Walkinshaw to Head Holden Motorsport

[Grimace]

What a mixture -

Skaife and Grech (both strong willed people) answering to Uncle Tom -

another strong character-

whats going to happen????

[Raglanparade]

Skaife will fire Grech and then drive even more poorly then he has this season so that it makes Tom look bad and he gets his contract terminated early ??

[Harves]

Spot on GTR, I'm sure the UK is the same as here, if you go broke you aren't allowed to earn a living.
My question is, couldn't Holden have found some home grown talent?

I think Snappy was great in his day and I was lucky enough to visit Kidlington when it was at full strength BUT I think his "my way or the highway" attitude will catch up with him down here.

[Just Do It!]

Sorry for posting virtually the same thing twice, but my Internet Explorer doesn't seem to like the new 10-10ths on occasion and closes down when I post. For some strange reason, it takes a while for me to be able to see whether a post has been registered...
Oooopsk!

[Falcadore]

Originally Posted by jasonhill9884

I think Tom's business expertise (however tarnished from the Arrows fiasco) should help Holden Motorsport.

As far as i remember, the Arrows saga began at the start of 2002 when they took on board Cosworth Engines and lost a sponsor (Red Bull from memory).. i think Pedro DeLaRosa took Red Bull to Jaguar with him when he swapped from Arrows to Jaguar at the end of 2001. During 2002 they had Frenzten (who was not a pay driver), and Bernoldi who was. Bernoldi's money was not enough to pay the increased engine bill at Arrows and Tom had to fork a couple of Million out of his own pocket just to race at the 2002 British GP.

To put it simply, the team folded because of overpriced underperforming cosworth engines, and the fact that the team was lacking sponsorship (only one pay driver)

I think Walkinshaw has international racing business experience which will help Holden grow with Tony Cochranes plan to take the series to every corner of the Globe.

Tarnished is one way of putting it. The judge at his bankruptcy hearing absolutely savaged Walkinshaw's business practices.

There is a thread at AtlasF1 that says more about the former TWR situation than I could. It prompted vigourous debate briefly...

http://forums.atlasf1.com/showthread...=&pagenumber=1

[Formula 5000]

So if Tom (let's all agree to do it my way) takes over how does this effect the tense relationship between him and Mr Borrett?

[GTRMagic]

I think it would be very interesting to see how that would work... I presume its Mr Mooney's decision in the end, whether to support a longstanding Holden employee who has done a load of work around the GM world and has a strong reputation (and Bathurst success in the 24hr, as well as winning Bathurst, and finishing strongly in the series) or a bloke whose previous attraction was that he had all this technology and staff and knowledge in other parts, and now has none of it....

Are there other engineering consultancies around the world who could offer what TWR did? Probably... would they offer more than TW can offer right now.. I would say so...

My question is why Holden extended the HSV deal with TW for another 10 years when there were these issues in the background...

[Raglanparade]

Because Holden has a history of making fatal mistakes when it comes to Motorsport

[cavvy]

Originally Posted by rdmdog

If he is that good, how come the car he couldnt make 30 laps at the Mount, won the race two years later under Aussie inginuity instead of Euro ideas??????

And remind me how he did in his Aussie racing exploits as a driver??

Those comments are dog ....

You could aim that comment at anyone ..... compare Walkinshaws achievements in engineering terms with anyone including Bathurst or the BTCC or Le Mans or sports cars for Porsche.

Same applies to his driving exploits.

Take your blinkers off dog !!!

[cavvy]

Originally Posted by Harves

Spot on GTR, I'm sure the UK is the same as here, if you go broke you aren't allowed to earn a living

Thank God we are a tad advanced on this thinking ..... eating is not an option, even a bankrupt ( is Tom ?) is entitled to a job, which HMS have given to Snappy Tom.

P.S Holden would be better aware of what happened to the TWR empire than any of the correspondents to this forum, better informed on what the job requires & they chose .....

[rdmdog]

Originally Posted by cavvy

compare Walkinshaws achievements in engineering terms with anyone

Take your blinkers off dog !!!

I thought I was comparing his engineering at Bathurst (1988) to the same car at the same place two years later, without the euro engineering ideas (rear suspension arms made from spaghetti), and with a remarkably better result!!

Sorry if the truth is offending!

Who are you going to blame the collapse on?

[cavvy]

Very selective stuff dog - driving, engineering, business management - seems you have one point of view on all.

The Arrows business from what I've read is certainly Walkinshaws fault, but whether that is 100% I'm not sure. The judge was certainly damning.

How many teams have had problems at Bathurst, TWR amongst others - podiums: TWR amongst others.

Remember the problems Gossy had with his Jag until Walkinshaw fronted - was his expertise: driving or engineering.

That Holden knows more than I do is a fact, perhaps you are better placed to judge all aspects in which case Holden are wrong.

[cavvy]

Originally Posted by Just Do It!

I have never considered myself part of the thought police, more just a reasonably clear and rational thinker.


..... he has to "vanish" to Australia to seek employment.


But no, he has chosen to earn a dollar, rather than a quid. You have to wonder, really, Gossy aside, aye Cavvy

Invoking cultural cringe is an interesting approach.

[Just Do It!]

No cultural cringe intended to be invoked or otherwise, Cavvy.

All I was trying to do was to compare Australia with other possible alternatives and wonder why? I mean it doesn't add up, but then neither did the Arrows/TWR books I guess...

[Harves]

Thank God we are a tad advanced on this thinking ..... eating is not an option, even a bankrupt ( is Tom ?) is entitled to a job, which HMS have given to Snappy Tom.

cavvy don't be so black and white, it was and cheek and if Snappy is bankrupt, in this country his salary will be 49k.