Formula 1 - 2020 season

[Ecosse]

I see the donkeys have managed to cunningly avoid the chance of scoring any points.

Yup.
Off to the sanctuary.
Already met new Team Boss.

 

[maguire]

Couldn't possibly entertain doing something like that...cough!

IKR

 

[Carbon 6]

Daniel Ricciardo's fastest lap was the highlight of that boring race for me. Crashie didn't get everything despite what Horner said.

 

[RCT(V)]

Published by: James Attwood, digital editor, AUTOCAR magazine, on 13 December 2020.

McLaren sells stake in F1 squad to US-led investment group.

New deal worth £185 million will boost racing team, allow greater focus on Automotive business.

McLaren Group has sold a minority stake in its Formula 1 team to a US-based sports investment group, a move that shores up the future of the company and is designed to help the racing division return to the front of the grid.

A consortium led by MSP Sports Capital will invest £185 million in McLaren Racing, initially taking a 15 per cent share that will rise to 33 per cent by the end of 2022. The move values the long-running Formula 1 team, one of the most successful in the history of the sport, at £560 million.

The deal does not include McLaren Automotive, the firm’s road car arm, which will remain wholly owned by the McLaren Group and as a result will become a greater focus of the company. McLaren is gearing up to unveil the Artura, its first series production hybrid, next year as a replacement for its Sport Series line.

Autocar first revealed that McLaren was looking to sell a stake in its racing team in July, when the firm was struggling in the wake of the coronavirus and there was reportedly a clash between some of its shareholders over long-term goals for the Automotive, Racing and Applied divisions. McLaren Group has also been looking to raise funds from its Woking headquarters in a sale and lease-back deal.

MSP Sports Capital is a sports investment group that owns stakes in a number of sports teams and related companies. It has partnered with UBS O’Connor, a hedge fund owned by the Swiss bank, and The Najafi Companies, a private investment firm.

McLaren Racing boss Zak Brown has committed to the team “for the long term” following the deal, with his leadership team also remaining in place. As part of the deal, MSP Sports Capital’s Jeff Moorad and UBS O’Connor’s Rodrigo Trelles Zabala will join McLaren Racing’s board of directors.

Brown said: ““This new investment bolsters our plan to return McLaren to contention for race wins and championships in Formula 1 and IndyCar, and will strengthen our positive momentum as we continue to focus relentlessly on our mission to return to the top of the podium.”

Paul Walsh, McLaren Group’s executive chairman, said the partnership “represents another important step in our proactive strategy to position McLaren Group for long-term success. Bringing partner capital and expertise into McLaren Racing will support the team’s return to the front of the grid and further strengthen our financial position.

The McLaren racing team was founded by Bruce McLaren in 1963, and has competed in F1 since 1966. The team has scores 182 race wins, eight drivers’ and 12 constructors’ championships. It also expanded to run a team in the IndyCar Series this year.

McLaren sells stake in F1 squad to US-led investment group | Autocar

New deal worth £185 million will boost racing team, allow greater focus on Automotive business

www.autocar.co.uk

Announced/published today (and mentioned by the BBC Radio5x team), but also pertinent to the 2021 F1 thread . . .

 

[RABC]

Qualifying was more entertaining than the race.

 

[RCT(V)]

Errr . . . I think we close the thread now . . . Merry Christmas everyone !!

 

[shopgirl]

Errr . . . I think we close the thread now . . . Merry Christmas everyone !!

Merry Christmas everyone and a Very Happy New Year

 

[wheel]

Can anyone explain to me how Sky F1 and Channel 4 managed to make Highlights of todays race ?.
See you all next year.

 

[Flash MacTavish]

That was it for free view in Germany, I expect that F1 will sink in to obscurity here.

 

[Augustus]

I’m just delighted that Tracing Point did all that cheating to get....... fourth!

 

[PFGEN]

That was it for free view in Germany, I expect that F1 will sink in to obscurity here.

Sadly no more F1 but they are starting a whole new raft of motorsport coverage. Like you I'll be shopping around for F1 streaming options (see further up this page).

 

[PFGEN]

Dutch Newspapers were this morning full of news about Crashie, the driving god, who was taking the fight to Mercedes after showing the underlings a masterclass in racing. I reckon the Dutch F1 pundits are working from the same coffee shop. This was the same group that announced at the start of the season that RB had worked on their car all winter and with the man child at the wheel they would trounce Mercedes. Can't wait to see what drivel they write for the start of the 2021 season. No engine except the odd clunker from Renault, loss of a main sponsor and a driver that pisses on the suppliers and wants to drive for Ferrari. It's great seeing a perfect storm brewing as a result of arrogance.

 

[RCT(V)]

Hamilton wins Sports Personality of the Year

Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton is voted Sports Personality of the Year 2020.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[RCT(V)]

As Honda will/must have, already paid for all the significant initial development costs, why can Ilmor not now continue to itself "simply" upgrade and build the existing design of engine, and supply RB, for the remaining season before new regulations (different type of motive power units) are introduced ?!

