http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_4890654,00.html Mercedes-Benz's participation in Formula One recently came close to being scrapped in a management board vote, according to reports in Germany. With the world gripped in an economic crisis, Formula One has already lost one of its manufacturer outfits with Honda announcing their withdrawal from the sport at the end of last season. The team, though, has been put up for sale and although Honda Racing CEO Nick Fry mentioned at the beginning of January that he had at least 30 prospective buyers, the Honda team has yet to be sold. Honda's demise has already raised some doubts about F1's other manufacturers with reports in German publication Focus claiming that the management board of Mercedes-Benz recently put their F1 participation up for a vote. And the results are somewhat worrying with the continuation of their partnership with McLaren only surviving by three votes to two. However, Mercedes-Benz isn't the only manufacturer whose F1 program is in doubt as the publication also reports that BMW are considering their involvement. Focus reports that should BMW achieve their goal of winning the F1 World Champion the German outfit may opt out of F1 in the aftermath. Hambone almost became a roadie for his girl friends band
Interesting concept. If Merc did drop out of F1, I wonder who would grab Hambone this late in the season and who would get canned?
Hmmm purely hypotheticals. I'm thinking Heidfeld would get the boot at BMW. Ferrari isn't ready to dump Kimi yet until Alonso is here in 2010, Renault wouldn't want the ex-Mclaren teamates together again, and Hammy doesn't have to take a DC-style low-end seat just to stay in.
Maybe he would drive for Prodrive after they bought them. This seems to conflict the original: McLarens partner Mercedes-Benz has rubbished reports suggesting its Formula 1 future had been on a knife-edge during a recent board meeting of its parent company Daimler. A story in German magazine Focus claimed that Daimler chief executive Dieter Zetsche had called a vote of the management board to decide whether it would continue Mercedes involvement in F1 and that the result went only narrowly in favour by three votes to two. But after reports of the supposed vote spread on the internet on Monday, Mercedes has now set the record straight and reaffirmed its commitment to the sport. "There was no voting by the Daimler board of management concerning Formula 1, a Mercedes spokesperson told itv.com/f1. Apart from this it is correct that we continue our commitment." The future of Formula 1s five remaining manufacturer-owned teams has been under close scrutiny since Honda shocked the sport by pulling the plug on its F1 operation last December due to the dire consequences of the recession on its core road car business. Mercedes, whose current F1 involvement dates back to 1993, had not been considered one of the more likely carmakers to quit and duly committed its future to the sport shortly after the Honda announcement. The German manufacturer has been McLaren's engine partner since 1995 and is the Woking squads largest shareholder, owning 40% of the team.
The other side, of course, is that Mercedes =/= McLaren. McLaren would likely continue in the series, and with all the engineering already done for the frozen engine they would likely simply rebadge the motor. However, McLaren doesn't, I believe, have the resources to stay competitive long term without an engine partner. McLaren-Toyota?
Ermm I don't see it as a concern as yet but anything is possible. Mclaren's MP4-24 was 10 months into the making, and the Woking team are also two months into designing their 2010 car...
Honda did not have any major sponsors to keep them in the game, nor any success. Mclaren just won a world championship and has major financial backers.
Now one of the largest teams is considering dropping out of F1, something needs to be done fast to keep F1 from collapsing.
Lets see, Bernie is checking out more supermodels that are young enough to be his daughters daughters, and Max is in his basement doing who knows what.
Imploding may be more like it. Depending on what emerges from the ashes it may be the best way to purge the sport of the Maxes and the Bernies. Can anyone support the argument that the huge influx of money has helped the sport in the long run?
Rufus (it's his middle name) is role-playing with strippers and Bernard is counting the billions he has made off the sport. WONDERFUL!!!!! Bernie isn't part of the FIA, but you get the point.
