Melbourne 2004: German GP Racing on the grid? (Merged)

[Daisy]

Germany should have its own Formula One team in 2004, according to businessman Oliver Behring. Behring told the sport1.de website his new team would definitely be at the first 2004 grand prix in Melbourne. "We have already put in our application to the FIA," he said.




Behring last season talked of taking over the British-based Arrows team before its collapse.

The German Grand Prix Racing team is expected to buy chassis and engines from existing Formula One suppliers and the team's factory will be in Germany, probably near Bremen in the north. "Naturally we will work very closely with our chassis partner. We will have a wind tunnel in our factory," Behring said.

Behring said he had secure financing for his team until the end of 2004. A main sponsor will be backed up by short-term sponsors who may only be involved in certain grands prix.

Craig Pollock, one-time chief of BAR racing, is favourite to become the new team's boss. "Craig Pollock would be ideal. He speaks German and has already taken BAR from nought to 100," Behring said. "He made mistakes at BAR but that's good for us. We will also make mistakes but not those Craig has already made."

Behring said he was talking to Sven Barth and Thomas Westarp about becoming the team's test drivers.

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source = Eurosport.com and several German sites. I hope they will make it, more cars more fun!

[Tristan]

I hope they DO make it, but... never in a MILLION SQUILLION years.

[Sodemo]

What F1 needs is definatly more cars. One of the main reasons I think F1 has become 'boring' is because there are not enough cars racing.

after the start of the GP last weekend there were 18 cars in the race (2 stalling on the grid). Back in the day we used to have 30 car grids, this ensured good racing, as the more cars out on the track = more chances of seeing overtaking manoovers.

I would love to see a full grid, maybe even 28 cars.

[shiny side up!]

I think the Concorde Agreement (as it stands now) limits the field to 24 cars. I would love to see even that many, but 28 or 30 cars sure would be fun to watch. Here's to dreaming...

[touringlegend]

Didn't they scrap the $48m entry fee/bond so as new teams would enter like this one.

It looks pretty concrete from what Behring has said, but as always in motorsport, people will say they have secure backing just to get more sponsors on board...

[Nicholas]

Originally posted by Daisy
"He made mistakes at BAR but that's good for us. We will also make mistakes but not those Craig has already made."

Oh yes, look out for extra special, way-out spectacular, never-attempted-before-EVER mistakes!

[f1manoz]

Another team. Fabulous!

But we need more. And scrap that ridiculous rule limiting the number of cars to 24. I want to see the days of 39 car competing for 26 spots again!

[bcobbus]

It was not too long ago that Dan Gurney said there would be an all American F1 team for sure. Well that appears to have gone down the tubes. IF such a respected member of the racing community such as Gurney has the thing fall through, well, I'll beieve the new German team when I see it on the grid.

[GTRMagic]

Should Toyota now feel jittery given that their team is also German, and the staff held in place with golden handcuffs and nowhere else in Germany to go might have a realistic option?

I will believe that this is real when the cars rock up on the Melbourne grid. Until then, its wishful thinking.

[DNQ]

Originally posted by f1manoz
Another team. Fabulous!

Well, it IS fabulous, but only if it actually happens. We've heard things like this in the past, and they've failed to eventuate, but that said, this is looking pretty solid. I really hope its true. And a customer chassis/engine too

Originally posted by f1manoz
But we need more. And scrap that ridiculous rule limiting the number of cars to 24. I want to see the days of 39 car competing for 26 spots again!

That I agree with completely. 20 cars is nowhere near enough.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Daisy


Craig Pollock, one-time chief of BAR racing, is favourite to become the new team's boss.

So there may be a future in F1 for Jacques after all

[steve_r]

Just read a similiar article on Crash.net. They seem to mention that they will run a year old Chassis next year.

I'd love to be proved wrong, but it does sound familiar to the claims made by the buyers of the defunct Prost team.

[Spaced Invader]

the more the merrier. seeing new teams would be great but is this just a pipe dream? good luck to them.

[BootsOntheSide]

It's clear that some people want to enter F1 and consider it a realistic target, but they will ahve a lot to do if they want to make it. Could be the first of many though. And yes, teh 24 car limit should now be scrapped, we want lots of different teams involved.

One point of concern might be that this team will need at least one exeprienced driver, and I suspect they'll want a German (or at least Germanic, Wurz perhaps) driver lineup.

