DBA Zytek / RN Motorsport

[jcz]

Hello,

I read on net that RN Motorsport this year racing project with car DBA Zytek is stoped and will no continue for lack of money for development of car. John Nielsen will continue with racing in GT class next year. For me is this decision surprised, car see very good in races this year.

[SALEEN S7R]

Yeah indeed, I think this is a shock to most of us. I mean I guessed the cars werent running at the moment due to lack of funds, but what u are saying is that the car wont ever run again, period. Right? I really hope this turns out to be false or at least that this isnt a final decision. At the moment with the LMES coming up we could do with the DBA on the grid....Whichever class it runs in.

[jcz]

DBA raced in Le Mans in class LMP675 and in FIA SCC in class SR1=LMP900 against Dome, Courage, Pescarolo etc. with succesfull results.

[Fab]

We the fans still not realize at which point prototypes are expensive to run... that explains why the Oreca Dallaras are still in their garage... and why Pescarolo is still looking for money for next year.

[Javi]

Let´s hope someone will race ir next season. The car is as potentially quick as the MG Lola, and the MG Lola has won overall races in ALMS, so it may be a good bet against this years LMP900

[GTsports]

Yes,you are right,Fab.

The FIA GT and LMES/ALMS GT classes have many cars, but I fear the prototypes will disappear. Is it that much more expensive to race a prototype that a GTS type car?

If there are only just a few prototypes in the LMES and ALMS races will they still have the class?

[RacingManiac]

Originally posted by GTsports
Yes,you are right,Fab.

The FIA GT and LMES/ALMS GT classes have many cars, but I fear the prototypes will disappear. Is it that much more expensive to race a prototype that a GTS type car?

If there are only just a few prototypes in the LMES and ALMS races will they still have the class?

Considered that for a while GTS class in ALMS had only 5 cars(2 Vettes, 1 Saleen, 1 Rafinelli Ferrari, 1 Viper), and the class was still there, yeah the LMP will live on regardless....

BTW, DBA-Zytek also won overall(well since it is SR1...but to those who knows better) in FIA SCC as well...

I don't know about GTS will be cheaper to run though, I mean when you get to the level of the factory cars like the Vette, or even the Prodrive 550, it's probably as expensive as a prototype. And the newer tub car will probably be more so...

[Tim Northcutt]

The Champion Racing team runs an Audi on a full ALMS schedule (which is a lot more races than they ran in Europe this year) for about $.5 million.....I doubt that DBA's budget was higher than that...

That is cheap compared to CART, the IRL, at least half of the NASCAR or Busch Series programs, and about 1% of the Ferrari F-1 budget....

I think DBA/RN should have cut a deal or partnership with someone in the U.S. to work out of North American shops and run the ALMS series, where they would have been equally competitive, and would have had better opportunities to generate sponsorship $$$$....

European companies would not have paid out $$$ to sponsor a car in the FIA-SCC.....

Now LMES next year may be a different story, but it is only four races....not a very good "bang for the buck" for a coprorate guy who wants his name before a broad public and is looking for frequency of exposures....

Don't get me wrong....$4.5 million isn't walking-around money for anyone...but compared to other forms of major motorsports, it is cheap.....real cheap.....

[Tim Northcutt]

Sorry....My Post was missing a number...


Champion's Budget is $4.5 million...the four did not type in for some reason....

[paul-collins]

My understanding is that Dyson isn't spending more than Champion's budget, for two cars. They're in the same ballpark, I believe.

[Tim Northcutt]

I would also bet that other one-car teams are spending less than Champion is as well....

I guess it is all relative, because money is money, but the whole "racing is expensive" argument peeves me...sure it is not cheap...but if you select your racing series properly and work to make some sponsor deals happen, you can go racing and be competitive....

[skycafe]

What doens't help in securing the sponsorship support is a racing series that is almost 'hidden,' like the FIA series was. People from all over the world were on this forum asking questions about where to get information, and getting help in finding it via obscure (in some cases) sources.

When there is a proposal for sponsorship money it also involves some sort of concept of the return for that investment. Unless there is consistancy in a series then that support will remain elusive. Consistancy means spectators, media coverage. It also means competition that will help foster those things.

I am no great Nascar fan, but they are the best at this. Reliable schedules, reliable fields, reliable media coverage. They have put together a complete package, and that further increases it's value.

This needs to happen with sports car racing. It looks like it is with FIA GT. If the LMES works, that will be good. But it needs to work long term. By that I mean that it needs to have a consistant schedule. If there is going to be a 1000Km race at Spa (example), then it needs to find its place on the calendar and stick with it, so the fan base can make plans to be there. Le Mans is like that, Daytona 24 Hours, Sebring.

But they also need to have a consistant field of contestants to make it work. It may not always be Audi/Bentley, but it needs to be something similar. This will help draw in the causual fan.

