Rahal to Jaguar Management?

[Liz]

I have heard an electrifying rumour that Bobby Rahal has been/will be asked to take over Jackie Stewart's role at Jag F1. Would this be the Deal of the Century or what? Hands up who thinks he could really kick butt over there?

[KC]

I think that Rahal would make an excellent guiding force for a team like Jaguar. Rahal and Stewart, I believe, think more alike than different about how motor racing is done and how it is run like a business. The biggest problem with the Jaguar situation is that Ford is actually in control and is probably mismanaging it to some degree.

Rahal has many contacts in f1 from his time spent racing in Europe and seems to be well spoken of by those who know him in F1 circles.

[Lizzerd]

So what would happen to Team Rahal? Say it ain't so, please!

[Crash Test]

I don't know...if it were Roger Penske i would say he would do well...but i dunno...have to wait and see...

[Liz]

Penske can only go if he takes GilandHelio with him. Now that would be a team to watch in F1!

[Nuvolari]

Man . . . am I torn on this one! I think he'd probably do a super job, but I would hate like hell for CART to lose one of their best.

What about the politics issue? How do you think he'd meld with Jaguar and Bernie & company?

[Crash Test]

I just said Roger because he has been the boss of one of the most successful teams ever, and he has been doing for a very long time. Also he is one of the worlds top businessmen. Not knocking Bobby, he has a helluva business sense as well, it is just that he has only been doing the full time-being-the-boss of a team for the last few years...

[Green_man4421]

F1m is a totaly diffrent world bussiness wize to CARt it would be a hard move to make.

[Regs]

While in no way am I trying to disrespect Rahal's abilities, either as a racing manager or business man, I'm not sure how he would adapt to the current F1 environment. This is not the F1 he left. It's a whole different experience, as Ford, via Jaguar, is finding out. As for Roger Penske, I'd almost rather see him field his own F1 team. As I feel he is one of the few Americans with the interest and ability to put the necessary financing and sponsorship together. Convince GM to put an R&D team on a 10 cyl design, badge it as a Cadillac PP and have Caroll Shelby develop it. Could be interesting. Would never happen. But still...

[Liz]

I'd like to see Penske go head to head with Max&Bernie, come to think of it. He's one of the few people in Team Ownership that would have the ****s to stand up and say what he thought.

Rahal would be better with the pilotes though. I think he would understand how to get the best out of them, and how to behave to the sponsors, better than Penske.

Hard one. I'd rather see him stay in CART but of course if he can move up ... if that is "up" ...

[slicktoast]

Rahal is intelligent enough to stay right where he is.