Formula 1 2014: General Discussion Thread

Infoanon

On Caterham - if a team misses MORE than 3 races it is excluded from the F1 championship, only 3 races left and since the chances of finishing in the top 10 are slim, Caterham have nothing to lose.

Charlie-Bravo

Weird tweet by Fernandes: "If you buy something you should pay for it. Quite simple"

Did the investors pay-up for the race company?!!

Going Strong

astrofluff wrote: »

Weird tweet by Fernandes: "If you buy something you should pay for it. Quite simple"

Did the investors pay-up for the race company?!!

I think it's more about *what* they actually bought. Fernandes says they've bought everything while the new owners claim that there were some of Fernandes' own debts hidden within the sale items. Either way, Caterham is done for. The factory at Leafield has been confirmed as being closed today and staff told not to show up for work.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/10/23/uk-motor-racing-caterham-idUKKCN0IC0TV20141023

Scotty #

Bernie is on the case...

BBC SPORT wrote:

Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone is trying to resolve the dispute threatening the future of Caterham.
The team's participation in next week's US Grand Prix is in doubt after administrators locked down their factory on Thursday.
"We're trying to help in any way we, which we do with anybody that has run into a bit of difficulty," Ecclestone told BBC Sport.
"All I know is what I've been told. Not too sure it's all true either."
Ecclestone said he could not say whether the team had a future because "it is a little bit too complicated to be able to say anything with any real knowledge".

Read the rest here: http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/formula1/29737238

Going Strong

Yet he won't 'resolve' the issue of himself and his myriad of shell companies along with CVC taking millions out of F1 but putting nothing back in. And that's before we get to the joke that is bonus legacy payments to the likes of Ferrari and McLaren who are currently being thrashed by cash-strapped midfield teams. :rolleyes:

_rebelkid

Now the "buyer" has chimed in...

PopePalpatine

So, in a way, Fernandes has defrauded them?

_rebelkid

PopePalpatine wrote: »

So, in a way, Fernandes has defrauded them?

Essentially yes. They paid the money for the shares, and he never transferred them. It's weird that it's taken over 3 months for this to come to a head really...

_rebelkid

Guess what, Fernandes says the exact opposite.

Frank Bullitt

Tony Fernandez's involvement with F1 has been nothing short of a farce, at least with HRT they were honest and never hid the fact that they were crap.

With Fernandez he always barked on about progress up the grid, and its been a circus ever since, and even now after he has apparently "sold" the team.

Peoples jobs are at risk over this, and its nothing more than a pissing contest for him and the new buyers, shame on him.

_rebelkid

Guess what 2.0, Engavest have said the opposite to Fernandes... again...

mickdw

Going Strong wrote: »

And yet wasn't he in so much demand thanks to his race strategies at Jordan in 1998/99? He must have been doing something right.

Yes, no doubt he is a super intelligent chap, did alot of work with Jordan in setting up suspension simulation rigs as far as I've heard.
Most likely a better hands on tech guy that a senior manager though and has therefore moved teams backwards in the senior positions.

SamAK

On an unrelated topic, It's curious how JEV doesn't remember what his first race trophy looked like. I presume this means that it's long been lost, which must sting a bit!

http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2014/10/16520.html

Cookie_Monster

The Fernandes press release reads like a childs understanding of buying a business tbh. You give me the money and then pay all the bills and if I feel like it I'll give you the shares at some point. Seriously shady dealings in there and I reckon that he's trying to hide something between the F1 company itself and the management company...

AMKC

Oh my, Vettel might be having second thoughts.

A ferrari thats slower than the last one lol. Will that be a new first lol.

Buttonftw. Friends Impressive stuff from Ferrari.

Ha lol indeed Maybe they decided to make the next car a bit slower so the current one will not look as bad and maybe the one after next years might look better then lol as they will have made that one a bit faster.

greedygoblin

I think it's a bit early to judge yet if next years Ferrari is going to be slower than the current one. It's still only october like!

Jordan 199

Going Strong wrote: »

And yet wasn't he in so much demand thanks to his race strategies at Jordan in 1998/99? He must have been doing something right.

