A very surprising story on Autosport.com this evening:
Despite no confirmation that a buyer has been found to secure the future of the Brackley-based outfit, autosport.com has learned that with the 2009 car now ready, team personnel have been instructed to get ready to go testing.
It is not clear whether the preparations are advanced enough for the outfit to be in a position to run at next week’s group test at Jerez, but at the latest the team should be able to join the final major get-together at Barcelona later next month.
Is this a sign the team has found a buyer for 2009? Rumours persist that the team is working on a management buy-out which may exclude present principal Nick Fry.
It is not yet clear what engines the team will use at the tests. If it turns out they are planning to use the Mercedes units they have been offered for 2009, that would be a strong sign a deal is close.
Fingers crossed.
Spud
25th February 2009, 19:50
I hope this is true!!!!!!
Then next year we could have 22 cars.
Fingers crossed!!!!
Adrian
25th February 2009, 20:39
Possibly more if the cost cutting plans are sufficient to entice another new team to join up too…
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
25th February 2009, 20:40
I think he’s assuming USF1 will happen.
Adrian
26th February 2009, 8:24
I know, I’m hoping we might get up to 24 cars… Yeah I’m an optimist….
Ant
25th February 2009, 20:03
Keith, Thanks for bringing up the question on engines that Autosport didn’t!!
I am guessing that if they are going testing, they must have an engine (??!) in which case, some sort of deal must be done, but not yet announced!
If the deal is minus Nick Fry, then I think this might just finally come together!!
Fingers crossed anyway!
BrokenBaculum
25th February 2009, 21:26
Rumours persist, and according to a Finnish newspaper, Fry it out and David Richards is in.
But this story is great news. I wonder what colour the car will be, if they have any sponsor decals and if Bruno is testing?
Here’s to an announcement in a few days!
Mark S
25th February 2009, 20:34
Even if the deal hasn’t been done, it has got to be far enough advance for the engine supplier to have some confidence (as they must be testing for the actual 2009 engine) and for the honda to be willing to spend money on testing.
Andrew
25th February 2009, 20:59
Certainly sounds positive and I can’t imagine that they would go testing without Mercedes engines, given that they will have altered the car to be able to fit them in. Is there much to be achieved from testing with an old engine that you’re not otherwise going to use?
Hope we hear more soon.
Mari
25th February 2009, 21:06
“It is not yet clear what teams the engine will use at the tests” ? Engines, please start your gentlemen!
Lustigson
25th February 2009, 21:43
Well spotted. :-)
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
25th February 2009, 22:03
Fixed it, thanks for pointing that out ;-)
manatcna
25th February 2009, 22:55
Tail wagging the dog :)
Kester
25th February 2009, 23:06
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7911490.stm
That story seems to say the deal is done, and we’re just waiting on the legal handover now.
I hope that’s true, and we’ll finally get this all behind us, and see the 2009 car.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
25th February 2009, 23:37
“Team members have been told a deal is close and they should prepare to race in 2009.”
pSynrg
25th February 2009, 23:06
@Mari – good spot and painted a brilliant picture to follow :)
Hasn’t the removal of Nick Fry been the single most important thing NOT to happen at Honda since DR had enough?
OK, I don’t know the guy but he has always come across as one of those inept directors in a small to medium business where you just can’t work out how the hell they got there and manage to sustain their position.
pSynrg
25th February 2009, 23:08
EDIT: Oh, the BBC story has him in :( No progress there then apart form JB’s bank account…
Paige
26th February 2009, 2:37
This is really great news, if for no one else than the ultimate class act and dues-payer in F1, Jensen Button. I was very much looking forward to this year for Honda and seeing what Button would do in his first year with a truly Ross Brawn-developed car. They’ve lost some pretty valuable development time in the last couple of months, so they’re probably behind schedule, but let’s hope they were far enough ahead on their 2009 while they were focusing on it last season.
Adrian
26th February 2009, 8:28
Well, if they can make it to the Jerez test next week then given that they tested before the Winter break using an interim car they shouldn’t be much further behind than Red Bull and would have the same amount of running as Force India and Torro Rosso…
And don’t they have a pretty advanced simulator and CFD setup at Brackley…I know it’s not the same, but they could have been testing “virtual parts” all winter…
todd
26th February 2009, 3:57
With some luck they’ll ditch Nick Fry, but I can’t see that happening, they might just have that mclaren package in time, i think force india said it was a 6 week integration to switch from ferrari to mclaren, so assuming the same for them they could have pre-prepared and are just now waiting on the hardware?
But new or old engine, the aero and setup are still critical to test.
Jay Menon
26th February 2009, 4:52
This is the best news for a while now.
I just can’t wait for this to go down in black and white!!!
Adrian
26th February 2009, 10:41
The Mirror is reporting an overnight deal has been done and an announcement is imminent…
But then again, how many times have we heard that this last fortnight..!!
Kester
26th February 2009, 16:24
Far too many times unfortunately.
Damon
26th February 2009, 17:05
I hope they’ve had enough funds to build a good car.
Chaz
26th February 2009, 17:41
Fingers crossed this all works out and they have funding to go racing throughout this year and onwards…
Heckie
26th February 2009, 17:52
Just wanted to throw this in the mix:
http://www.creditgate.com/companysearch/BRACKLEY+RACING+LIMITED.aspx
Bernification
27th February 2009, 1:52
Well, I honestly didn’t believe it would happen, but it looks like it may!
They may struggle through lack of testing, but this could make or break some peoples reputations!