BMW Find Buyer (No, Really)

[Jordan192]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/78655

Sold to a dodgy-looking Swiss investment firm...

[Tealy]

Its all kicking off today. Great news for the team, let's see if they make the grid now.

[noisebox]

Very strange timing. How do you put a value on a team which might be given an entry to the championship next year? If they are not the team is effectively worthless.

[rffp]

Very strange timing considering the 13th berth was given to the ripoff team.

[Jordan192]

My own wild theory is that the offer was on the table, but BMW didn't feel it was enough. When the entries are announced, the value of the team plummets, and BMW take the previuous offer (or even a greatly reduced one) on the assumption that if they don't sell now, they never will.

In other words, this deal wouldn't have happened if BMW had got a solid entry, because they'd still be demanding too much money for the team.

[Henrique]

Will they be called just Sauber?

[Tealy]

My own wild theory is that the offer was on the table, but BMW didn't feel it was enough. When the entries are announced, the value of the team plummets, and BMW take the previuous offer (or even a greatly reduced one) on the assumption that if they don't sell now, they never will.

In other words, this deal wouldn't have happened if BMW had got a solid entry, because they'd still be demanding too much money for the team.

I could believe that. BMW don't exactly need to make a profit on the sale so once they realise the team isn't worth much they just reduce their demand to make a quick sale.

[eytl]

But with the news of potentially 14 teams on the grid next year, perhaps we may just see Team Qadbak on the grid. What a name!

[Valrys]

I think purely the name Team Qadbak would be a good contender for reject of the decade

[kowalski]

Mastercard-Qadbak-Sauber-Cosworth

I, for one, am excited by the possibility

[Waris]

I think this just might be a conspiracy and the FIA may already have forced one existing team (I wonder which...?) out of the sport. That would be a shame though, because I really wanted to see Alain Prost back as a team principal. Oh well, who knows, if they expand the grid to 14 teams, he might bring back Prost Grand Prix.

Has anyone noticed, btw, that a couple months ago we only had 9 teams, and now we are discussing whether there will be 13 or 14 next year? I think that is a big victory for Formula One.

[noisebox]

I think this just might be a conspiracy and the FIA may already have forced one existing team (I wonder which...?)

Bulls eye!

[Waris]

I think this just might be a conspiracy and the FIA may already have forced one existing team (I wonder which...?)

Bulls eye!

I'm anxiously anticipating the decisions made around the Singapore weekend... Much will be revealed!
In the meantime, Takuma Sato for a seat at Lotus?

[dragonsteincole]

The name Qadbak Sauber seems to be in use by Autosport, tbh I head the name Qadbak and thought it was the name of some malaysian investors behind the 'Lotus' entry.

But yeah, Singapore will be a hotbed of activity, can't wait for more details to emerge. The driver's market keeps getting wider and sillier on a race-by-race basis.

[Debaser]

Apparently these people bought the Notts County football team, and that team got Sven Goran Eriksson as some guy in a bullshit role ("football director" or something) and signed Sol Campbell despite being in the 4th division, so they have the money and seem genuine. But we don't know the people who own the company, and its very odd to buy a team with basically no entry. Very fishy...

[DonTirri]

yanno, anyone wondering that maybe one team is being forced out...

Has anyone considered the possibility that Toro Rosso would leave?

[shinji]

What's strange is that if you google 'qadbak' the first 10 results are all news stories of them buying the team. Hardly a sign of notability, and the timing of the whole thing is very strange, what with the team being as good as confirmed to not be on the grid.

Strange.

[Valrys]

What's strange is that if you google 'qadbak' the first 10 results are all news stories of them buying the team. Hardly a sign of notability, and the timing of the whole thing is very strange, what with the team being as good as confirmed to not be on the grid.

Strange.

Echos of Shannon and Forti?

[shinji]

Echos of Shannon and Forti?

I hadn't thought of that...

Now all we need is Luca Badoer in that team and we'll be back in 1996.

[SuperAguri]

If 14 teams are in the 2010 season it would be fantastic. More teams, more chance of reject drivers. We should be going out and getting pissed at news like this and not whinging about rip offs and the like.

More importantly which Engine will the new Sauber team be getting, Sauber Mercedes has a nice ring to it...

[bduddy]

If 14 teams are in the 2010 season it would be fantastic. More teams, more chance of reject drivers. We should be going out and getting pissed at news like this and not whinging about rip offs and the like.

More importantly which Engine will the new Sauber team be getting, Sauber Mercedes has a nice ring to it...

Three guesses, anyone? Well, you really shouldn't need them...

http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pr ... tries.aspx

As part of its application to compete in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship, the team has agreed an engine supply deal with Cosworth and a wide variety of technical partnerships including Xtrac and FondTech

[watka]

I predict now that the driver line up will be Sebastien Buemi and Natascha Gachnang (from F2).

Someone in the FIA knows something we don't know about a team planning to leave - heads or tails between Renault and Toyota.

[CarlosFerreira]

yanno, anyone wondering that maybe one team is being forced out...

Has anyone considered the possibility that Toro Rosso would leave?

I'm going to say Toyota and run like hell.

[thehemogoblin]

They do claim to be "urgently" lobbying FOTA and the FIA to get 14 teams there... Even if the manufacturer-with-cold-feet (be it Renault, Toyota, or another team we just don't see coming) pulls out, they, like Sauber, still have the right to sell to YET ANOTHER new owner if they'd so like. God, this is gonna be a mess.

[RejectSteve]

Very strange timing. How do you put a value on a team which might be given an entry to the championship next year? If they are not the team is effectively worthless.

Shades of Phoenix?

[TeamTipper]

BMW looks like they will go in because middle east team with loads of money and Berine going to more Middle east races I think there will be a 14th team in F1 next year. However do u think there could be a 15th? Me being a geek in F1 I get the feeling that a big backing could support a team that didnt get on the list (like N.Techlogdy)

[fjackdaw]

BMW looks like they will go in because middle east team with loads of money and Berine going to more Middle east races I think there will be a 14th team in F1 next year. However do u think there could be a 15th? Me being a geek in F1 I get the feeling that a big backing could support a team that didnt get on the list (like N.Techlogdy)

Even I would struggle to keep up with 30 drivers on the grid! It'd be fun, but I won't get excited about 15 till at least 14 are confirmed.

[Yannick]

Here is hoping that Sauber or whatever the team will be called, do make it onto the grid as the 14th team.

28 starters at each event would be really great.

I don't like non-qualifiers, though. That is a waste of money.

[Bleu]

What's strange is that if you google 'qadbak' the first 10 results are all news stories of them buying the team. Hardly a sign of notability, and the timing of the whole thing is very strange, what with the team being as good as confirmed to not be on the grid.

Strange.

I had to quote this because of recent news about this.

[Phoenix]

Here is hoping that Sauber or whatever the team will be called, do make it onto the grid as the 14th team.

28 starters at each event would be really great.

I don't like non-qualifiers, though. That is a waste of money.

Considering how marginal are the differences between teams today, I think it would be a great variety of non-qualifiers all over the season, and thus it wouldn't be a waste of money, plus it should put more interest on the track.

And let's hope it's the good now; will they buy an already-developed car, or they have to develop the car themselves?

[shinji]

What's strange is that if you google 'qadbak' the first 10 results are all news stories of them buying the team. Hardly a sign of notability, and the timing of the whole thing is very strange, what with the team being as good as confirmed to not be on the grid.

Strange.

I had to quote this because of recent news about this.

It turns out I'm magic.