"FPR saved from oblivion in shock sale" - Speedcafe

[peckstar]

new owners at FPR after prodrive Sell

[Mixer]

Ooo that is fairly big news. One wonders whether the hefty Ford/FPR subsidy can continue, and whether FPR will have to find real sponsorship dollars akin to the other big teams or continue to do knock-down sponsorship deals.

[mspence]

Hmmmm.

Rats? Ship?

[peckstar]

my mistake, i was only young at the time, but i had always assumed John French the 1981 bathurst winner was also Rusty French, just assumed it was a nickname.

Still its interesting that at a time Jim Stone is retiring (i assume he is somehwre around 70 (give or take 5) and LP who is only early 60's, that rusty is experimenting with team ownership

[STEALTHY]

I wonder if Rusty French knows how to quote on a forum.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by STEALTHY

I wonder if Rusty French knows how to quote on a forum.

or even follow a discusion.

[Oldtony]

Watch it young fellas. You are getting ageist.
Us 75+ people must object.

[Downoz]

Originally Posted by peckstar

or even follow a discusion.

Dont take this to heart peckstar, at least us oldies know the difference between John French and Rusty French.

Hang a moment I am not old, it is just the mileage.

[cavvy]

Originally Posted by peckstar

my mistake, i was only young at the time, but i had always assumed John French the 1981 bathurst winner was also Rusty French, just assumed it was a nickname.

Still its interesting that at a time Jim Stone is retiring (i assume he is somehwre around 70 (give or take 5) and LP who is only early 60's, that rusty is experimenting with team ownership

Rusty doesnt suffer fools lightly.

Here is a link that gives a bit of background:
http://www.motorsportretro.com/2012/...porsche-93580/

[Gaz170]

Is this the end for Ford in V8 Supercars now?

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by Gaz170

Is this the end for Ford in V8 Supercars now?

I dont think we can read anything into this regarding Ford and their involvement.

Prodrive had already sold out of FPV, this was the natural next step for them.

But with Falcon sales the way they are, you have to wonder about Fords future involvment (just in my opinion no more that what we already were)

On a psoitive side put another team back in Aussie hands

[bluesport]

Originally Posted by Gaz170

Is this the end for Ford in V8 Supercars now?

Yes........eventually they will wake up to the fact that sooner or later they have to actually win something and not just make up numbers on the grid........winning is now going to be even less likely than it was before and once T8 get a feel for the CoTF Ford will be wasting their time (and dollars) in supercars.

[RedZedMikey]

Originally Posted by bluesport

Yes........eventually they will wake up to the fact that sooner or later they have to actually win something and not just make up numbers on the grid........winning is now going to be even less likely than it was before and once T8 get a feel for the CoTF Ford will be wasting their time (and dollars) in supercars.

That's a glass half empty view bluesport! I'd prefer to wait and see what 2013 brings in terms of results first. And for those thinking that if Ford exit manufacturing in Australia means the end of Ford in V8SC - why??? They will still be in the Oz marketplace, and CoTF will allow them to have a presence on the grid, even if the showroom is full of V6's or fwd's. Refer Nissan for example.

And as Erebus/Merc/AMG has shown, the manufacturer does not necessarily have to commit $$$. If there is a team owner with blue blood prepared to make a go of it in this potentially bleak future, all Ford have to do is support the concept by allowing the body shape and Ford name to be used. Ford dollars would help of course ... as would a TV announcement ... SOON PLEASE!

[Umai Naa]

This recent restructuring within Ford, may well see a resurgence in Falcon sales.

Meanwhile, the buzzards continue to circle over DJR.

[Chris - Melb]

It is the Ford Motor Company, not Falcon Motor Company. Falcon manufacturing figures are not relevant.

How many Altimas did Nissan manufacture in Australia last year? Zero.

How many vehicles did Nissan manufacture in Australia last year? Zero.

How many Altimas did they sell in Australia last year? Zero.

How many Altimas will they sell this year? Probably not a lot.

Ford has raced Falcons forever, but it could choose any model to race with to represent the brand. Holden have chosen various models including Monaro, Torana and Commodore.

My guess though is Ford will stick with Falcon/FPV, considering they took over FPV when they could have just as easily killed it off.

Granted, they will never again sponsor half the grid like they once did, but there is no reason they can’t have some involvement. I don’t think they can afford not to, even if they are probably going to be bleeding red (should I say blue?) financially to some extent for a time.

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by bluesport

Yes........eventually they will wake up to the fact that sooner or later they have to actually win something and not just make up numbers on the grid........winning is now going to be even less likely than it was before and once T8 get a feel for the CoTF Ford will be wasting their time (and dollars) in supercars.

Or.......they could just be weak little surrender monkeys & simply give up which seems to be your suggested strategy.

Fords have won races this year & had a strong period right after a period of HRT domination - no reason for it not to happen again if they apply themselves.

