Holden Race Team- where to from here? (Merged)

[peckstar]

We were discussing at work today, the future of HRT.

with their owner passing away before Christmas, who now owns them?

and who will drive the team which now has a potential cloudy future, skaife is obviuslly gone, Tom is gone, will GT step up and own it?

[E.B]

Originally Posted by peckstar

.....who will drive the team which now has a potential cloudy future, Skaife is obviously gone, Tom is gone, will GT step up and own it?

Dick Johnson!







I'll get my coat.....

[St00ge]

I think it is going to be lean year for the lion...

[Scrut]

I beleive on of Tom's sons is keen on the HSV /HRT businesses operating as normal, with minimal changes. A insider (freind who works in engineering at HSV) has confirmed this from in the HSV bunker in recent weeks.

[Axeman444]

it was noted at the time that Tom didn't have much input into its running recently, and that his wife is the actual owner (probably just a tax dodge, but still...), and it would be left to those in Aust who have been running it for the last few years to continue to do so, so no news here, moving along...

[peckstar]

not true axeman.

why would people here in Australia run it unless they had some interest, someone has to manage

every other team has some figure head/s but not HRT all of a sudden

[Green Hornet]

Probably none of your business . . .

[mountainstar]

I saw an interview somewhere with the son and plans were to run TW's businesses as is, with some experienced people in place that had already been selected previously.

[Axeman444]

Originally Posted by peckstar

not true axeman

errr sorry? it has been "run" by people within Australia for the last few years, as delegates, without much influence by Tom

[peckstar]

sorry axeman, if you say those things are correct, then i accept that

what isnt true is there is no news here

Ask me who runs any team and i can tell you, except for HRT. why would mrs walkinshaw (orwhoever it is) be vaguely interested in running the team.

In 2003 skaife took out a ten year contract on the HRT brand with holden, only two years to this is finished. what happens then, they sign a new contract with mr no-name or do they look for another owner to run the team, are the Kellys in line for this, ofterall they are the only holden champions since that contract began

what happens to WP. does that get sold

there is lots of news to happen here, maybe not this week, but this year and in the next few years

[Axeman444]

Originally Posted by peckstar

Ask me who runs any team and i can tell you, except for HRT.

the same people who have run it the last few years, notably Craig Wilson

[peckstar]

no, he is an employee, thats means they are a job offer away from destruction if thats te case

[bluesport]

I don't think HRT will be going anywhere desirable in a hurry........unless JC can pull something out of the bag.

[Forda]

Any ownership issue will surely be sorted out by the executor of the Estate of Mr Walkinshaw?

i.e. the assets once belonging to TW, including any shareholdings, will be distributed to the beneficiaries of his will; who will then themselves control those assets, however they see fit. That may involve the retention of, or the on-selling of those assets to other parties.

Lots of variables involved here, with no particular answer available until all the dust settles.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by peckstar

no, he is an employee, thats means they are a job offer away from destruction if thats te case

Maybe I am missing something here but I would imagine another employee would be either promoted or brought in to run HRT/HSV by the Walkinshaw group.

Everytime some leaves an organisation doesnt lead to destruction.

[cavvy]

Originally Posted by Forda

Any ownership issue will surely be sorted out by the executor of the Estate of Mr Walkinshaw?

i.e. the assets once belonging to TW, including any shareholdings, will be distributed to the beneficiaries of his will; who will then themselves control those assets, however they see fit. That may involve the retention of, or the on-selling of those assets to other parties.

Lots of variables involved here, with no particular answer available until all the dust settles.

Dont worry about ownership:
GMH chief Mike Devereux says Walkinshaw settled his succession before he died.

"Tom knew. He knew. And I think he put his affairs in nice order. We are unconcerned," Devereux tells Carsguide.

"The company is in very, very good shape from a strategic and financial standpoint. We have certain obvious legal protections, and we have absolutely no concerns with the future direction of the company.

"It'd hate to say it's business as usual, but it is. Phil (Harding) manages the stuff on the ground, Jeffrey Browne and the board have charted a fairly stable course. They continue to be fairly aggressive with their styling, which diffentiates themselves from Holden, and I'm sure they will contineu to do that."

Devereux also paid another tribute to Walkinshaw.

"This might sound a bit callous. It's a tragedy that Tom died, but any great leader has their company in good shape. If Tom has a legacy is that he's built a fairly strong company and an organisational structure to see it through."

Jeff Browne is a legal eagle & chief of Channel 9 (http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2010/11/...ff-browne.html)

Phil Harding ia long time Walkinshaw confidante:
As recently as a few years ago, Walkinshaw visited HSV in Australia 16 times in one year, but his trips Down Under became less frequent as his health deteriorated. Instead, he and Harding spoke on the phone several times weekly and Harding flew to the UK to report on the business.

Harding has worked for Walkinshaw's group of companies for more than 15 years, after he was head-hunted from Rolls-Royce to run Walkinshaw's road-car programs, which included at the time the Aston Martin DB7 and Volvo C70 convertible.

Harding first came to HSV in 2002 on a nine month assignment to head engineering, but stayed on and became the managing director of the company in 2006. But in 2007 he went to the UK to run HSV's export division, before returning in mid-2008 to resume the MD's role at HSV.

