F1 Missing Links: The Fate Of Jaguar And Cosworth
Written by George Katinger · October 30, 2004
With the eyes of the F1 world focused on the upcoming 2005 season and beyond, there is still a cloud looming over the grid: The futures of Jaguar Racing and Cosworth, and by implication, Jordan and Minardi.
speedtv.com: Another Bidder Reported for Jaguar F1 Team
f1central.net: Cosworth Sale Complete
msportf1.com: “JORDAN F1-TOYOTA?”
gp2004.com: We’ll be on the grid in ‘05 says Stoddart
Lost amongst the breaking news of new teams, the GPWC pursuing an alternate series in 2008, and new rules and qualifying formats for 2005 is the lingering fate of Jaguar Racing and engine builder Cosworth.
The early optimism of a ready buyer willing to step in and snap up the assets of Jaguar Racing seems to be losing momentum. One stumbling block, to Ford’s credit, is Ford’s unwillingness to commit the sale to a buyer without adequate funding to support the effort for a number of years. Am I the only one to see the irony here? Ford had no idea of the finanacial commitment needed to race in F1, and now they are scrutinizing a buyer’s depth of resolve to fund the team?
The timing becomes crucial as the team needs to file their entry for the 2005 schedule by November 15. Will Ford file on behalf of Jaguar without a deal in hand? Can they then renege if a sale is not concluded? Would it give Ford a negotiating advantage or liability with a buyer? Interesting questions I’m not clever enough to figure out.
The rumored sale of Cosworth to Kevin Kalkhovan, one of the founding partners of the american Champ Car series, may be the saving move for Jordan and Minardi. The big question is will the new owner supply engines at an affordable cost to the minnows, and still make a profit? Jordan seems bent on making an engine supply deal with Toyota, but will the cash strapped team still survive? Can they fund a season of racing without the buyer rumored as necessary? The sale of Jordan over the past months, due to the loss of sponsorships, was conveyed as vital to their survival with or without an engine deal.
Hopefully the missing links will all be found prior to November 15 and we can then re-focus on the remaining important issues of F1: Will Jarno Trulli forego his loony hairdo tendancies with new team Toyota, and will Jacques Villeneuve continue to wear a baggy racing suit? I burn to know these answers!
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