Will PPI Motorpsorts be back?

[KC]

Cal Well's Precision Preparation Motorsports team is waiting in limbo to see if Oriol Servia will return with Telefonica sponsorship to compete in CART next year. The team has sold off some of their spares to expanding Mo Nunn Racing and a good many of the engineers and mechanics have moved on to other teams.

Last week, Max Papis stopped by the headquarters of the teams which gave him his chance in CART to say give words of encouragement to the team and see all of his friends.

Hopefully Servia will return with good news and PPI will be back in business.

[bobdrummond]

Classy gesture by Papis, eh?

[craigmanning]

...Servia tested for Prost Thursday and I don't think he did very well. Bernoldi, I beleive it was, was three tenths off of Alesi and Oriol was a couple of seconds off the pace. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh here but I don't see that going anywhere...

[craigmanning]

...well, I've just done a little homework and apparently Servia was right in the ballpark on Friday. I guess I jumped the gun, my apologies to Oriol Now I don't know what to think...good luck to him for sure, although I still don't know if I've forgiven him for punting Paul in Australia and for the stupid stuff he said afterwards...

[Splatz]

Absolutley, craig, that shunt ended Paul's title hopes really. Any other driver in CART would have pulled out of that tight squeeze I think, even Andretti. Cause they know that you dont try and force Tracy out from that point.

That was a real shame. Best of luck to "Mad Paul" as I call him, and Team KOOL Green, for this coming season.

Hopefully, Paul will take the championship.

<<<<<<<< Paul with green face paint after title win.

[craigmanning]

... I think there's another thing to consider, and that's Telefonica. They've had all of their F1 money wrapped up in Marc Gene and he's bolted for the Williams test drive. I wonder how well that went over with the Spanish brass?
Perhaps one of the issues at stake is whether that money might go with Oriol to Prost? They are in need of sponsorship arn't they? That move might take care of their F1 needs but would it be title sponsorship or associate? And what about their North American presence? They made a big noise about wanting to be global. Would they abandon CART altogether? Is there another Spanish driver who could move to CART or would they consider another nationality? Maybe they would give Jordi Gene a comeback. He's not that old and apparently a better driver than his brother!
Then we'd have to consider what teams need sponsorship in CART?...Perhaps PPI?

[bobdrummond]

When you think about it, it's a sad indictment of CHAMP CARS current status that Cal Wells finds it easier to fund a fledgling NASCAR outfit that disappointed hugely in '00 (Pruett missing many races and the Busch driver getting fired) than a CC team that broke through to victory last year, was competitive most places and discovered a talented driver.

[Crash Test]

Craig- I do believe Telefonica left F1, so Gene was pretty much out of a drive...what that means to their Champ Car budget is unknown, but the Champ Car budget would be much smaller than that of F1...

[craigmanning]

...yikes! Thanks Crash! That pertinent little piece of information slipped right past me! I only have a certain amount of logic in me, I hate to waste it!...

[Splatz]

Prost doesnt need money anymore since the team name was changed from "Prost", to "Diniz's Wallet". A livery is expected in mid to late January.

For those who have no idea what I just said, Pedro Diniz's family money is to support Prost Grand Prix.