Jordan Sold...?

Töpher

Linky

Hmmmm....

AngelofFire

Every Major F1 site is reporting the same thing, Itv.com are even going as far as to say that in two years time the team will relocate to Dubai and be known as "team Dubai".

Töpher

So much for not alienating the fans! EJ will only be manager for 2 years too. Feck. Well, hopefully this will mean money for better engine and some competent aerodynamicist!

Delphi91

Here's what yesterdays Sunday Times Business section had to say.....

Sunday Times

Mike

Töpher

Well, "Al Maktoum is expected to invest more than £150m in the team over the next three years on research and development to make Jordan competitive again." is a positive sign, Jordan could do with that money, and that much money might actually yield some more pace, please God!

ozt9vdujny3srf

Its just a shame he didnt sell out to a constructor before all this, at least it would have remained Jordan F1, its a sad day for irish motorsport.

Robbo

I'd be somewhat skeptical of the notion of moving the operation lock, stock and barrel to Dubai. What has been suggested is that the planned (since ~2000) new Jordan factory, on a site next door to the existing one, will be built and the old factory converted into the Windtunnel.

Whither the wind tunnel 6 miles down the road in Brackley? If the money is there, teams are tending to running two wind tunnels these days...

One must always approach F1 coverage by non-specialists in the mainstream newspapers with caution.

stevemac

i think that the dubai people who said they where looking to buy a team said they'd leave the factory in europe but move the headquarters, or base to dubai.

Delphi91

As far as I remember, the initial "rumour" suggested that while the new owners would retain the factory in SIlverstone and the wind-tunnel facility in Brackley, there would only be a representative office in Dubai. After all, Jordan owns land adjacent to its Silverstone facility which seemingly was going to be used for a new factory complex.

Moving the operation lock, stock and barrel to the UAE wouldn't make an awful lot of sense in terms of access to races, test tracks, etc would it?

Mike

Robbo

Moreover, persuading existing staff to go to Dubai is a bit far fetched and the place is hardly a cradle of motorsport expertise at the moment.

Delphi91

Agreed - it would almost be a form of "de-centralisation" and we know how contentious that is!!!!

I remember reading somewhere (IIRC) in the initial stages of the rumour that the idea was for the UAE to benefit from the technical expertise available in the team (whichever one was bought). They've obviously got loadsa money in the UAE to spend, but the centre of technical know-how is in Europe, especially in England where so many of the teams are based. So, they fund the team, give money for R&D and in return, use the technical expertise available to improve their setup back in the UAE.

Mike

Töpher

Unfortunately no link for this, :mad: cuz I forgot it... but I read yesterday that only the 'head' office would relocate, factory/wind tunnels/R&D plants etc would all stay where they are. Apparently relocating the head office would be enough to class the team as Dubain.

How many Stewart fans follow Jaguar nowadays? Trying to gauge what kind of impact this would have on the fans, couldn't see myself travelling abroad to watch Team Dubai.

Delphi91

I'm begining to wonder about this rumour. Its begining to take on all the appearances of the Jos story from earlier on.

Here are two interesting stories, one claiming that EJ has DEFINITELY sold the team. The other one seems to suggest that the rumour has been blown out of all proportion (look at the end of the story)

Story 1

Story 2

Mike

Devilman

My own personal feeling on this story is "Why?" Next season F1 is going to be in a state of flux with all the regulation changes, would it not make better sense to wait it out and see where they are placed next season. As Adrian Newey said (I dont have a link ) "Next season will see a very different batch of winners as the teams try to adapt to the changes"

Also EJ owns 51% of the team, who owns the other 49%?

Töpher

The Merrion Consortum (sp?). Group of Irish investors who bought the 49% last year.

Delphi91

Devilman wrote:

...Also EJ owns 51% of the team, who owns the other 49%?

Actually its only 50.1%!!! So he's only hanging in there.

I'm not too sure about waiting to see where they finish before making any decisions. Lets face it, baring a complete and total miracle, its going to be their worst year ever.

I think that Eddie has to call a spade a spade. Yes, he's a shrewd as they come, and he could sell ice to the eskimos if he had to. However, I have to say that I think the signs are ominous. He hasn't got a main sponsor, therefore the money isn't there to do the R&D that's so necessary to keep a team near the top. Since the team isn't performing, its going to make it even harder to get sponsors who'll want a return on their investment by getting tv coverage. So, no sponsors implies no R&D, and the cycle goes around and around. He's also not in a position to be able to afford "big name" drivers as he can't afford to pay them.

Believe me, I hate to think that it has come to this, that we lose another Irish sporting connection. It'll be sad to not see the Jordan team at the races again (assuming the rumour is true), but it seems to be a case of flogging a dead horse where sponsorship, etc is concerned. And without it, the team will die anyway.

Mike

PlasseyMinstrel

The story goes that Al Maktoum has got deals to buy out both Jordan and the Irish consortium (name evades me), as far as I know - so total Dubai ownership. But yeah, it'd be ridiculous to move the factory to UAE for logistical reasons. But the whole point of buying the team is to promote Dubai worldwide so a title change to Team Dubai would make sense to him - especially with 100% ownership and thus total control. And that drops any relevant Irish connection. I mean, seriously, without Eddie what is the Irish connection? That they're registered as an Irish company. I doubt that means anything to fans.