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How will the grid look in 5 years' time?
Topic Started: Feb 12 2007, 07:59 PM (159 Views)
Red Andy
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Five years ago, we had teams such as Jordan, Sauber, Arrows and Minardi on the grid - true privateers who may have struggled against the manufacturers, but were privateers nonetheless. Now, the only real privateer team left (that is, one that is not in it to sell a product) is Williams, and possibly Super Aguri (although they look more and more like a Honda B team).

Is the era of the privateers over? Or is this part of a cycle - could we see manufacturers leaving the sport over the next few years to be replaced by new privateer teams? Has the commercialisation of Formula One meant that a non-commercial team is no longer a tenable proposition? And do the spiralling costs effectively preclude privateers from entering, or at least being competitive in, the sport? And, fundamentally, what will the grid look like in five years' time?

For what it's worth, I think that in five years' time quite a few of the manufacturers will have limited their role just to engine suppliers, and one or two may have dropped out of the sport altogether. However, instead of seeing the return of traditional privateers, I think we could see more of the commercial teams in the guise of Red Bull, trying to sell products other than cars.

Thoughts?
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Rob
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I think we have entered the era of manufacturers. I know it is a big investment, but how good would it look for Honda to beat Mercedes (McLaren). I cannot say for sure, but I'm sure 4 titles in 2 years have not hurt Renault's sales in the least.

Williams will be there as long as Frank is breathing, and of course there will always be some minnows to bring up the rear and give new drivers their big break, but as far as champions, it's a big boys club now.
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The Saint
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Five years is an eternity in Formula one. But I do see it moving towards a works series and that bothers me greatly. I have seen how mercenary manufactures have been in the British Touring Car Championship, joining and leaving on a whim, caring nothing for the series and only caring about advertising their wares.
Ferrari aside, I see nothing to make me think that the current manufacturers (BMW, Honda, Renault and Toyota) would not abandon F1 when they feel like there is nothing left in it for them. They buy up the likes of Benetton, Sauber and BAR and leaving nothing in return when they leave.
Privateers like McLaren and Williams are there to make money of course, but there is more to it than that. We should all cherish their presence and hope we don’t loose what we have left to the car making giants.
The only thing I can foresee in 5 years is that if Bernie will be a couple of billion richer!

Crap I think I just paid Ferrari a compliment!
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Rob
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The Saint,Feb 12 2007
02:12 PM
Crap I think I just paid Ferrari a compliment!

Do you need to lie down? Want a stiff drink?
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craggle78
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Ferrari, Renault, Honda, Mercedes, Toyota, BMW, Audi?, Seat/VW?, etc etc......

Above is my worst fear, just large clinical corperations with no real passion or heritage (except Ferrari of course!) and no privateers in sight. A dark dark day if it comes, but hopefully it won't be quite as disastrous as that?!

Williams, McLaren, Sauber all seem to be on the verge of exstinction?! Or thinking about it anyway. It appears its only a matter of time before its a grid of manufacturers ONLY?!



<fu> To that above thought!!!!!
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GeordieWomble
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Actually, I think the grids will look pretty much the same - white lines across the track in offset pairs with little bits that face down towards the cars.....

Oh, you mean the CARS? God knows, the way the Munchkin Man's going we'll have 20-odd cars all made from bits supplied by 5 or 6 manufacturers and mixed together as required, competing in a 22-race Arabia/Asia/India/USA based World SuperLeague of Racing with maybe Monaco (for the diehards) and Silverstone (though he'll still be saying "you've got to improve").... or am I just being a downer?
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dcoulthard19
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Quote:
 
Actually, I think the grids will look pretty much the same - white lines across the track in offset pairs with little bits that face down towards the cars


I was going to say that roflmao roflmao
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