Then there is Sean:
Sean Walkinshaw, son of the late Tom Walkinshaw, confirms he will graduate to car racing in 2011 after signing a deal to compete in the Formula Renault BARC Championship with title-winning team Hillspeed.

Prior to his tragic passing, Walkinshaw Snr had worked closely with his son to determine the correct path for his motor racing career. Both agreed Formula Renault BARC would be the most suitable option, as would a partnership with Hillspeed.

Be happy,Tom at speed: Bathurst 1985, the pole lap in the V12. Enjoy !http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9I7GWllPFY

[peckstar]

Run it for who DRT?

there is a reasonable chance that the organisation could be sold
there is a reasonable chance that the new owners let's the the team run down
there is an even higher chance that the no1 sponsor (holden) will take there money elsewhere (the triple 8 connection is well speculated within this forum)

every other team has an owner figurhead who is outspoken about the team, HRT is now the only one without one.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by peckstar

Run it for who DRT?

there is a reasonable chance that the organisation could be sold

Peckstar I am not sure you are understanding that the walkinshaw group will continue despite Tom's unfortunate passing. There is succession planning in place which will come into effect.

There is always a chance that the team could be sold, no different to FPR or 888 which can be sold at the whims of thier parent company.

Originally Posted by peckstar

every other team has an owner figurhead who is outspoken about the team, HRT is now the only one without one.

I dont think this is much of big issue. I would be much more comforable in HRT's position than say Dean Fiore or Johnathon Webbs teams position.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Peckstar I am not sure you are understanding that the walkinshaw group will continue despite Tom's unfortunate passing. There is succession planning in place which will come into effect.

There is always a chance that the team could be sold, no different to FPR or 888 which can be sold at the whims of thier parent company.



I dont think this is much of big issue. I would be much more comforable in HRT's position than say Dean Fiore or Johnathon Webbs teams position.

i understand that there is succession plan in place for the walkinshaw group. Kerry Packer had one of them. James Packer sold the station within a year.

HRT is the big team in the series, last year 3 of their 4 drivers managed to finish outside the top 21 in a 29 car field, (the other driver was 5th) same people in charge then as now (with TW apparently being hands off) thats not good form and hardly something thats shows the succession plan will work. the form on the weekend hardly showed they are near the front, with their ex driver managing quicker times on the harder compound than they could on softs.

The holden sponsorship is soon to end, what then? the scrap heap.

Not sure why you would be happier in HRTs position than the other two, they race for themselves. when they have had enough they will leave and will have minimal effect on the series. HRT on the other hand are the merchandise Juggernaut the multi champion winner and Holdens No1 team.

I'm glad all you guys have your rose colored glasses on, but things are not good for HRT and things are about to get worse

[Reload]

Originally Posted by peckstar

i understand that there is succession plan in place for the walkinshaw group. Kerry Packer had one of them. James Packer sold the station within a year.

HRT is the big team in the series, last year 3 of their 4 drivers managed to finish outside the top 21 in a 29 car field, (the other driver was 5th) same people in charge then as now (with TW apparently being hands off) thats not good form and hardly something thats shows the succession plan will work. the form on the weekend hardly showed they are near the front, with their ex driver managing quicker times on the harder compound than they could on softs.

The holden sponsorship is soon to end, what then? the scrap heap.

Not sure why you would be happier in HRTs position than the other two, they race for themselves. when they have had enough they will leave and will have minimal effect on the series. HRT on the other hand are the merchandise Juggernaut the multi champion winner and Holdens No1 team.

I'm glad all you guys have your rose colored glasses on, but things are not good for HRT and things are about to get worse

Your hatred of HRT has always been obvious, however the clear minded people would be very confident of HRT,s immediate future.
Your comment of "stand by for big news in the next couple of years" would stand for many teams, however their news may not be so bright. Oh but thats right, it,s HRT that you want to crumble.

[peckstar]

sorry dude, you have me confused, i have no hatred of HRT. I disliked skaife, true, felt tom was a snake true (but nothing to do with HRT) but have no hate for HRT.

Im not so sure the clear minded people are confident of their immediate future, their recent form is poor, their ownership is about to change, these are all immediate issues.

and you are right all teams will have big news in the coming years, but we have threads discussing them also.

Why would anyone want a team to crumble?

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by peckstar

The holden sponsorship is soon to end, what then? the scrap heap.

Why is Holden withdrawing its sponsorship?

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Why is Holden withdrawing its sponsorship?

its may or may not e be withdrawn, but my understanding is the contract is soon to end.

if other teams are in a position to provide that service and be more competitive (HRT were the 4th best holden team in the teams championship in 2010). then maybe that sponsorship would move to a better performing team.

especially if the ownership structure is not sorted, who can say how that can change in the next two years

[Axeman444]

i'll give up now...

[V8RYAN]

i would bet my house on the fact that the holden racing team will forever remain the holden racing team. holden wont withdraw support for them and take their $$ elsewhere if they start underperforming.

thats why holden take a part in recruiting and management so they can make sure that theri money is being well spent and the team remains sucesful.

the team is fine, and nothing major will change in the future (although hopefully their results will!)