Sam Michael the race engineer for Ralf Schumacher and Heinz Harald Frentzen at Jordan. The Michael and Frentzen partnership worked very well in 1999 with HHF getting two wins at Magny Cours* and Monza as well as a load of podiums. Frentzen was awesome in '99

*At the wet French GP in '99 Heinz-Harald finished the race with about half a litre of fuel in the tank :eek:

Going Strong

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

The Fernandes press release reads like a childs understanding of buying a business tbh. You give me the money and then pay all the bills and if I feel like it I'll give you the shares at some point. Seriously shady dealings in there and I reckon that he's trying to hide something between the F1 company itself and the management company...

He seems to have left a lot of the running of the team to others which would explain why it was so over-staffed and under-performing. I saw it said elsewhere that Mike Gascoyne "did a number on him" when it came to promises of success and what have you.

I'm not a soccer fan but does anyone know if Fernandes has a different attitude towards that sport with his ownership of QPR? I've seen stuff where people said he was a lot happier with his football club than with his F1 team.

Zcott

Apparently Marussia are struggling badly and need a cash injection to get to Austin and Brazil. Tough times at the back of the grid :-(

wobbles

Not looking good for the smaller teams at all. Wasnt there ment to be an American team starting next year or has that been cancelled.

With so many teams in financial trouble and the option for 3 car teams, what kind of notice do the teams need in order to have a 3rd car ready in time. Can you imagine the frenzy trying to sign up an extra race driver from all the teams if it were to happen.

Going Strong

wobbles wrote: »

Not looking good for the smaller teams at all. Wasnt there ment to be an American team starting next year or has that been cancelled.

With so many teams in financial trouble and the option for 3 car teams, what kind of notice do the teams need in order to have a 3rd car ready in time. Can you imagine the frenzy trying to sign up an extra race driver from all the teams if it were to happen.

Haas aren't coming in until 2016. Gene Haas, the team owner is adamant that he'll not be rushed into joining a year early just to prop up the grid.

There's murmurs now that three car teams won't happen next year no matter how many back marker teams go bust this year. Bernie might keep Sauber and Marussia going next season but I don't think he cares much for Caterham so they're gone. The former two teams, although in trouble, tend to "keep their noses clean" so to speak with very little running to the press or thrash talking the other teams and what have you. Any teams that do like Caterham has and make waves while in financial peril, gets nothing from Bernie. He was similarly unconcerned at Arrows and Prost's demise due to their actions in "bringing the sport into disrepute" from a Bernie standpoint that is.

muckwarrior

mickdw wrote: »

Yes, no doubt he is a super intelligent chap, did alot of work with Jordan in setting up suspension simulation rigs as far as I've heard.
Most likely a better hands on tech guy that a senior manager though and has therefore moved teams backwards in the senior positions.

Sounds like a classic case of the Peter Principle.

Tippex

It's crazy to see the sport having to deal with these sort of things almost year after year. It has taken me quite a few years to get back into the sport after the demise of Jordan.

I would say there is a portion of truth in each side of the story WRT Caterham but I doubt we will ever hear the whole story.

_rebelkid

Caterham to miss US and Brazil.

Myrddin

_rebelkid wrote: »

Caterham to miss US and Brazil.

This whole situation is a train wreck at this stage.

Charlie-Bravo

Ok for the comp, I take it selecting Caterham as the Constructor not to finish with any cars won't be a runner :pac:

Frank Bullitt

I think its the end of the road for them. I could imagine Bernie would somehow help Sauber or indeed Marussia, they stay out of this type of messy business.

tripperman

i would actualluy be happy to see caterham go, but would be gutted if marussia were to go, i like how john booth runs things nice and quiet

Scotty #

wobbles wrote: »

With so many teams in financial trouble and the option for 3 car teams, what kind of notice do the teams need in order to have a 3rd car ready in time. Can you imagine the frenzy trying to sign up an extra race driver from all the teams if it were to happen.

3 car teams won't happen. Most teams can barely afford to run two. Claire Williams has already stated they will not be able to raise the 30 million it would cost them to run a third car.

Zcott

_rebelkid wrote: »

Caterham to miss US and Brazil.

Best line from that article:

Caterham will continue the record of all F1 teams set up at Leafield not reaching the end of the season if it cannot race in Abu Dhabi, following in the footsteps of Arrows and Super Aguri.

That place is cursed!