The fan base needs to grow.

[skycafe]

OH!!!!!!!!! I got rambling and forget to even mention that the loss of the DBA is great, because that was one exciting, great appearing car...

[dretceterini]

If you are strictly talking bang for the buck, the IRL is probibly the way to go. 4.5 million could certainly field a decent IRL team, and there is the exposure of Indy. PERSONALLY, I could care less about the IRL, but just the Indy exposure would help financially as much as a whole season in the ALMS..

[skycafe]

Not just bang for the buck. I think also that you target market. Sports car people are not IRL people, for instance (there is crossover sure, but there is a divide between road course people and oval people). Lowenbrau years ago bought some good exposure with Al Holbert's Porsches. I don't think their money would have fared so well tied to an oval team. CART yes, with the combination of ovals and road courses.

Also, you can't discount that the kicker is the CEO or the Board. If they have the interest, they will make commitments for it to work, if the alternative is viable.

Without Indy, there would be NO IRL. Certainly not as it is. And even with Indy, the IRL suffers at all other locations, from what I have seen. As much as they seemingly try to crop the background shots, there are loads of empty grandstand seats at those races.

Years ago in the US, we had a CanAm and a TransAm that ran pretty consistant schedules. IMSA's Camel GT series fell into the same sort of place for while. The former Championship of Makes had a stable schedule for a while there. The best at this has been Nascar. They get a fan base that wanted to attend certain races and made plans to have vacation time set aside, cash set aside, etc. It certainly helped that they were for years a very regional circuit, so it was possible to personally attend several races in a year without major life changes.

Following the FIA Sportscar series here had a lot of humorous moments. 'Is there or is there not a race this weekend?' Imagine trying to cultivate a sponsorship arrangement, and that person can't casually follow the series. He will then have to really think long and hard about spending money for exposure. Sadly, it makes you think they next iteration may suffer from the last, in that a great deal of confidence needs to be won back.

I think there is a great opportunity for sports car racing. My hope is that it benefits. Time was a World Championship of Makes race would outdraw Formula One.

I am in a rambling mood and I am trying to figure out how to conclude and make sense to someone other then myself: my hope is that someone offers a great opportunity for the team or person with $4.5 Million to not consider going anywhere else but sports car racing.

[Fab]

The lost of the DBA is a real great shame

The car could be rent or sold, isn't it ? Have we a reasonable hope to see it back ?

[Tim Northcutt]

One note on the above concerning the IRL & Indy:

You probably could spend $4.5 million to run IRL and they have a consistent network TV package...

But Indy itself and the month of May is very expensive to run (three weeks of practice, qualifying, testing etc.)...even though the payout to the last place finisher is more money than the winning purse at any ALMS event, teams don't break even unless they finish in the Top 5 or 10...

[skycafe]

I would guess that the cost of Indy in relation to the other IRL series races is in proportion to running Le Mans versus say an ALMS race.

I don't know anything about the purse awards for Le Mans, but the amount of media exposure would outweigh by far what you would achieve in ALMS. Like Indy versus another IRL race.

Indy is the cornestone of the IRL calendar, and any ambitious sports car series needs to involve Le Mans as a hub, in my opinion.

If you don't, you are a regional or national series, and you probably aren't garnering enough media attention to gain the important investment of sponsors.

[Seiko]

I saw a interview with John Nielsen last week on danish tv, and he said that the cost to develp the DBA Zytek (or whatever the call it this week) was to big, considering what they could get back.

Instead he have started a new LM programme with a danish team, Team Essex Invest. They have raced in the Danish Touringcar Championship the last couple of years with John Nielsen and Casper Elgaard.

He said they would start in the GT categorie next year, proberly with a 911. John Nielsen should drive the car wit5h some french drivers (tba), proberly someone with a lot of money is my guess.

[skycafe]

It would be good that at least he stays around. I have always like Nielsen.

[FIRE]

It's a shame DBA is forced to move to the GT class. Why not try a Racing for Danmark project?

He said they would start in the GT categorie next year, proberly with a 911. John Nielsen should drive the car wit5h some french drivers (tba), proberly someone with a lot of money is my guess.

What will happen with Shimoda?
I hope he can join RfH and attract some Japanse backing.

[Fab]

Originally posted by Seiko
He said they would start in the GT categorie next year, proberly with a 911.

A 911 ? How original !

Originally posted by Seiko
John Nielsen should drive the car wit5h some french drivers (tba), proberly someone with a lot of money is my guess.

Do you have a name to give, by chance ? I'm always afraid by the 'money' side of drivers...

Despite my sarcastic , I hope Nielsen/Elgaard and Shimdo will stay around and will be able to enter next LM race (I mean 24 hours, if not 1000 kms)...

[Fogelhund]

What a shame. I can only hope that someone picks up this chassis for next year.