Prodrive Plans F1 Factory
03-04-2006, 06:50 PM
#1
Team Owner
Thread Starter
Prodrive Plans F1 Factory
Prodrive Plans F1 Factory
Written by: RACER staff
London, UK – 3/1/2006 Prodrive is active in many areas of racing, and it looks like F1 could be next. (LAT photo)
Prodrive, the British motorsports organization that has achieved success in sports cars and rallying, among many other disciplines, is expected to tackle grand prix racing in 2008. The team’s plans moved a step closer to reality Wednesday, with announcement that the company would build a 200-acre Formula 1-spec factory in Warwickshire, England.
The announcement follows last week’s news that David Lapworth, who headed up Prodrive’s works-supported Subaru World Rally Team, had been reassigned to other projects within the company, and it is expected that Lapworth will take a primary role in the F1 program.
Prodrive boss David Richards, formerly the head of the BAR F1 squad, has made no secret of his desire to move the company into F1. He said at the Autosport International Show in January, “I would not say it is unfinished business, but Prodrive is a motorsport business and that is at the heart of everything that we do. We are involved in most aspects of it, but we are currently not involved in F1 – although we do supply some components.
Richards indicated 2008 would be an optimal time frame for the new program. “I will only go there (into F1) when the situation allows us to be competitive and to make a profit – and the changes coming for 2008 might allow that to come to fruition.”
Written by: RACER staff
London, UK – 3/1/2006 Prodrive is active in many areas of racing, and it looks like F1 could be next. (LAT photo)
Prodrive, the British motorsports organization that has achieved success in sports cars and rallying, among many other disciplines, is expected to tackle grand prix racing in 2008. The team’s plans moved a step closer to reality Wednesday, with announcement that the company would build a 200-acre Formula 1-spec factory in Warwickshire, England.
The announcement follows last week’s news that David Lapworth, who headed up Prodrive’s works-supported Subaru World Rally Team, had been reassigned to other projects within the company, and it is expected that Lapworth will take a primary role in the F1 program.
Prodrive boss David Richards, formerly the head of the BAR F1 squad, has made no secret of his desire to move the company into F1. He said at the Autosport International Show in January, “I would not say it is unfinished business, but Prodrive is a motorsport business and that is at the heart of everything that we do. We are involved in most aspects of it, but we are currently not involved in F1 – although we do supply some components.
Richards indicated 2008 would be an optimal time frame for the new program. “I will only go there (into F1) when the situation allows us to be competitive and to make a profit – and the changes coming for 2008 might allow that to come to fruition.”
03-04-2006, 11:50 PM
#2
Safety Car
I guess I'm not familiar enough with the upcoming rule changes (in 2008) to see how that will make it profitable to be in F1 - unless he's already aligned with deep factory pockets. Subaru in F1??
Red Bull is sending Gunther Steiner over for it's Nascar/Toyota buildup. That is some serious intent
-> http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=110851
Red Bull is sending Gunther Steiner over for it's Nascar/Toyota buildup. That is some serious intent
-> http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=110851
03-05-2006, 01:01 AM
#4
Team Owner
Thread Starter
They just said Subaru guy did their World Rally cars. Guess it a big dollar company. I guess enough sponsers and you make money.
03-06-2006, 04:24 PM
#6
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Originally Posted by BrianCunningham
from scratch or buy a failing team?
