Rumour - Renault team to become .... PRODRIVE!!!

razta · Post by **razta** » 03 Dec 2009, 10:45

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2009/12/r ... der-study/

finally! :lol:

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 03 Dec 2009, 11:14

I've said the same thing in another thread...

Ghosn made some uncomplimentary remarks about F1 recently, claiming that it was drifting out of relevance, with the challenge for car makers in the 21st century being all about ecology and sustainability. Renault recently launched four new electric models onto the market.

F1 needs to start thinking of cleaning up its act or it really will drift into irrelevance.

Yannick · Post by **Yannick** » 03 Dec 2009, 12:30

Dave Richards is no stranger at Enstone indeed.

danardif1 · Post by **danardif1** » 03 Dec 2009, 15:35

For all we know it is just a study at the moment, they might come back to Ghosn saying it would be better to rebrand as Nissan, or in fact carry on as Renault...

Prodrive-Renault would be a good outfit I feel, Richards is a good team manager and has long harboured his own F1 ambitions... His Benetton days will bring some familiarity to Enstone and if Renault continue to provide engines they would be well-powered in that department...

I can see a Prodrive outfit morphing into Aston Martin though, or a Hyundai/KIA Korean backed team if the identity of Richards Asian backers is Korean...

Post by **mario** » 03 Dec 2009, 17:26

Hmm, it is an interesting rumour, and one which is seemingly gathering momentum, especially given that Renault are just about to hold a meeting to decide what will happen to the team. For example, the article in Autosport:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80424

Thinking about it, it does seem like a feasible way for Renault to back out of F1 without having to pay compensation to FOM or FOTA for breaking the Concorde Agreement - selling the team off as a going concern means that they can wriggle free of the contracts, whilst recouping some of the initial investment. Meanwhile, they could possibly stay on as an engine manufacturer for 2010 to supply the Red Bull team, thus maintaining some presence in F1.
I expect that Mercedes would be privately backing the deal as well - they are looking to supply more teams, and Prodrive's initial proposal would have used a Mercedes engine.

Phoenix · Post by **Phoenix** » 03 Dec 2009, 18:59

First we have to see if Renault pulls out or not...

Captain Hammer · Post by **Captain Hammer** » 03 Dec 2009, 21:48

razta wrote:finally!

Careful - Prodrive might be a nice name to have on the grid, but they'd also be inheriting once of the worst teams of 2009. You run the risk of setting yourself up for serious disappointment in the same vein as Kamui Kobayashi if you expect too much of them.

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 03 Dec 2009, 22:03

Captain Hammer wrote:
razta wrote:finally!

Careful - Prodrive might be a nice name to have on the grid, but they'd also be inheriting once of the worst teams of 2009. You run the risk of setting yourself up for serious disappointment in the same vein as Kamui Kobayashi if you expect too much of them.

Come on, let's leave John Wayne-ashi out of it, shall we?

fjackdaw · Post by **fjackdaw** » 03 Dec 2009, 22:47

Captain Hammer wrote:
razta wrote:finally!

Careful - Prodrive might be a nice name to have on the grid, but they'd also be inheriting once of the worst teams of 2009. You run the risk of setting yourself up for serious disappointment in the same vein as Kamui Kobayashi if you expect too much of them.

So, here's the drinking game:

One for every time Kostas takes an unprompted pop at Button and one for every time the Captain takes an unprompted pop at KK. We'll all be dead by 2010.

It's F1 Rejects. We don't do "serious disappointment".

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 03 Dec 2009, 23:06

I'm up for it. Goodbye liver, we had a good run!

LionZoo · Post by **LionZoo** » 03 Dec 2009, 23:09

I'm up for it as well. I'm known as a bit of a wine snob so let me whip up something especially for F1Rejects.

The only problem I foresee is I don't think Captain Hammer is of age to legally drink. I don't want to get in trouble for that!

elho · Post by **elho** » 03 Dec 2009, 23:43

joe saward said in his blog they have a secondary plan:

It seems that there was a secondary plan to sell the team to Gravity Racing International, a team which has been running a Mosler MT900R sports car in GT racing. The team belongs to financier Gerard Lopez, who made his fortune as an early investor in the Internet phone company Skype. Lopez tried to buy the Sauber team last summer but failed to land the deal. The team is related to Gravity Sport Management, which manages a number of drivers, notably Ho Pin Tung, which no doubt explains why the Chinese driver has been seen testing for Renault.

http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2009/12/ ... t-renault/

fjackdaw · Post by **fjackdaw** » 04 Dec 2009, 00:00

LionZoo wrote:I'm up for it as well. I'm known as a bit of a wine snob so let me whip up something especially for F1Rejects.

The only problem I foresee is I don't think Captain Hammer is of age to legally drink. I don't want to get in trouble for that!

Yikes, that could prove controversial!

Captain Hammer · Post by **Captain Hammer** » 04 Dec 2009, 00:33

LionZoo wrote:The only problem I foresee is I don't think Captain Hammer is of age to legally drink. I don't want to get in trouble for that!

