(from autosport) Scuderia Toro Rosso have been put up for sale, with joint owner Dietrich Mateschitz wanting a new buyer to be in place by the end of next season. The Italian outfit have been surrounded by speculation for months that Mateschitz and fellow shareholder Gerhard Berger were looking at selling the team - although each time this was denied by those involved. However, with the new Concorde Agreement meaning that customer cars will be outlawed from the start of 2010, Mateschitz has said there is no way he can continue operating his junior team. And in the wake of a points-scoring performance in last weekend's Australian Grand Prix, the Austrian has told the website of Swiss publication Motorsport Aktuell that he plans to sell it. "It is not a big secret that we have put Toro Rosso on the market," he said in the exclusive interview. "For the start of 2010 there will be a rule change and there will be no more synergy regarding design and construction of cars between Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso. "There I see the necessity that we continue with one team only. We will not sell Toro Rosso during the 2008 season, but it will be before 2010." Speculation about a plan to sell Toro Rosso emerged in Melbourne last weekend when Russian businessman Roustam Tariko was a notable guest of Berger. Tariko was linked with a bid by Eddie Irvine several years ago to buy an F1 team. Another name who has been linked with a bid to buy Toro Rosso is Tony Teixeira, the A1GP chairman. Mateschitz has drawn short of saying who he is talking to about the sale, but made it clear that he would only sell a quality buyer. "We will only sell the team if it is put into safe hands," he said. Toro Rosso was formed at the start of 2006, after Mateschitz bought the team off Minardi boss Paul Stoddart.
There's permanent rumour that with Porsche having bought VW, Audi will retreat from Le Mans to let Porsche return to their territory and enter F1 instead... this might be their chance
Let me hunt my Rolodex for Paul Stoddart's new number - I am pretty sure he could do for them what he has done for Minardi...
I here that our own Ron Paul might be interested in giving it a go, as it already has Ferrari engines, and he can bring F. Massa to be the undisputed Number One Driver giving Vettel to move over to Ferrari. What do you say Ron?
What exactly changed in the rules to preclude customer cars? I know it was a hot issue for Williams and a few others but I thought Bernie had given a pass to Toyota and RBR this time around... so did they finally capitulate to pressure and put a stop to the circuitious practice of sub-companies and all that BS? Sort of screws Dave Richards, eh? Then again, maybe Richards is a buyer for STR?
If they do go into F1 it makes no sense for them to use the Audi brand for that effort. For all the success Audi has had at Le Mans, Daytona etc. it really hasn't translated into sales of their road cars. Audi really doesn't have a history in F1 (not counting Auto Union which was pre-war). Porsche has somewhat of a history in F1 to justify branding the cars as Porsche. But the smart move if they do go into F1 is to brand it as a Lamborghini. Lamborghini does have a recent short history in F1, it is a more prestigous brand than either Audi or Porsche. And if they are successful, it would drive Ferrari nuts. Which will translate into sales.
IIRC, the basic thought is to avoid a clash between Audi and Porsche, owned by / owning VW, in sportscar racing. As Porsche has a very very strong history there and is successful with the RS Spyder, Audi would have to focus on another series. Ferdinand Piech, who as a Porsche family member still has a lot of power although he isn't VW CEO anymore, always dreamt of a F1 team, so this would be the most natural (and most prestigeous) alternative. Still only rumours, just quoting what the automotive press says.
I would also love to see Porsche take STR up on this deal, but Audi/VW would also be great. Like you said, as long as it's a factory team. It seems as though this might be the only realistic way, especially looking back at how the McLaren deal fell through last year.
Maserati and Ferrari back in F1 together, certainly a very interesting proposition. Plus, the FIA wouldn't get to mad if someone made the walk from Modena to Maranello for some help.
That would actually be quite spectacular (and would likely get Massa out at Ferrari -a win win!). I'd love to see what Todt could do unleashed... but I don't think he has the $$$ to pull it off, so more likely he may get a crack at team boss at another backer's team.
I rather see him retire. He's been in F1 for so long and has stated several times that he doesn't want to be a team manager anymore (-> the reason why he stepped back from the Ferrari F1 team and became CEO)
You mean FORMER CEO, right? I wonder if that was as true as we thought - given the recent news that he's out as CEO too. Maybe being out at the scuderia was just the first step? We will probably never know... the poor lil' frog!
I said BECAME CEO, that does not imply that he still is Yes, read the news. As said in another thread, I expected him to work as CEO for a couple of years. Not sure if his announcment to step back is completely volountary.