[golem]

Ralfies looking for a new team. These guys need a driver.

Seriously though, Another team would be great. We NEED this to work. If these guys can even get moderate competitiveness it would really make people sit back and think: Wow... It is kinda possible to enter F1. Just need to make the right partnerships and pick some decent drivers.

[Webslinger]

Too many false dawns mean I reserve judgement for now, although I hope that the grid numbers could be boosted from what they are at the moment.

Would more teams in the race though give the circuits a problem? They seem to be gearing up for the current number at the moment and I wonder if Monaco, for example, could find the space for the wished for new teams?

[Logrence]

Originally posted by mr v
So there may be a future in F1 for Jacques after all

No, Mr V - they said they wouldn't be making the same mistakes Pollock made at BAR...

[Webslinger]

Let's make it easy for everyone - JV is going back to CART next year!

[mcurtis26]

This was on Reuters:

"BERLIN -- Germany should have its own Formula One team in 2004, according to businessman Oliver Behring.

Behring told the sport1.de website his new team would definitely be at the first 2004 grand prix in Melbourne.

"We have already put in our application to the FIA (motor racing's governing body)," he said.

Behring last season talked of taking over the British-based Arrows team before its collapse.

The German Grand Prix Racing team is expected to buy chassis and engines from existing F1 suppliers and the team's factory will be in Germany, probably near Bremen in the north.

"Naturally we will work very closely with our chassis partner. We will have a wind tunnel in our factory," Behring said.

Behring said he had secure financing for his team until the end of 2004. A main sponsor will be backed up by short-term sponsors who may only be involved in certain events.

Craig Pollock, one-time chief of BAR racing, is favorite to become the new team's boss.

"Craig Pollock would be ideal," Behring said. "He speaks German and has already taken BAR from nought to 100.

"He made mistakes at BAR but that's good for us. We will also make mistakes but not those Craig has already made."

Pollock stood down as BAR team principal in December 2001 after taking charge from the team's inception in 1997.

Behring said he was talking to Sven Barth and Thomas Westarp about becoming the team's test drivers."

So what does everyone reckon? Is it true or will it come to zero like Behring's plans with arrows? Crash.net says that Behring is talking of brining in one expereinced F1 driver and one rookie, possible a female. Would be nice to see another team on the grid, but i'm not that sure if this will come to anything, although negotiations have apparently begun to source the Jaguar 2003 chassis and cosworth engines.

[esorniloc]

Can teams use other chassis now?

[Lee Janotta]

Sauber: German-speaking Swiss owner, two German drivers... All they need is a German engine!

[Red]

They had one. Mercedes was it's name if I'm not mistakin'...

[cos]

This story appeared on pitpass.com yesterday (they seem to be quick with the news!)

Behring told the sport1.de website his new team would definitely be at the first 2004 grand prix in Melbourne.

Didn't he say last year that Arrows would be on the grid at Melbourne this year, 99.95%??
I'd be amazed if the FIA allow him to enter a team with absolutely no racing experience at all (as far as I can tell)...

So what does everyone reckon? Is it true or will it come to zero like Behring's plans with arrows? Crash.net says that Behring is talking of brining in one expereinced F1 driver and one rookie, possible a female. Would be nice to see another team on the grid, but i'm not that sure if this will come to anything, although negotiations have apparently begun to source the Jaguar 2003 chassis and cosworth engines.

I'm surprised no-one has played the female driver card yet, the sponsors would lap it up; who do you reckon it will be? Sarah Kavanagah and Sarah Fisher are ones that spring to mind. And why buy the Jag chassis... if he's going to purchase one he could do better. How about the Renault... then maybe he could do a deal to rebadge them as Nissans or something.

[Nicholas]

Originally posted by steve_r
I'd love to be proved wrong, but it does sound familiar to the claims made by the buyers of the defunct Prost team.

I thought that the whole reason why Behring wants to do this is because the FIA says that buying chassis from other teams is going to be legal in the next few years...

[mariov]

They also mentionned that they where in discussions with ford and jaguar to run this seasons cars next year.

As for Pollock being the team manager, don't think that will happen.
As for making the same mistake as BAR did, and as Pollock did, yep if he ever comes back to F1, he will never work with Reynard and have his hands tied to make changes....lol

As for Gurney....he has not dropped his project, he simply stated that there was just not enought time left to be ready for this season.....with the FIA waverring their 48mil start up fee he might just get it up and running for 2004