I'm twenty-three and have spent the better part of two years hanging out with a group of Moldovans. I'm ready. I can drink more than you can physically survive.

elho wrote:joe saward said in his blog they have a secondary plan:
It seems that there was a secondary plan to sell the team to Gravity Racing International, a team which has been running a Mosler MT900R sports car in GT racing. The team belongs to financier Gerard Lopez, who made his fortune as an early investor in the Internet phone company Skype. Lopez tried to buy the Sauber team last summer but failed to land the deal. The team is related to Gravity Sport Management, which manages a number of drivers, notably Ho Pin Tung, which no doubt explains why the Chinese driver has been seen testing for Renault.

http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2009/12/ ... t-renault/

I've heard the suggestion that Lopez nd Gravity will actually bankoll Prodrive's efforts.

Enforcer · Post by **Enforcer** » 04 Dec 2009, 01:50

Unless there are Czechs on the board, I should win any drinking game.

Czech Republic is apparently the only country that consumes more alcohol per head than Ireland.

DonTirri · Post by **DonTirri** » 04 Dec 2009, 02:34

Enforcer wrote:Unless there are Czechs on the board, I should win any drinking game.

Czech Republic is apparently the only country that consumes more alcohol per head than Ireland.

As a Finn, I strongly contest that point.

Well okay, in quantity maybe. But its the quality where the trick lies mate. drinking two liters of Koskenkorva is like drinking 20 liters of any Irish lager.

Even an Irishman would find himself under a table against a Finn if the contest was contested under Finnish rules!

thehemogoblin · Post by **thehemogoblin** » 04 Dec 2009, 06:13

I'm German, I can handle this.

fjackdaw · Post by **fjackdaw** » 04 Dec 2009, 10:54

Enforcer wrote:Unless there are Czechs on the board, I should win any drinking game.

Czech Republic is apparently the only country that consumes more alcohol per head than Ireland.

I heard it was Finland, then Britain. Trust me, the British can really drink these days, and die at a younger age too.

Collieafc · Post by **Collieafc** » 04 Dec 2009, 12:28

fjackdaw wrote:
Enforcer wrote:Unless there are Czechs on the board, I should win any drinking game.

Czech Republic is apparently the only country that consumes more alcohol per head than Ireland.

I heard it was Finland, then Britain. Trust me, the British can really drink these days, and die at a younger age too.

Especially up here in Scotland. Where its cheaper to buy alcohol than it is water in some places

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 04 Dec 2009, 12:44

Do not ever underestimate belgians when it comes to drinking :twisted:

We're used to lots of tricky but tasty beers here (we have like more than 500 sorts in our small country)
we might lose out with wodka or whiskey, but in the beer category, the belgians would undoubtedly win!
And i've heard from some friends' experiences that the englishmen can't handle our special rare beers

wasn't this actually a formula one forum?

Fitch · Post by **Fitch** » 04 Dec 2009, 13:28

Yes, Gravity is providing Backing for Prodrive, allegedly.....

Prodrive is playing down the Rumors, meanwhile, His Bernard-ness is all but confirming them........

Oh also.....Speculation is that They will Run Ho-Ping Tun AND Jacques Villeneuve together......

I'm calling it now.......2010 Prodrive-Renault JV and HPT

*Ducks as the Forums has a collective Forum-Gasm over HPT and then shits themselves over JV*

Yannick · Post by **Yannick** » 04 Dec 2009, 14:03

I highly doubt that Dave Richards would even consider running Jacques Villeneuve in F1 again. Other sources say that Prodrive and Gravity have placed seperate bids for the Enstone squad.

fjackdaw · Post by **fjackdaw** » 04 Dec 2009, 14:21

This wrote:Do not ever underestimate belgians when it comes to drinking
We're used to lots of tricky but tasty beers here (we have like more than 500 sorts in our small country)
we might lose out with wodka or whiskey, but in the beer category, the belgians would undoubtedly win!
And i've heard from some friends' experiences that the englishmen can't handle our special rare beers

Yeah... but only cos they taste funny.

Seriously, though, we're used to flavourless beers like Fosters and Carlsberg here... I was in Brussels earlier in the year and couldn't manage more than one cherry-flavoured beer, it was really heavy going. Nice, but I couldn't cope with more than one.

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 04 Dec 2009, 16:34

Collieafc wrote:
fjackdaw wrote:
Enforcer wrote:Unless there are Czechs on the board, I should win any drinking game.

Czech Republic is apparently the only country that consumes more alcohol per head than Ireland.

I heard it was Finland, then Britain. Trust me, the British can really drink these days, and die at a younger age too.

Especially up here in Scotland. Where its cheaper to buy alcohol than it is water in some places

This is the reason I can guarantee myself the win - by default.
While everyone else runs out of money killing their liver off bit by bit, I still have plenty of cash for booze to keep the game going.

