Info

Ecclestone: Branson wants Honda deal

By Jonathan Noble
British businessman Richard Branson is keen on taking over the Honda Formula One team, according to the sport's commercial chief Bernie Ecclestone.

After intense speculation about Branson's involvement in a late bid to buy the Brackley-based outfit, Ecclestone confirmed on Thursday night that he has contacted Branson's Virgin Group directly to discuss the deal.

Ecclestone said that as far as he was aware, Branson was pushing to try and get a takeover sorted - ahead of meetings in Japan this week to discuss the future of the team.

Speaking to international news agency Reuters, Ecclestone said: "I've spoken to Richard's people about it. He would love to do it.

"I'd like it very much. It would be super. We're working to try to make it happen."

It now appears that the Virgin Group bid is the only viable alternative to a management buyout being put together by team chiefs Nick Fry and Ross Brawn. Autosport.com understands that other potential bidders have been told the team do not wish to go ahead with their deals.

However, a final decision about the future of the team would rest on what parent company Honda decides to do - with the Japanese car manufacturer warning this morning that disbanding the outfit was still a possibility.

Ecclestone said it was now up to Honda to decide which path to follow, with a final decision expected early next week.

"I have no idea which way it will go. I wouldn't bet on it either way," said Ecclestone.

Branson's only previous involvement in F1 was through a minor sponsorship deal with Jordan back in 2002, using his Virgin Mobile company. Virgin Atlantic Japan have also been personal backers of Takuma Sato in recent years.

Source:
http://www.autosport.com

Honda deny discussing bail-out

By Jonathan Noble
Honda have made it clear that suggestions their Formula One team could receive a government bail-out are totally incorrect.

A story in The Guardian this morning suggested that Honda Racing were in talks with the British government to receive a share of the £2.3 billion bail-out of the car industry that was announced by Lord Mandelson earlier this week.

The Honda Racing team initially declined to comment on the story, fuelling the idea that a bail-out from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) could form part of a rescue package for the team.

However, a spokesman for the Honda Motor Company told autosport.com that although there had been discussions with BERR about the team, there was never any plan to receive a government handout.

"We have met with BERR on several occasions, to discuss how things are progressing, plus the prospects for the team and their 700 employees," said the spokesman.

"However, we have not met with them to discuss a bail-out and no discussions have taken place about a government financial bail-out."

Source:
http://www.autosport.com

Specifications

Engine:
Model Type	Cruiser
BASE MSRP(US)	$17,499.00
Engine Type	V Twin
Cylinders	2
Engine Stroke	4-Stroke
Cooling	Air / Oil
Valves	8
Valves Per Cylinder	4
Valve Configuration	SOHC
Compression Ratio	9.8:1
Starter	Electric
Fuel Requirements	Premium
Fuel Type	Gas
Transmission:
Transmission Type	Manual
Number Of Speeds	6
Primary Drive (Rear Wheel)	Belt
Wheels & Tires:
Front Tire (Full Spec)	90/90 21 Dunlop® Elite3
Rear Tire (Full Spec)	250/40 R18 Dunlop® Elite3
Brakes:
Front Brake Type	Disc
Rear Brake Type	Disc
Technical Specifications:
Wheelbase (in/mm)	66.3 / 1684
Fuel Capacity (gal/l)	4.5 / 17

Source:
http://www.motorcycle.com

Fukui to retire, Honda F1 future unclear

Honda Motor Co has announced that Takeo Fukui is to retire as president and chief executive officer in June. He will be replaced by Takanobu Ito. The 55-year-old joined Honda in 1978 and worked in R&D for much of his career, heading Honda R&D in the Americas from 1998 onwards. He went on to become head of Honda R&D in 2003 and stayed in that position until being appointed chief operating officer of automobile operations in April 2007. He has been the general supervisor of motorsports since April 2004.

The good news for Honda is that he is a motor racing man but given the state of the car markets at the moment it is unlikely that this will change Honda's decision to quit F1. The emphasis will be on technological innovations and more environmentally-friendly vehicles and thus if F1 can provide good value for money and development in this area, Honda could one day return. Thus it makes little sense for the team to be disbanded and the assets sold off. To waste that investment makes no sense and so the idea of a management buyout remains the most likely way forward, with Honda perhaps retaining options to buy the team back when the financial outlook improves. Honda is expected to report profits on March 31 of around $856m, which is a lot lower than forecast but a healthy sum nonetheless.

At the announcement in Japan Fukui said that selling the F1 team has not been easy and that "we have not seen any serious buyer yet".

This being the case, Honda must decide what to do as an engine deal is needed if the team is to go ahead this year. The cost of keeping the team alive is not very different to the cost of closing it down but thus far Honda has baulked at the investment and has been hoping that backing could be found from outside sources. Nick Fry and Ross Brawn have been looking for money but are clearly not accepting support from just anyone as Bernie Ecclestone told the News of the World over the weekend that they had turned down a bid for him to control the team.

The obvious conclusion is that they felt there were better options. Honda wants to avoid closing the team at all costs as this would be a major blow to company prestige and so it has been baulking at paying the bills this year, but this may now be the only option available. That move would buy Fry and Brawn 12 months in which to find money to move the team on, although the budget that would be needed for 2010 is likely to be much lower as cost-cutting measures kick in.

Source:
http://www.grandprix.com

Two bidders for Honda

It seems that the plans for a management buyout at Honda were almost completed when a new bidder arrived on the scene, which has thrown the whole process into some confusion. The new bidder is believed to be very serious and to have the kind of brand that will benefit from F1 - and benefit the sport as well. The fact no-one is saying anything publicly suggests that things are at a very delicate stage and the new bid could result in a new management being brought in to the team.

Honda now has to decide what to do and as time is now very short because the cars need to be built and this work cannot be completed unless there is guaranteed money for an engine supply deal to be secured, a decision has to be made soon, unless Honda wishes to find itself paying for an engine deal that it cannot use.

Source:
http://www.grandprix.com

Ferrari tested new pit system in Bahrain

Ferrari appears on schedule to bring back its controversial 'traffic lights' pitstop system for the 2009 season.

The Italian team abandoned the unique automated system late last season following several incidents, including at the Singapore grand prix where Felipe Massa dragged the fuel hose down the pitlane.

Team manager Luca Baldisserri, however, said recently that engineers have improved the system so that the car
will be electronically prevented from driving away if the fuel hose is attached.

It has now emerged that Ferrari trialled the revised system, which by the use of sensors, buttons and lights replaces the traditional 'lollipop' holder, at the recent Bahrain test.

Source:
http://www.newsonf1.com

Renault in talks with Indian sponsor

Renault is in talks to replace the outgoing title sponsor ING with an Indian multinational, an official has told the Indian news agency PTI.

In the wake of the Dutch bank ING's decision to withdraw from the sport at the end of the season, a senior official of Renault India said negotiations for its replacement are already taking place.

PTI said a possible visit by Fernando Alonso to India this year would be indicative of Renault's desire to widen its fan base in the populous country.

"Currently, talks are on with a major Indian multinational for sponsorship," the Renault India official is quoted as saying.

He did not go into details beyond saying the talks "are ongoing".

The most prominent Indian sponsor already involved with F1 is Tata, currently with Ferrari but previously affiliated with Narain Karthikeyan at Jordan and Williams.

Source:
http://www.newsonf1.com