Aston Martin sniffing round F1 entry for 2010

[Damian Henderson]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article6150457.ece

Bernie Ecclestone, Formula One’s billionaire commercial rights-holder, has cut through the recession to offer £30 million in aid to put three new teams on the grid next year.

His generosity, encouraged by necessity with the threat of more leading manufacturers fleeing the sport as the credit crunch bites, could bring one of the most famous names in British motoring into Formula One — Aston Martin.

David Richards, Aston’s chairman, is waiting for Max Mosley, president of the FIA, motor sport’s world governing body, to push through next week radical financial reforms that will cap the annual budgets of teams at £30 million. If Mosley gets his way for the start of a cut-price Formula One — and the president is most persuasive — Richards will push the button to enter a new team next season.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Same entry as Prodrive then, just under the Aston Martin name i guess. Be nice if they could get in, i suppose they'd be the only team doing LM and F1.

 

[Philip Antonia]

I have a friend who is a mechanic for Prodrive. He's been on the 007 team for last couple of years and worked on the Aston Lola as well.

He's keeping tight lipped or knows nothing about it.

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

I dont understand why Aston Martin would be in F1 in the first place. At this moment there is not much to gain for newcomers, unless you are named Brawn, and most people dont associate Aston Martin with formula cars i think.

At least for me Aston Martin is GT all the way, in both racing as commercial vehicles

 

[James Johnson]

I dont understand why Aston Martin would be in F1 in the first place. At this moment there is not much to gain for newcomers, unless you are named Brawn, and most people dont associate Aston Martin with formula cars i think.

At least for me Aston Martin is GT all the way, in both racing as commercial vehicles

LMP now. and yes that Aston Lola is looking Fast. I think they could do well in F1 seeing as there first Full attempt at LMP is working well.

 

[Mark Birney]

To be honest, I don't care about who wins, Bram. You tell me, what's better? 26 (possibly) cars, or 20? It's nice for a change, and a greater number of talented drivers.

Frankly, how to Aston Martin fund something like this? Their cars are sold for over 100,000 each and they have money for F1 to boot?

 

[Damian Henderson]

Budget cap that's coming in $50 million for F1 teams from next year means teams like Prodrive / Aston , Lola can now afford to enter and gain allot by competing in F1 ( advertisement mainly )

 

[Eckhart von Glan]

oh, it'd be great to have more teams, even if they would only ever compete on Force India's level. In it's heyday, Formula One attracted something like 40 odd cars every race, they had pre-qualification early in the morning to figure out who could enter quali and also in quali, sth. like six cars never made it to the grid! competition!!!

 

[Damian Henderson]

Prodrive/Aston Martin Confirm 2010 Plans

Prodrive have announced, in a collaboration with Aston Martin, that they will enter Formula One in 2010 before re-branding as Aston Martin in 2012. The announcement follows a deal signed with commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone last night.

The new Prodrive/Aston Martin team will have close ties with McLaren Racing, whose largest shareholder is Daimler and use Mercedes-Benz engines.

“The cars will be built at Prodrive’s Banbury HQ and have Aston Martin-badged customer engines obtained from a supplier.

“These will be genuine Aston Martin cars. You wouldn’t like to do it any other way.”

http://www.f1times.co.uk/breaking-news-prodrive-to-enter-formula-one-in-2010-107.html

 

[Omer Said]

Then will we see really 26 drivers on grid. Now that's marvelous! .. And i'm happy that their name will be Prodrive not Aston Martin. Pity that will be for two years.