Richards linked with Honda rescue

Eurosport - Tue, 23 Dec 13:47:00 2008

Prodrive chief David Richards is reported to have flown to the Middle East for talks regarding a possible deal to save the Honda Formula One team.

FORMULA 1 2007 David Richards Prodrive - 0

Richards was one of the first names mentioned as a possible saviour of the Brackley-based outfit when Honda revealed it was withdrawing from the sport, having failed with his own bid to bring Prodrive onto the grid this season.

According to Britain's Mail on Sunday newspaper, Richards flew to the Middle East on Friday night to begin talks with potential investors who have expressed interest in possibly getting involved in a rescue deal.

Richards already has strong links with the Middle East after selling a stake in Prodrive to the Kuwaiti investors The Investment Dar Company, and he said that a deal could be possible 'if the timing is right'.

"There are a group of people in the Middle East who want to support a Formula One entry for me and have been very specific about it for a year now," he said. "But we have to agree when the timing is right.

"When you sit down in the cold light of day and realise the liability you would be taking on, and the huge restructuring of staff and resources that will be needed, investors will have to think long and hard before taking a punt.

"You will have to bridge a big gap in finance, probably for three years, before balancing the accounts."

Richards added that he needed to be sure that a move into F1 wasn't too big a challenge in the current economic downturn, one which has already hit Prodrive after Subaru's withdrawal from the World Rally Championship.

"It [Subaru's withdrawal] affects about 20 per cent of our business, but we are financially sound and have a talented, nimble organisation with a strong automotive arm looking at future technologies," he said. "Sentiment and perception about the relevance of motorsport has changed in six weeks with the dramatic economic downturn.

"I have not ruled out getting back into Formula One, it's something I am very interested to do. "But the big question remains: Is it too big a challenge at this moment in time? That's what I need to determine."

Reuters

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  1. Hamilton 1 Massa 0. Looks good to me.

    From John W, on Wed 7 Jan 9:43AM

  2. bernard your a coc£ $ucker get a life you sad sad gimp

    From kellystyz, on Thu 25 Dec 9:03AM

  3. Bernard why dont you just admit to just being plain­ pathetic. Why dont us normal F1 fans just send bernard,­ marnio etc to Coventry and keep pressing the abuse­ button, then life would be better without him?

    From Glyn, on Tue 23 Dec 6:16PM

  4. bernard your a dik now shut up go away and get a life­ you pillock.

    From R M, on Tue 23 Dec 1:08PM

  5. TOYOTA NEXT TO GO ?

    From I TYSON, on Tue 23 Dec 10:14AM

  6. RICHARD H AN EXCELLENT POINT

    From I TYSON, on Tue 23 Dec 9:17AM

  7. Hey Bernard, I'm saying this even though I am a­ Ferrari fan and very much want Massa to win the title­ instead of Hamilton.

    The fact is this. There is no­ evidence of foul play. If there is one, FIA will be the­ first to bring the issue out.

    Glock was on the slick­ because he and the team gambled on not going into the­ pit and attempted to complete the final 5 laps with­ whatever he had. Unfortunately, the rain got heavier on­ the final lap. Yes, it was a miracle that he completed­ the race on slick especially the final lap. If he had­ pitted for wet tyre, he would probably be out of the­ top 8 and score no point. Now, their strategy helped­ him to score 3 championship points. Unfortunately, he­ became the effect of championship result.

    From ferraribeng, on Tue 23 Dec 8:18AM

  8. That's original bernard, we've only seen you­ cut and paste that one about a dozen times so far. Your­ life must be so boring.

    From GEORGE, on Tue 23 Dec 7:36AM

  9. Bernard, Hamilton won the title. GET OVER IT!­ Schumacher a lot of the time cheated his way to winning­ titles but got away with it. Ferrari manage to get away­ with murder every season but all the other teams get­ punished for the smallest things. I am not saying that­ mclaren are angels but Ferrari are the biggest­ hipocrits in F1.

