Another highlight from Autosport: I've never been much of a fan of him, but what does the "Carabante family" know about running an F1 team?..... Cheers, Ian http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/92738
IMO HRT should step aside. They have no business racing in F1. They are danger to the other drivers on the track.
100% disagree! [Which is fine of course ] As long as they're under 107% they have just as much right to be out there as *anyone* else. They all had to start somewhere. Hopefully, Danny Boy, the Merc tunnel and a change in mgmt will give them a lift and they can start making progress. Cheers, Ian
Miracle of miracles, they actually are !!! , ....ownership by convicted fraudsters notwithstanding... Good call!
I don't care much about HRT, but for me the worrying bit is this: already Kolles is being strongly linked with a switch to Williams for 2012 where he could be made team principal. What's going on at Williams? Has Sir Frank lost his mind? Kolles has no credibility as a team manager.
The Sir Frank connection was what really caught my eye - I too was a little surprised. I'm no expert on his career, and his Wiki page is a little "sketchy", but he has been around a fair time, and seems to have garnered some success in lower formula. However, in F1 he's always been with the backmarkers. Is that a reflection on him, or the teams he's been with? IIRC, wasn't he also involved with (one of) the biggest crooks ever - Tom Walkinshaw? Never did like that guy. If true, I hope that Sir Frank hasn't lost it - There's a true racer and I'd love to see 'em back at the front. Just dunno if Kolles is the man to do it. Cheers, Ian
Believe me, there are some good people at HRT.. guys with lots of F1 experience, someone else will step up to the helm.. perhaps Geoff Willis.. the main problem if Kolles does go, the team will be left with little.. the majority of the mechanics are form Kolles' German DTM/Le Mans team.. as are the transporters. hrt will have to re group and re-employ.. and look for a new technical office/base, rather than working out of the back bedroom of a house in Oxford!
Hang on - It's not like he's gonna take the transporters & all the guys with him to Williams! He's just one, somewhat questionable, player on the team. Cheers, Ian
He is Ian, but they are his staff not HRT's.. HRT actually dont employ that many staff apart from the technical guys, pit wall etc etc.. the majority are "weekend warriors" whos main employer is Kolles Racing! the issue is that theres no home base for HRT at the moment.. a lot of work between races has been done out of the Kolles Racing facility at Ingolstadt.. if he goes is he going to let HRT stay on?, we know what a hard nosed bastard he is... will he let them stay and use his team and staff?
OK - I didn't know that "most" were his guys..... From the same Autosport article: I'm not convinced a base in Spain is the way to go or even that this "Carabante family" have the slightest clue, but I still wish them well Cheers, Ian
indeed.. i do think that what i have mentioned in PM and the fact that Geoff W will probably step up will mean them trying to establish a base in oxford somewhere.. close proximity to Mercedes, then between the guys they can start to recruit propper staff from the UK! (my application is in!!!)
I wish you best of luck. I don't know anything about the Carabante's, but hopefully they're good listeners and somewhat smart - It's gotta be easier to be based in the Midlands (with just about everyone else!) than Spain..... However, if they're "nationalists", they may insist they're in Spain(?) I think what a lot of folk don't get is what they *have* achieved - They're out there, generally running within 107, with a *tiny* budget and having started from nothing. Cheers, Ian
I don't know the Carbantes from a hole in the ground. But remember when Flavio was chosen by Benetton he had no racing experience. That was a generation ago, but there's always a place in F1 for good leadership.
Is the Merc tunnel in Oxford? [IIRC, their new sim's in Germany, correct?] Thanks for the PM. Cheers, Ian
Merc are based at the old Honda/Brawn site at the side of the A43 at Brackley.. as to where the wind tunnel is im not sure, but i'd say theres a "live link" between the two! Incidently, Karun still lives just up the road from them and still is held in high regard by HRT, by all the paddock in fact, great guy.. and his favorite curry house in town has a special that was created by him... too hot for my tastebuds!
well it seems to be leaking out now anyway but Hispania Racing was sold to the Japanese investment bank Nomura on Friday. the deal is apparently worth 24 million. Official confirmation is ruomoured for next Monday July 4.
Interesting!..... Just published at autosport: Dunno if Thesan Capital and Nomura are one and the same....... Cheers, Ian http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/92839
