i thought he sold out the stores to zavvi who did indeed close shops and have problems etc. Branson has a knack for getting in and out at the right time. i doubt he has a "lack of cash"
Love to see the ferret ante up for a backmarker team instead of nice old Richard. Maybe he should ink a deal based on Bernie's success with the team after their first three outings. Even if the collective talents of Stewart Clark-Moss and Juan da Rodriguez Senna were available as teammates for the WeaselVirgin F1 , I'm guessing five DNFs and a 0% chance of making it out of the first qualifying session. Enticing.
Read an interview with him in German magazine "Stern": He did sell the Virgin stores some time ago, but not because he needed the cash but because with iTunes etc, he didn't trust the old music business anymore and, quote, "didn't want to be linked with a business not making profit". Well, at least that's what he said...
Dick Branson was on interviewed on BBC news this morning, talking mainly about his 25 years with Virgin Atlantic Airways, However when asked about Honda he said if F1 were to use greener fuels, were to become more cost effective for the Virgin brand he might be interested. So either he wasn't giving much away and is playing it down, or he just isn't that bothered..
Thanks for setting the record (pun intended) straight. I do feel however that F1 could become profitable for a small team now. The cust cotting efforts are reducing budgets (allegedly by 30%) and people have done it in the past (Peter Sauber, Stoddart, Ecclestone): Not to win victories, but to simply make money. It is probably still dicey and if your heart isn't in it, but you do it solely for $, there are probably better investments. Plus as Branson points out, he does walk on thin ecologic ice with his airlines already, so he doesn't want to add another polluter to advertise for his fuel guzzling jets. I could see him jump into F1 if F1 became an engineering testbed for alternative fuels and ecological technologies. But that is not (yet) where it is headed at this moment. Which is perfectly fine by me btw. I like my racing adulterated by lots of octanes.
Taking this a bit further, could it be he has an alternative fuel lined up ready to sell to F1, and also entering a team he would be a member of the FOTA, to which end he would be a great negotiator for the FOTA money distribution issue, maybe he is seeing an opening to make some cash..
Yes and here is that interview now. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7903246.stm The article also has Richard Branson speaking on BBC radio 5 live about the Honda take over.