To simply give up coz it's hard would be pathetic.

[bluesport]

Originally Posted by Tourer

Or.......they could just be weak little surrender monkeys & simply give up which seems to be your suggested strategy.

Fords have won races this year & had a strong period right after a period of HRT domination - no reason for it not to happen again if they apply themselves.

To simply give up coz it's hard would be pathetic.

The strong period after the HRT domination was created by Geoff Polites and Howard Marsden, they are both gone and the new management don't seem to show a lot of interest. Reality suggests that Ford are wasting their time in this category, they haven't won the championship for two years or Bathurst for three years and things don't look too bright for the future with reports that they will cease manufacturing in Aust in 2016. Why pour millions more dead money into a bottomless pit when they are intending to "get out of town" anyway?

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by bluesport

The strong period after the HRT domination was created by Geoff Polites and Howard Marsden, they are both gone and the new management don't seem to show a lot of interest. Reality suggests that Ford are wasting their time in this category, they haven't won the championship for two years or Bathurst for three years and things don't look too bright for the future with reports that they will cease manufacturing in Aust in 2016. Why pour millions more dead money into a bottomless pit when they are intending to "get out of town" anyway?

I guess that my point of view is that both Howard & Geoff were internal Ford employees (sort of in Howard's case) with drive, vision & commitment. It is in Ford's hands to do the same thing with similar people today - nothing is stopping them - they can develop the solution themselves.

Granted, with the recent parade of dweebs in the racing manager role it does look unlikely but if Ford show commitment & use the right people, they are competing in a parity based series & anything is possible.

[bluesport]

I just can't see any value in private Ford teams that eternally run around at the back of the grid while the T8 juggernaut sweeps all before it.......it's a different case with Nissan because Nissan WANTS to be there, but we don't hear a peep out of Ford.

[Chris - Melb]

Originally Posted by bluesport

I just can't see any value in private Ford teams that eternally run around at the back of the grid while the T8 juggernaut sweeps all before it.......it's a different case with Nissan because Nissan WANTS to be there, but we don't hear a peep out of Ford.

Where is your logic? A ‘privately’ run team won last year - T8!

If anything I see the change of ownership as a potential plus for FPR as the guy/s who owns the show will be on the shop floor far more often. I reckon that is one of the reasons T8 do so well.

Ford don’t want to put off buyers who think V8 Supercar racing is just for moron petrol heads (plenty do think that), so they don’t go shouting their involvement from the rooftops.

[bluesport]

Originally Posted by Chris - Melb

Where is your logic? A ‘privately’ run team won last year - T8!

If anything I see the change of ownership as a potential plus for FPR as the guy/s who owns the show will be on the shop floor far more often. I reckon that is one of the reasons T8 do so well.

Ford don’t want to put off buyers who think V8 Supercar racing is just for moron petrol heads (plenty do think that), so they don’t go shouting their involvement from the rooftops.

Australian owned teams (SBR, KR, GRM, BJR etc) have really been struggling trying to mix it with T8. FPR was the best of the rest but now it is going Aussie........will they have the knowledge and resources that T8 seem to have?

[Mixer]

Originally Posted by bluesport

Australian owned teams (SBR, KR, GRM, BJR etc) have really been struggling trying to mix it with T8. FPR was the best of the rest but now it is going Aussie........will they have the knowledge and resources that T8 seem to have?

Question would have to be how much overseas input has their been recently, and was it ever a success?

[GTRMagic]

$8m for FPR??

.... according to Mr Fogarty...

Presumably, if of course the noise & whispers out of Campbellfield is correct, that an extended deal with Ford came as part of the departure arrangements with Prodrive, that this might be a pretty good deal....

We shall see

[Umai Naa]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

$8m for FPR??

.... according to Mr Fogarty...

Presumably, if of course the noise & whispers out of Campbellfield is correct, that an extended deal with Ford came as part of the departure arrangements with Prodrive, that this might be a pretty good deal....

We shall see

Sounds like Mr Nash and Mr French got themselves a bargain. All that gear in the fab shop, at least 4 COTF chassis, 2 or 3 V8SC chassis, a very good engineering team, plus I'm assuming the two RECs, and of course an alleged multi-year extension of the Ford deal.

Honestly, who knows what sort of politicking was going on with Prodrive running the show? Perhaps this is the way forward. We might even see 4 front-running cars, instead of two, plus two cash cows.

[Chris - Melb]

Originally Posted by Umai Naa

Honestly, who knows what sort of politicking was going on with Prodrive running the show? Perhaps this is the way forward. We might even see 4 front-running cars, instead of two, plus two cash cows.

From the outside I don't think there has been too much wrong with the way they have been going over the last year or so. But there is nothing quite like having the boss (who is paying the bills) on the factory floor to keep people on their toes.