More on Midland F1

[TedN]

Interview with Shnaider here

Ted

[Logrence]

Interesting that he's being so honest about his wanting F1 merely for business purposes...he seems like a sensible enough chap, unlike Dietrich Massive-wotsit.

I wonder how the other teams will accept someone like him who is prepared to be perfectly honest about the fact that he doesn't really care about the racing? Can F1 really be used purely as a marketing tool for developing countries, or is it like trying to take a great white shark for a walk on a lead?

We don't have to be in the top four.

Fair enough. None of this Jaguar/Toyota/BAR "we're going to win the championship after 6 months" baloney.

I've had no contact with GPWC because we've only been in Formula One for a week.

And funny too. What a riot.

[BootsOntheSide]

He doesn't come across very well to me. All he wants from F1 is profit, and he'll be lucky to get that next season considering the shambles he's subjecting the Jordan name to. I just wish someone who loves racing was able to enter in the current climate, and maybe show up some of the greedy self-centred types who fill it now. Does anything think Alex Schnaider could explain the principle of slipstreaming, or describe his all-time favourite F1 race in detail?

[Kicking-back]

Flavio Briatore had no interest in F1 when he joined Benetton in 1989 - five years later he'd led the team to the world title.

[Nicholosophy]

I think that he could be ackknowledged for this honesty. He's saying to everyone "I want to make money from this and run this as a business". That means he won't throw as much money as possible at something - he'll be sensible.

I think it's a smart move really.

[Silk Cut Jaguar]

Can't much more honest than that really, can you? Interesting to see Midland will back an F3 team aswell.

Shnaider may not be in it for the chance to sit on the pitwall, but he's made sure the key people who are love racing first and foremost it seems.

[Sodemo]

Is it just me thats totally uninterested in Midland F1?

[aussie_f3]

Originally Posted by The Monster

Is it just me thats totally uninterested in Midland F1?

yeah I think so..... anything new to the F1 ranks is interesting - Shnaider says it as he sees it - not the way the vast majority involved in the sport want him to say it.

[Kicking-back]

Indeed.

Shnaider's the owner - but putting in Trevor Carlin as sporting director's a smart move - he's a racing man through and through.

[Logrence]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

Does anything think Alex Schnaider could explain the principle of slipstreaming, or describe his all-time favourite F1 race in detail?

I care if he could as much as I would be bothered if my grandma could explain it. What does that matter?

A slavering F1 fan would make a terrible team boss...better to have your hard-ass Flavios and whatnot in there running the place like the businesses they are.

If these guys were in it for the sport they'd be racing maestros at Oulton every other sunday...but that doesn't get you a yacht.

He seems like a refreshingly honest sort of chap, and besides, he's apparently friendly with Putin, so be nice.

[GTRMagic]

We have one of those types in V8Supercar... who says they are only interested in the sport for the profit it can generate... which somehow allows this particular person a mandate to slag off anything and anyone that gets in the way of that.

I wonder if that will happen here too.... if the etiquette of F1 will be maintained by Mr Midland and Mr Red Bull?

[ysofast]

[QUOTE=Logrence]I care if he could as much as I would be bothered if my grandma could explain it. What does that matter?

Well said (I think). One such as myself would **** away the entire company reaching for the brass ring. This guy might have a chance at success in that he will have money next year!

[Knowlesy]

I think the important thing to acknowledge is that Midland is an independent team, but also that they potentially have a very good future. They are certainly financially secure.

That can only be a good thing - independent teams are what we will rely on when the manufacturers up sticks.

[Kicking-back]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

I wonder if that will happen here too.... if the etiquette of F1 will be maintained by Mr Midland and Mr Red Bull?

Red Bull got to this stage by being staunch racing supporters.

Midland have put in place some staunch racing people - like Carlin.

Nothing to worry about.

[BootsOntheSide]

Just to straighten something out - I assume that when Schnaider says he wants to make money from F1, he means indirectly, by increasing awareness and esteem for the Midland brand. I don't think it's possible to directly make money from F1, even if you do it the 2-pay-drivers-and-outsourced-car way he is trying at first.

There's nothing stopping him selling the tam any minute - he certainly wouldn't struggle on against the odds the way Paul Stoddard is, or the way Eddie, Alain and countless others have done over the years. His presence may be no more secure than the manufacturers - although of course, increasing manufacture departures would make F1 cheaper and more useful for marketing as his team would move up the grid.

[Pitstop]

Intersting read. I wonder if Bernie is a shareholder? if there is big money to be made, he usually manages to be ahead of the field, or have I missed something?

[Kicking-back]

Bernie's not a shareholder, according to Midland.

[Sodemo]

Maybe I should qualify my earlier remark.
I am totally uninterested in Midland F1 as its obviously going to mean the demise of Jordan Grand Prix which I find very sad.
Also I have no time for people who (have openly admitted) that they care not for the sport, but rather for their own financial interest.
So once F1 no longer becomes a financially viable form of income they (usually) pull the plug.

If Midland F1 entering actually meant that we would have 2 more cars on the grid, then that would be a slightly sweeter pill to swallow as having 2 more cars WOULD be good for the sport, but not at the expense of Jordan, its sad...

[Kicking-back]

So you'd have preferred it if Jordan went bust and we only had 18 cars on the grid?

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

So you'd have preferred it if Jordan went bust and we only had 18 cars on the grid?

There would never be only 18 cars on the grid. All the teams might have to field 3 cars if Jordan or Jaguar had gone bust, 3 x 9 = 27,thats quite a field. I think most Jordanites were looking for Eddie to find more of his own sponsorship or at least an owner who was interested in the sport.

[Kicking-back]

Originally Posted by martyn bott

There would never be only 18 cars on the grid. All the teams might have to field 3 cars if Jordan or Jaguar had gone bust, 3 x 9 = 27,thats quite a field. I think most Jordanites were looking for Eddie to find more of his own sponsorship or at least an owner who was interested in the sport.

All the teams would not have had to field three cars - only a couple would - and that would be fraught with problems anyway.

If Eddie had been able to "find more of his own sponsorship" or an owner people were happier with, then he would have - it is so easy afterall.


Midland is good news, I believe.

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

So you'd have preferred it if Jordan went bust and we only had 18 cars on the grid?

If Jordan went bust or if they were taken over, the net result is the same; no more Jordan GP.

Of course if Jordan did go bust then it would leave 18 cars on the grid which could have been good or bad, it depends on how it would have been handled regarding getting 2 more cars on the grid via the existing 9 teams.

[Logrence]

I'd much rather see a field of competitive cars.

[Skam85]

I'd much rather see a grid of 22-24 cars, but 20 is better than 18, Jordan or no Jordan.

[Gabrio]

I hope they do have a clue....Drivers pair not the best one to start. They will need badly an experienced technical input from some drivers who knows how to set up a car....