    From Richard, on Tue 23 Dec 12:07AM

  10. i must admit after reading some of these posts Touron­ does have a point.
    Why did glok slow down so much in­ the last lap..
    Why was glok driving on the wet side of­ the track in the last few remaining bends allowing­ hamilton to take the inside DRY line to victory.­
    HHHmmmmmm.....seems a little suspicious to me...Can­ anyone enlighten me as to why Glok was on wet side of­ track in last few bends, considering he had slicks on­ and all
    Whats it all about..
    Why cant this question­ be answered especially by mclaren fans and especially­ by Doughnut Ray $%^&...
    Why has the evidence­ ie..the last lap of the brazilian GB especially the­ last few corners been removed from You Tube..
    Why do­ Mclaren fans keep running away from this question and­ the Truth..
    people keep saying wait till jeremey­ clarkson show..all will be revealed...
    i mean­ considering glok was on slick tyres why was he driving­ right in the wet line of the track on the last few­ corners..everyone keeps saying they are surprised he­ finished at all considering the conditions...Various­ posts state it was like an ice rink...
    So why was Glok­ driving in the WET on SLICKS on the WET LINE NOT/ THE­ DRY LINE on the last few bends....please tell im­ waiting and have been all Day and probably will be for­ a long time yet.­
    SHUYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY­
    77777777777777777777777777777777777777777777­
    TIMESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS­
    WORLDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD­
    CHAMPIONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
    LOVE­ ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT­
    RAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
    THIS­ RECORD WILL NEVER BE MATCHED!!!!!!!!!!!
    ps...for the­ record any driver who won the title this year was going­ to inherit a phoney crown After the season weve­ had,,,HOLD YOUR HEADS IN SHAME MCLAREN

    From , on Mon 22 Dec 10:56PM

  11. LEWIS WORLD CHAMP 2009 LOVE IT

    From I TYSON, on Mon 22 Dec 7:20PM

  12. If David Richards could throw a lifeline to the Honda­ team it would be great for both the team itself and the­ grid for next year. It would be sad to see them out of­ it after all the work they've put in.
    What the­ above story has to do with Timo Glock driving a wet­ track on dry tyres baffles me though. Give it a rest­ guys, Lewis Hamilton is the F1 Drivers Champion, you­ can't change that so get used to it and wish him­ good luck for the future.

    From GEORGE, on Mon 22 Dec 6:00PM

  13. jason, it amused me to hear the commentator saying­ 'he failed to help Massa' - no-one complaining­ about that, then !!!!!!!! Wot a larf !!

    From m.e.jenner, on Mon 22 Dec 3:18PM

  14. F1 is doom as long as Bernie and Max are running the­ show and if the teams don't do something about it­ or they will end up losing Sponsor as it was this year­ that some teams were not penalize while other were­ not.
    If Hondra couldn't make it in F1 which they­ had the largest budget so how can anyone make it as­ there are bias with some F1 teams...

    From Sonny, on Mon 22 Dec 3:06PM

  15. jason j: That youtube video CLEARLY shows Tim­ struggling and any normal person knows he did his bes.­ The thing is, you are not dealing with normal people.­ They are sad little tossers that just try and wind up.­ Just ignore their posts, don't thumbs down or­ anything. They'll just change their names and try­ again. Pathetic little missfits with sad little lives­ the lot of them.
    LEWIS HAMILTON - WORLD CHAMPION!

    From crispyduck, on Mon 22 Dec 2:14PM

  16. this really should stop
    watch this video on you tube .­ just type the following in

    p4LMm5PXVRU

    please tell me­ at what point glock is not trying and also being­ overtaken whilst on the wet part of the track.
    it is­ plain to see ham overtaking off line

    From jason j, on Mon 22 Dec 1:10PM

  17. My best friend Mary told me she met a handsome tall guy­ on --- Tallhub Co m --- where many tall singles how­ like sports there. I'm a tall girl, I have met my­ bf there. Single guys, can you also find your cute­ girls there?

    From Lorei L, on Mon 22 Dec 9:53AM

  18. stewart.howe1
    ...and lets not forget the "special­ treatment"
    Ignore Bernard. He's a wind-up.

    From Count Louis Zborowski, on Mon 22 Dec 9:14AM

  19. Oh Bernard give it a rest the only team who need to­ hold there heads in shame is that team in red who for­ some reason get a lot more money than any other team­ and have done for the last five seasons and chose not­ to make it general knowledge until Bernie the bolt spat­ his dummy out and let it be known to all.

    From stewart.howe1, on Mon 22 Dec 8:43AM

  20. marino, didn't I see this epistle a few months ago?­ How about some original content, I'm in mirth­ withdrawal at present. See what you can do, would you?­ I'm counting on you, don't let me down now.

    From floydp1947, on Mon 22 Dec 5:31AM
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