Silly Season Part 1 - Customer Cars for 2008

[Yannick]

Hello MyTrackers,

with Dave Richards currently stating that ProDrive is in negotiations with three different teams over supply of their chargers - what about the other teams?

The works efforts are not going to give up next year, so there will be
-McLaren - Mercedes
-Ferrari (current engine supplier of Toro Rosso and Spyker)
-BMW Sauber
-Renault (current engine supplier of RBR)
-Toyota (current engine supplier of Williams)
-Honda (current engine and whatnot supplier of SuperAguri)
again next year.

-Williams are very likely to build their own cars for next year - they might even sell customer cars. And it looks like they will stay on Toyota engines don't they?

-Red Bull Technologies will deliver their cars to RBR and to Toro Rosso, but will these teams keep their engine partners?

-SuperAguri will continue their car and engine partnership with Honda.

-Spyker?? They got Ferrari engines this year. Might they even run Ferrari cars next year?

-ProDrive: They say they want to buy a car and engine combination that's also being used by another team. McLaren-Mercedes is a rumoured supplier. Since BMW-Sauber don't supply anybody else yet, they might be an option. But who could be the 3rd team ProDrive are talking to? Will it depend on what engines the two Red Bull teams get for next year?

What do you think?

[courageous]

I am reminded of the FIA GT situation from 1997 (I think) where you had Porsche & Mercedes and the rules stated they had to supply customer cars.

Each company took a different line: Mercedes got Persson running what were in effect semi-works cars and these were competetive; Porsche sold cars to Zakspeed, left them to get on with it & Zakspeed couldn't get anywhere near to the front.

How much support will Prodrive want/need/get with the customer cars & would this support be a distraction to the constructor?

[kipper]

Originally Posted by courageous

I am reminded of the FIA GT situation from 1997 (I think) where you had Porsche & Mercedes and the rules stated they had to supply customer cars.

Each company took a different line: Mercedes got Persson running what were in effect semi-works cars and these were competetive; Porsche sold cars to Zakspeed, left them to get on with it & Zakspeed couldn't get anywhere near to the front.

On a pointless diversion off topic, it was 1998. Regardless of the date, I think that the example does illusttrate that being supplied some top equipment does not guarantee success and that a close relationship between customer and constructor would be required.

Originally Posted by courageous

How much support will Prodrive want/need/get with the customer cars & would this support be a distraction to the constructor?

I suspect that Prodrive would require as much support as possible in order to create some success. Looking at the benefits for a supplier, it could be a means of getting some of their less experienced employees experience of managing projects and the like before returning to the supplier ready to take over the reigns in their respective departments. Also, drivers can be lent to the customer as well. However, a problem with such a high level of support is that the success of the customer ultimatly depends on how close the supplier wants them to be to their pace.

[Ingsy]

Off topic: Nice sig courageous, I'd forgotten all about that

[courageous]

Sorry my friend, but it was comedy gold that needed immortalising.

[FPV GTHO]

Originally Posted by Yannick

-Williams are very likely to build their own cars for next year - they might even sell customer cars. And it looks like they will stay on Toyota engines don't they?

Well it was something like a 3 year deal, so that would extend to 2009. Theres also Williams giving Toyota their gearbox, and i wouldnt be surprised to see a few more things get shared between the teams.

-Red Bull Technologies will deliver their cars to RBR and to Toro Rosso, but will these teams keep their engine partners?

The Renault contract wouldve been for more than a year, and i believe Toro Rosso extended the Ferrari deal to sweaten the transition, as that was only originally a 2 year deal and would have been up by 2008.

-Spyker?? They got Ferrari engines this year. Might they even run Ferrari cars next year?

I'll be surprised if they use a customer car, as theyre a name brand. Toro Roso, Red Bull and Super Aguri can get away with customer cars as theyre not associated with a car maker, other than their engine deals. Spyker actually make cars, and if they start racing Ferrari's, it doesnt do favours for their image. Williams likewise could race a Toyota chassis, although it would probably be smarter for Toyota to fund Williams in the design, and then rename the chassis so that Toyota can save face.

-ProDrive: They say they want to buy a car and engine combination that's also being used by another team. McLaren-Mercedes is a rumoured supplier. Since BMW-Sauber don't supply anybody else yet, they might be an option. But who could be the 3rd team ProDrive are talking to? Will it depend on what engines the two Red Bull teams get for next year?

What do you think?

The strong rumour is for Prodrive to run the McLaren setup, although Autosport claimed theyre also talking to Ferrari and Renault.

[cmifsud]

Would it be possible for Prodive to use a McLaren chassis, and a non Merc engine (say a Ferrari or Renault, seeing as they are apparently better than the Benz)

[FPV GTHO]

Possibly, although look at how Toro Rosso are going compared to Red Bull. You cant match a chassis and engine optimised for each other.

[Marbot]

Ideally you'd wanna be buying the fastest complete car at the end of a season.And then just paint it a different colour.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by FPV GTHO

Williams likewise could race a Toyota chassis, although it would probably be smarter for Toyota to fund Williams in the design, and then rename the chassis so that Toyota can save face.

Toyota,allegedly,want to rename the chassis 'Wirriams'.

[chemhead1]

Originally Posted by martyn bott

Toyota,allegedly,want to rename the chassis 'Wirriams'.

You owe me a new keyboard....

[Yannick]

LOL martyn