Ecclestone: Buyers interested in Honda

Eurosport - Sun, 07 Dec 15:44:00 2008

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has claimed several parties have shown interest in buying the Honda team, after their withdrawal from the sport due to financial reasons.

FORMULA 1 - Bernie Ecclestone, F1 bigwig - 0

"I think it's okay. I think there's a number of people out there that have shown a lot of interest," Ecclestone told Sky News.

Ecclestone, saying he knew of two separate enquiries, added that Honda's withdrawal was a wake-up call for the sport.

"Both Max [FIA head Mosley] and myself have been campaigning now for quite a long time to try to reduce the necessity to spend vast amounts of money to be competitive," he said.

"What we are trying to say to the engineers is 'do all these things, come up with the ideas but try to remember the cost'.

"When you consider that Honda have got 700 people working there to put two cars on the starting grid, it's a little bit cranky to be honest with you."

The head of Honda's Formula One team Nick Fry said he was hopeful a buyer would step in.

"We've had two or three global players contact us already who are interested in a top level team... I think there's good reason for hope for the future," he said.

"Formula One is up there with the Olympics and the World Cup in terms of global popularity and that's why there are so many huge companies involved because it is a global stage where they can present their products."

Fry recognised, however, that times were tough for the sport. "We've got to find a way of seeing ourselves through the next couple of years," he said.

"I sat with all the other team owners yesterday and we reduced the budgets for next year potentially by 50 million euros (£43.3 million), by cutting back developing, cutting back testing."

Fry said his team were well-placed for an improved performance next year and it would be a "massive disappointment" if they were not on the start line for the first race of the new season in Australia in March.

"We are very close. This year we really didn't work that hard on our car because we knew we had to invest next year and we wanted a top-line Ross Brawn-developed car for Jenson [Button] next year," he said.

"If that doesn't happen, that would be devastating for everyone involved but at this stage we are assuming it is going to happen."

Mosley said there would be plenty of potential buyers but only if the cost of competing could be controlled.

"We must get the costs down to the point where a potential purchaser can see that he can run the team without having to subsidise it with huge sums of money and then there has to be a source of an engine," he said.

"All of those conditions can be satisfied so I'm optimistic that it can be solved though I think it's by no means certain."

Former team boss Eddie Jordan was also confident there would be a buyer for the Northamptonshire-based team.

"I do believe that Honda will be snapped up," he said. "It's too good, it's a jewel in the crown.

"I think you have the basis of something that can be bought at a very, very discounted price for a huge advantage.

"These are the best facilities that you can ever imagine and to lose that to Formula One would be catastrophic."

Reuters

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  1. RAY T EASY EASY YOU IS EMBARSSING YOURSELF LOL...how­ old is you ...13

    From , on Sat 6 Dec 7:20PM

  2. LEWIS IS CHAMP CAN'T STOP CELIBRATING LOVE IT LONG­ LIVE THE KING

    From I TYSON, on Sat 6 Dec 7:16PM

  3. LWEIS IS CHAMP LOVE IT

    From I TYSON, on Sat 6 Dec 7:13PM

  4. LWEIS IS CHAMP LONG LIVE THE KING

    From I TYSON, on Sat 6 Dec 7:13PM

  5. mclaren are cheats along with hamilton No 1 will ever­ take them too seriosly, they tarnish the name of F1 un­ repairable now my hoes THE NAME OF F1 TOO TARNISHED it­ is a joke...

    From , on Sat 6 Dec 7:00PM

  6. MARION IF YOU KEEP CALLING PEOPLE CHEATS IT WON'T­ BE LONG BEFORE YOU ARE IN COURT, IF I WAS YOU GET A­ LIFE YOU UGLY @#$%

    From I TYSON, on Sat 6 Dec 6:47PM

  7. Marion for got to mention you are one ugly dude

    From I TYSON, on Sat 6 Dec 6:46PM

  8. MARION GET OVER IT LEWIS IS CHAMP LOVE IT !

    From I TYSON, on Sat 6 Dec 6:45PM

  9. Hows the barbie goin Mr bolam.

    From wizzo, on Sat 6 Dec 6:13PM

  10. hello my little f1 bum chums it marion here from peru.­
    mr hamiltons son say he stay with mclaren men for­ life. that nice for him but what do mclaren men say?­ you see mclaren is now german owned. the parent company­ is the mercedes benz which is the german. the engine is­ the german engine. everything about the team is the­ german. mr hamiltons son now the swiss gentleman he eat­ much cheese and sings in the morning at mountains. mr­ hamiltons father is also now the swiss man. in fact­ there nothing british about this team at all. even the­ man who tidy up the garage after the race has moved to­ switzerland with his mother. switzerland is owned by­ the german. my friends the whole team is GERMAN - and­ guess what - so is mr glock. now you see why the time­ stand still for mr glock on the last lap. like he in­ the time warp. not even the people abducted by the­ alien lose the amount of time he lost on that last lap.­ IT IS A DISGRACE!!!

    From , on Sat 6 Dec 6:09PM

  11. yu r a bunch of saddo @#$%!

    From D S, on Sat 6 Dec 5:52PM

  12. What is it with you saddos? Motor "Sport"?­ Dont think so

    From D S, on Sat 6 Dec 5:47PM

  13. The "Senna developed" NSX cannot be descriped­ as "being for old people", and neither can­ any Type R. Thats like saying all Fords were designed­ for "old people" and ignoring the Escort or­ Sierra Cosworth, or that Mitsubushi's are for­ farmers and ignoring the whole Evo range.

    From ginger_gitt, on Sat 6 Dec 4:19PM

  14. marino from peru you are an idiot to think Honda only­ design cars for ladies. what do you call the NTEGRA­ TYPE R that is a mans car plus the NSX sports car range­ they aren't for women you idiot. so for them to be­ in the F1 was awesome they where making progress. plus­ did you not ead what cooperman typed the mclaren engine­ is made in the United Kingdom.... you see BRITISH made­ but owned by GERMAN company will you just do some­ research before you spout such utter BULL @#$%.

    From steve, on Sat 6 Dec 3:17PM

  15. There seem to be a lot of sock puppets.

    Or maybe just­ 1 person with lots of profiles posting controversial­ comments just for a reaction.

    Best to deal with these­ by not reacting and feeding them.

    From Scottish C, on Sat 6 Dec 2:11PM

  16. All F 1 racing should be halted immediately for this­ financial crisis
    their money is being squandered

    From kontrol.climate, on Sat 6 Dec 1:58PM

  17. WELL DONE HONDA TO FACE REALITY

    LETS SEE SEVERAL­ OTHER TEAMS FOLLOW THEIR EXAMPLE QUICKLY

    From raymonda222, on Sat 6 Dec 1:48PM

  18. to darren --}{ 64 }{
    GERMAN COMPONENTS +++ GERMAN­ CASH FUNDING+++ GERMAN FINANCE ++ GERMAN SALES
    ++­ GERMAN MANAGEMENT+++ GERMAN SUPERVISION ++++ GERMAN­ ASSEMBLY STAFF

    of course its not german .!! ? ? ­ ??Ha Ha darren dream on Ha Ha

    From raymonda222, on Sat 6 Dec 1:46PM

  19. You guys crack me up - Marion is just having a laugh,­ and the fact you are getting all upset and indignant­ over what he writes is making him and the rest of us­ laugh even more.

    You really do need to get out a bit­ more and don't take things quite so seriously :)

    s

    From Stuart, on Sat 6 Dec 1:41PM

  20. get your facts right marnio the engines and car are­ designed and built in england so the only thing german­ is the name mercedes

    From 12, on Sat 6 Dec 12:39PM
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