how the rumor had started about the Peugeot racing group being (again) involved with F1.

Peugeot is continuing its assault at Le Mans with the diesel-engined 908 HDi FAP, while Citroen is going to stay in the WRC.

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns21047.html

[blizzard]

Yeah, unfortunately. Would have been great to have em back in F1. So I´m really counting on D. Richards now, 18 cars in Melbourne - still a nightmare to me.

[why so serious]

It may be more with Ferrari and McLaren having 3 cars, third one of which will be non-scoring according to a Swiss magazine:

To boost the 2009 formula one grid from its current 18 cars, teams may be invited to field third cars.

That is the information of the Swiss motor racing weekly Motorsport Aktuell, which said Honda's withdrawal has left the sport in breach of its contracts with TV broadcasters.

To get the numbers back up to the minimum 20 competitors, top teams including Ferrari and McLaren could be urged to each voluntarily field a third non-points scoring car.

http://www.f1complete.com/content/view/11182/900/

[syncmaster]

3 cars? where is cost cutting measures ??

[swca92]

A 3rd car not scoring points? How confusing will that be,a car finishing in the points but not actually scoring points? Also only the biggest teams would have the money to field 3 cars without cutting back on other costs.Another bad idea

[iceman1]

The mechanics might not like a third car so much , but The engineers would probably love it to collect more data.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/17122008/ ... 1-bid.html

In a twist of fate, Subaru's withdrawal from the world rally championship 'could' pave the way for David Richards to re-enter Formula One. The Japanese carmaker had collaborated with Richards' Prodrive motorsport company.

With Richards allegedly eyeing the purchase of Honda's F1 team, he told the British newspaper The Sun that this week's developments "clears the decks and gives me a bit of spare time to think about it."

"The new structure for F1 from 2010 onwards, with new regulations coming and very significant cost cutting programmes, certainly make it more appealing and far more suitable for a company such as ours," he added.

"What's on the table today makes it far more feasible."

Richards, who formerly ran the Benetton and BAR teams, almost brought Prodrive into F1 this year with a McLaren Mercedes technical package but baulked at the 'customer car' situation.

[ric.rios]

Carlos Slim bought Honda, said the italian journal 'La Stampa'.

Possible drivers: Button and Senna.

Slim was the most richest man in the world for one time in 'Forbes' magazine. He is mexican and have one big conglomerate of communications, Telmex.



Here, in Brazil, Slim have two companies: Claro(cellphone operator) and Embratel(Senna's sponsor).

Notice in Portuguese: http://ultimosegundo.ig.com.br/paginas/ ... 283_1.html
Notice in Spanish: http://www.televisadeportes.com/autos/0 ... eria-honda

[phil1993]

Excellent news if its true

[iceman1]

Carlos Slim bought Honda, said the italian journal 'La Stampa'.

Possible drivers: Button and Senna.

Slim was the most richest man in the world for one time in 'Forbes' magazine. He is mexican and have one big conglomerate of communications, Telmex.

his Mother is lebanese he lived in lebanon for 14 years


The Daily Mail also reported that Achilleas Kallakis, a Greek shipping tycoon, is interested, and that efforts by Vijay Mallya, owner of the Force India, an existing Formula One team, have “reached an impasse.”

The third name [first was David Richards] is Carlos Slim Helú, the second richest man in the world. The Mexican billionaire owns Telmex, a Mexican telecommunications company. His interest in the Formula One team was revealed recently when his helicopter landed in the racing team’s parking lot in Brackley, England.

“His helicopter was too big for the heliport so they had to clear the car park for it to land,” a Honda source said, according to The Sun.

Honda Racing said the sale won’t happen until the new year. Until then, the team is continuing to work on the new car “to ensure that our objective of being on the grid at Melbourne at the end of March will be achieved,” Nick Fry, chief executive of the team told Autosport last week.

[TwistedArmco]

Report in English of Slim's reported rescue..
He's the world's second richest man!! I really hope Honda is bought by him.. Plus, given that he is the head of Telmex, this could mean that Sergio Perez may eventually have an F1 chance.. I like the kid.

[swca92]

Not one British website has so far reported this,so I have my doubts.And if they had been bought,you'd think something would have been given to the press(A statement,scheduling of a press conference etc).But the report about Honda pulling out was on a Brazilian site a day before they pulled out so its quite possibly true.The fact the guy's so rich doesn't hurt either,but I'm cautious about this report.Tomorrow we'll have a clearer indication

[phil1993]

BBC Sport have reported it swca.

[swca92]

I said that yesterday evening,and anyway there's still no confirmation

[fclen]

No Honda F1 buyout, says Mexican billionaire

Sun 28 Dec, 05:28 PM

MEXICO CITY (AFP) - Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim has not bought the Honda Formula One team and is not even in negotiations for the Japanese outfit, a source at the businessman's industrial and financial empire said on Sunday.

"There is no deal for the Honda team. There is neither agreement nor negotiations," the source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Honda, with an annual racing budget of around 400 million dollars, pulled out of the Formula One world championship earlier this month and was put up for sale with the Japanese manufacturer struggling in the current global economic slowdown.

Earlier Sunday, Slim's son had also told the Mexican media that reports of a deal to save Honda were also without foundation.

On Saturday, Italian newspaper La Stampa claimed that Slim, who they described as the world's second richest man, was poised to buy the Honda team.

"The saviour has arrived at the last minute: Carlos Slim, 67 years old, the second richest man in the world," said the newspaper.

"The news is not official as all the details have yet to be formalised. But two things are certain - the team has been saved and the drivers will be Jenson Button and rookie Bruno Senna in place of Rubens Barrichello."

La Stampa, which did not identify the source of its story, added that Senna, the nephew of former triple world champion Ayrton Senna, is sponsored by Embratel, part of Slim's Telmex group.

Honda first competed in F1 in 1964 and clocked up three Grand Prix wins, including Button's in Hungary in 2006.

Its engines were also behind dozens of victories by stars such as Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.

The team finished ninth in the constructors championship this season with 14 points.

Veteran driver Barrichello achieved the team's best result with a third-place finish at Silverstone.

Honda Motor also supplied engines and other technical support to Formula One team Super Aguri, which called it quits due to financial problems in May.

Motorsport in Japan had been particularly hit by the recession with Subaru and Suzuki pulling out of the world rally championship.