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 04 Dec 2009, 17:14

fjackdaw wrote:
This wrote:Do not ever underestimate belgians when it comes to drinking
We're used to lots of tricky but tasty beers here (we have like more than 500 sorts in our small country)
we might lose out with wodka or whiskey, but in the beer category, the belgians would undoubtedly win!
And i've heard from some friends' experiences that the englishmen can't handle our special rare beers

Yeah... but only cos they taste funny.

Seriously, though, we're used to flavourless beers like Fosters and Carlsberg here... I was in Brussels earlier in the year and couldn't manage more than one cherry-flavoured beer, it was really heavy going. Nice, but I couldn't cope with more than one.

i mean our beers from 9° up to 13°alcohol, try drinking them fast..., not those fruit beers

but those are nice to get women drunk, wich could be very usefull

but to get back on topic, gravity supported d'ambrosio at DAMS in GP2, and what was his teammate there? KOBAYASHI 8-)

Collieafc · Post by **Collieafc** » 04 Dec 2009, 17:15

Yannick wrote:I highly doubt that Dave Richards would even consider running Jacques Villeneuve in F1 again. Other sources say that Prodrive and Gravity have placed seperate bids for the Enstone squad.

I dont thing they got along either. It would be like Putting JV and MS in the same team...

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 04 Dec 2009, 17:25

This wrote:
fjackdaw wrote:
This wrote:Do not ever underestimate belgians when it comes to drinking
We're used to lots of tricky but tasty beers here (we have like more than 500 sorts in our small country)
we might lose out with wodka or whiskey, but in the beer category, the belgians would undoubtedly win!
And i've heard from some friends' experiences that the englishmen can't handle our special rare beers

Yeah... but only cos they taste funny.

Seriously, though, we're used to flavourless beers like Fosters and Carlsberg here... I was in Brussels earlier in the year and couldn't manage more than one cherry-flavoured beer, it was really heavy going. Nice, but I couldn't cope with more than one.

i mean our beers from 9° up to 13°alcohol, try drinking them fast..., not those fruit beers but those are nice to get women drunk, wich could be very usefull

I think that a Scottish beer got banned from sale this week for being over 30%...

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 04 Dec 2009, 17:30

30°? damn

that's allmost as much as my absinth i have from 85°

But less heavier drinks are more tricky, because you don't feel it immediatly.

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 04 Dec 2009, 17:41

I feel left out.

Not that illegality stops most of my peers from drinking.

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 04 Dec 2009, 17:51

Well, if there were ever to be a rejects forum meet, you need to be the responsible one because you can't drink...
That is an honourable task!

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 04 Dec 2009, 17:54

To be honest, I don't drink at 27 years old. But there is one thing I can do legally that Shinji can't - drive! Anybody need a lift home?

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 04 Dec 2009, 17:55

This wrote:Well, if there were ever to be a rejects forum meet, you need to be the responsible one because you can't drink...
That is an honourable task!

Me? Responsible one? Well I suppose I do tend to be the one responsible when a thread goes completely off topic.

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 04 Dec 2009, 17:56

well, you can't say i didn't try...
but i guess no one takes me seriously

dr-baker wrote:To be honest, I don't drink at 27 years old. But there is one thing I can do legally that Shinji can't - drive! Anybody need a lift home?

so you think i can't drunk when i'm drive?

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 04 Dec 2009, 18:03

shinji wrote:I feel left out.

Not that illegality stops most of my peers from drinking.

Or in my case...

Not that illegality stops me from drinking :lol:

thehemogoblin · Post by **thehemogoblin** » 04 Dec 2009, 18:37

shinji wrote:I feel left out.

Not that illegality stops most of my peers from drinking.

It never stopped me.

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 04 Dec 2009, 19:12

thehemogoblin wrote:
shinji wrote:I feel left out.

Not that illegality stops most of my peers from drinking.

It never stopped me.

I heard recently of a 'free gaff', where there was drink. Fair enough, but when you realise the drink was vodka and laxatives, then you realise that teenage drinking is completely ridiculous, if hilarious to the outsider.

thehemogoblin · Post by **thehemogoblin** » 04 Dec 2009, 19:34

shinji wrote:
thehemogoblin wrote:
shinji wrote:I feel left out.

Not that illegality stops most of my peers from drinking.

It never stopped me.

I heard recently of a 'free gaff', where there was drink. Fair enough, but when you realise the drink was vodka and laxatives, then you realise that teenage drinking is completely ridiculous, if hilarious to the outsider.

I generally don't drink it unless a) I bought it myself and I'm opening the bottle/can, or b) the hosts are drinking from the same stuff.

Phoenix · Post by **Phoenix** » 04 Dec 2009, 20:09

A colective binge? When, what and where?

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 04 Dec 2009, 20:19

Phoenix wrote:A colective binge? When, what and where?

Here

Phoenix · Post by **Phoenix** » 04 Dec 2009, 20:24

shinji wrote:
Phoenix wrote:A colective binge? When, what and where?

Here

Sounds cheesy...