Published by: AUTOCAR magazine, Issue Dated 24 FEBRUARY 2021 (page 61).

Red Bull gives you power-trains

Red Bull has bought Honda’s F1 power unit project ahead of the Japanese firm quitting the sport at the end of this season.

Red Bull Racing and sister team AlphaTauri will continue to use the hybrid power-trains, which from 2022 will bear Red Bull branding. Consequently, the energy-drinks giant will ramp up investment in its Milton Keynes-based F1 operation.

There is no link to the inter-web . . . you'll have to buy your own copy of the magazine !! .

 

[LeoRoverman]

Red Bull has bought Honda’s F1 power unit project ahead of the Japanese firm quitting the sport at the end of this season.

Sounds ominous, that implies there's not much left in the "pack" per se and Red Bull are going to spend to squeeze more out. What about other engines from other suppliers, I take it Merc, Renault, Ferrari are not playing

 

[RCT(V)]

Sounds ominous, that implies there's not much left in the (power) "pack" per se and Red Bull are going to spend to squeeze more out. What about other engines from other suppliers, I take it Merc, Renault, Ferrari are not playing

Again from: AUTOCAR magazine, Issue Dated 24 FEBRUARY 2021 (page 61).

. . . . by maintaining the already matured race-winning power-train itself, Red Bull has kept its destiny in its own hands and avoids the team becoming just another customer for Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG or Renault - none of whom really wanted to power one of the strongest racing teams on the grid, anyway.

It's no surprise either that Red Bull was behind the recent decision of the F1 Commission to freeze engine development between 2022 and 2024, ahead of the introduction of an all-new F1 power-train in 2025 . . . it’s the sensible solution that give the likes of Red Bull a competitive chance.

 

[LeoRoverman]

Again from: AUTOCAR magazine, Issue Dated 24 FEBRUARY 2021 (page 61).

. . . . by maintaining the already matured race-winning power-train itself, Red Bull has kept its destiny in its own hands and avoids the team becoming just another customer for Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG or Renault - none of whom really wanted to power one of the strongest racing teams on the grid, anyway.

It's no surprise either that Red Bull was behind the recent decision of the F1 Commission to freeze engine development between 2022 and 2024, ahead of the introduction of an all-new F1 power-train in 2025 . . . it’s the sensible solution that give the likes of Red Bull a competitive chance.

I'm sorry if this sounds a bit stupid, since I'm not that close a watcher, but it seems to me that if between now and '25 there's a freeze on and Red bull have now to fund their own engines and their competitors are stet as it were, surely that makes them weaker financially?
My Bold why wouldn't that have made sense? I mean surely that the whole point of the engine franchises where specific performance limits are concerned.

 

[bobthebuilder]

I'm sorry if this sounds a bit stupid, since I'm not that close a watcher, but it seems to me that if between now and '25 there's a freeze on and Red bull have now to fund their own engines and their competitors are stet as it were, surely that makes them weaker financially?
My Bold why wouldn't that have made sense? I mean surely that the whole point of the engine franchises where specific performance limits are concerned.

Ron Dennis’ view was that a team would never win unless it was the works team. After a decade of being Mercedes partner and de facto works team, Merc entered themselves and he knew he was getting second best. Or, at best, given parity between the OEM and its customer teams, an engine that was designed to fit the OEM’s car design philosophy.

Hence McLaren signed with Honda and they mutually came up with an engine concept that optimised aero and kept breaking.

Will be interesting to see where Ineos go in a couple of years....

 

[shopgirl]

Sounds ominous, that implies there's not much left in the "pack" per se and Red Bull are going to spend to squeeze more out. What about other engines from other suppliers, I take it Merc, Renault, Ferrari are not playing

When asked Toto Wolff answered with a very emphatic 'NO'

 

[RCT(V)]

I'm sorry if this sounds a bit stupid, since I'm not that close a watcher, but it seems to me that if between now and '25 there's a freeze on and Red bull have now to fund their own engines and their competitors are stet as it were, surely that makes them weaker financially?
My Bold why wouldn't that have made sense? I mean surely that the whole point of the engine franchises where specific performance limits are concerned.

Suppose it comes down to confidence in the support of, reliability, and parts availability, from the other manufacturers/competitors that would be/are, supplying you ?!

. . . and price/money!! We don't know what Red Bull paid HONDA to acquire the F1 engine manufacturing operation. I'd imagine that to HONDA any (small !!), offer of money would be acceptable, as the alternative would have been very bad publicity; closing the doors; and, paying the employees’ redundancy payments.

@LeoRoverman , you might want to take this discussion over to the "F1 2021 season" thread, where you will probably receive a more informed response that I can give . I'm not sure if anyone else will be contributing to this (last year's) thread.