Bye bye STR, hello ART?

[checkered]

As the manufacturer

teams will essentially consist of two teams in the future (the total number being conveniently 12, to achieve an even division by 2 for BMW, Renault, Honda, Toyota, Ferrari-Fiat and McLaren to have two teams each, starting in 2008 and lasting at least for as long as the homologation does), there is bound to be movement in which manufacturer works with whom. Currently the equation isn't easy, as RBR and STR are bundled together.

The issue is explored by grandprix.com here, so I won't go into it in detail: http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns19156.html ... But in short, they suggest that all the pieces of the grand scheme are about to fall into place "just in time" as Todt Jr. and his partners are expressing interest in acquiring STR and thus shaping it, and not Spyker, as the Ferrari "B-Team". Thus the F1 "superteam lineup" would look like this:

Renault - RBR
Ferrari - ART (ex STR)
McLaren - Prodrive
Toyota - Williams
Honda - Super Aguri
BMW - Spyker (currently the shakiest proposition, but it may well end up being a forced marriage)

What the grandprix.com article doesn't yet mention (and I've only seen scant information about this) is that Ferrari has decided to operate a driver development program of their own, just like Renault and McLaren have done. Schumacher would have the role of talent scout (and inspirator-general, no doubt) while Nicolas Todt would take care of the practicalities through ART's GP2 and F3 team.

It would suit them very well, then, that young drivers could be brought all the way to F1 by ART, lending credence to grandprix.com's speculations. I might be proven wrong of course, wouldn't be the first, but hey, sometimes you put two and two together - even if it's F1 - and end up getting four. In this case, four car teams (in anything but name) in F1.

[waynes]

dont be silly

[mini696]

Renault - Has been talking about leaving F1 for a while, so they are gone. McLaren buys up to steal the front end design for Alonso.

Ferrari - Stay

McLaren - Stay

Prodrive - Associated with McLaren already.

Toyota - Sell to Ferrari because they don't want to keep Ralf after they extend his contract by three years and realise that he actually isn't a great driver. MS want to keep his brother employed so tell Ferrari to buy.

Williams - Affiliated with Toyota through engines

Honda - Don't want to lose face so they leave, sell to McLaren because of previous history with them.

Super Aguri - Sold along with Honda to McLaren.

BMW - Forced to sell back to Williams due to a "Buttongate-esk" saga.

Spyker - Sell to Ferrari because of their engine deal.

RBR - Sell to McLaren due to Macca buying Renault and RBR using Renault engines.

STR - Sell to Ferrari because of their engine deal.


Therefore we have

McLaren - McProdrive - McRenault - McHonda - McAguri - McRBR

Ferrari - Toyotari - Williamsari - BMWari - STaRi - Spykeari

FIA then decide to make the series a battle similar to the Aussie V8's Ford vs Holden, and try to "match the cars" to keep racing interesting by forcing them to use the same drivetrain, suspension etc, and match the aero mapping of the cars (again exactly what Aussie V8's do).

Each team consistantly accuses the other of cheating, and both are banned.

An F1 race turns into the Pacecar circulating for 70 laps.

[DaveKillens]

I know the new rules in '08 will allow new teams such as Prodrive to buy cars from someone else, but I was under the impression that they would only be allowed this for their first year. After the rookie year, they were expected to field their own designs. Or am I wrong?
No matter what, McLaren will enjoy a definite advantage from the shared data from Prodrive. If Prodrive is allowed to continue buying cars, then I expect other major teams also partnering with others, as the article describes.
But this will dilute the identies of teams, something that some teams will not embrace. I doubt if we will ever see Williams accepting being a "B" team to anyone. I also see some teams like SA eventually realizing that they can only go so far being carried on the shoulders of Honda. If they ever desire to win any championships, they will have to break away and strike out on their own.
The Red Bull / STR concept with the new Newey car is designed to position Red Bull in a fully competitive posture in '08, they should be able to challenge for the top 3 by then. I can't see Dietrich Mateschitz giving up on STR, at least this year or next. And if Red Bull does reach it's goal of success, then the partnership with STR will have a case for staying together. Dietrich Mateschitz is presently getting a very good value for the dollar invested. He has two teams, yet the budget is almost for just one. Both teams share the majority of the same research and development budget, it's a 2 for 1 deal.
And let's examine how the budgets are paid. Let's assume, just for the sake of argument, that next year McLaren wins the Manufacturer's title. Would they expect Prodrive to pay for not only the cost of parts, but also a good percentage of the R & D budget? If Prodrive balks, then I'm sure Mclaren could easily find another "B" team all too ready to shell out a lot of cash to buy into a successful car that could almost guarantee a top 5 finish at season's end.
If teams are allowed to buy cars, then I foresee a two tier system, where there will be the big boys, designing, manufacturing and winning, and "B" teams, buying and supporting the big boys in the hope of latching onto a successful design. But these secondary teams will move around, having partnerships for a few years until something sours the marriage, and then going to someone else.
Who knows what the future will bring, my post has lots of holes and wild speculation. But right now, that's what I see happening.

[mini696]

'B Teams' are not allowed to score points... I think...

and didn't Williams start out as a team who bought and usedcustomer chassis'?

Prodrive will not only pay for the parts, but will be contributing to the R&D.

[zac510]

lol @ mini696.. Sure Bernie isn't in there snapping up a few bargains at this supposed fire sale?

[ketanpaul]

Well Nicolas Todt is a highly ambitious man, one who talks less and does more. If he buys a stake in STR and makes it his operation, it can really be a force to reckon with, and a new training ground for ferrari porteges. Personally I would really like a man like him to enter F1.........probably just as his father leaves.....

BTW he is already negotiating with the team as Sebastien Bourdais' manager, he might already be assessing it as an option for the future.