Prost-Peugeot article & Asiatech retrospective!

[Ataxia]

Dear GPReject-ists,

With the intimation in F1 quarters that McLaren and Honda are to undergo a messy divorce, we look at a past break-up between team and engine supplier. Using some real setup sheets, we've looked at the Prost and Peugeot relationship to determine which of the two was responsible for an awful 2000.

You can check it out here, and stay tuned next week for something of a follow-up in the story.

Thanks!

[Nessafox]

That is unusually technical, but defenitely interesting.

[dinizintheoven]

With the intimation in F1 quarters that McLaren and Honda are to undergo a messy divorce, we look at a past break-up between team and engine supplier. Using some real setup sheets, we've looked at the Prost and Peugeot relationship to determine which of the two was responsible for an awful 2000.

While the comparison with McLaren and Honda this year is obvious, I think it will be this final season of a partnership that will overtake Prost's divorce with Peugeot as the definition of "annus horribilis" in the future. Under the current scoring system, Prost would have scored 11 points in 2000 - still finishing behind Minardi on 16 points - but I can't see McLaren reaching double figures this year. Even in the initial year with Honda they managed 27 points, and that's well out of reach. I'm almost tempted to head down to Ladbrokes and see what odds they'd give me for McLaren finishing the season on the same big fat zero that used to be the exclusive privilege enjoyed by Caterham and HRT.

And I'd bank on Sauber sneaking a couple more points finishes this year, knowing as they do that it's their last chance to do so - they're in for a long barren spell away from the scoresheets neat year and for the foreseeable future...

[dinizintheoven]

I'm almost tempted to head down to Ladbrokes and see what odds they'd give me for McLaren finishing the season on the same big fat zero that used to be the exclusive privilege enjoyed by Caterham and HRT.

It's been a mere 17 hours and already I'm glad I didn't go to Ladbrokes.

[WaffleCat]

What an article.Well done for shaping the story from just those driver reports alone and their unique driving styles. Have to say, incredible article.

[dr-baker]

I'm almost tempted to head down to Ladbrokes and see what odds they'd give me for McLaren finishing the season on the same big fat zero that used to be the exclusive privilege enjoyed by Caterham and HRT.

It's been a mere 17 hours and already I'm glad I didn't go to Ladbrokes.

What odds you could have got for McLaren scoring this weekend?!

[Ataxia]

Thanks for the kind words, glad it's been reasonably okay! Hopefully the next article's of interest as well; no fancy documents this time, but there's a couple of "exclusive" quotes in there.

[mario]

Thanks for the kind words, glad it's been reasonably okay! Hopefully the next article's of interest as well; no fancy documents this time, but there's a couple of "exclusive" quotes in there.

Well, it is certainly a nice little article for the site (I'll admit that, as one of the more technically minded posters here, I found it an interesting read). I'll be interested to see what else you have lined up for the site in the future too.

[CoopsII]

I also enjoyed the article, the spreadsheets made for a fascinating, if hard to fathom, read. You have to admire Prosts patriotism but in light of his and others' failures (US F1?) you have to wonder if we'll ever see a national team succeed in F1. Maybe this China F1 Racing Team thing?

[Nessafox]

I also enjoyed the article, the spreadsheets made for a fascinating, if hard to fathom, read. You have to admire Prosts patriotism but in light of his and others' failures (US F1?) you have to wonder if we'll ever see a national team succeed in F1. Maybe this China F1 Racing Team thing?

Ferrari?

[CoopsII]

Ferrari?

Well, yeah, and Merc try to be as teutonic as they can but Ferrari have given their full time drives to foreigners every season since, what, Capelli? Prost tried to keep it as French as they could with Panis and Alesi (I think).

[Nessafox]

Ferrari?

Well, yeah, and Merc try to be as teutonic as they can but Ferrari have given their full time drives to foreigners every season since, what, Capelli? Prost tried to keep it as French as they could with Panis and Alesi (I think).

Fair enough, qua drivers Prost (and Ligier before) have been very french-minded, with Brundle-Blundell the only non-french line up ever i think?

[Ataxia]

As promised, we have the follow-up! As I'm sure most of you are aware, the Peugeot baton was picked up by a little-known company called "Asia Motor Technologies" at the end of the year 2000, providing their "Asiatech" engines.

Big thanks to Nuppiz for getting me started with all of the info he's accrued over the years, and also to the living legend that is Sergio Rinland, who was happy to give me some inside info (and a couple of quotes) about the project.

[mario]

As promised, we have the follow-up! As I'm sure most of you are aware, the Peugeot baton was picked up by a little-known company called "Asia Motor Technologies" at the end of the year 2000, providing their "Asiatech" engines.

Big thanks to Nuppiz for getting me started with all of the info he's accrued over the years, and also to the living legend that is Sergio Rinland, who was happy to give me some inside info (and a couple of quotes) about the project.

Just curious, how did you happen to get to know Sergio Rinland? It would be great if it were possible to perhaps interview him about his time in the sport.

[Ataxia]

As promised, we have the follow-up! As I'm sure most of you are aware, the Peugeot baton was picked up by a little-known company called "Asia Motor Technologies" at the end of the year 2000, providing their "Asiatech" engines.

Big thanks to Nuppiz for getting me started with all of the info he's accrued over the years, and also to the living legend that is Sergio Rinland, who was happy to give me some inside info (and a couple of quotes) about the project.

Just curious, how did you happen to get to know Sergio Rinland? It would be great if it were possible to perhaps interview him about his time in the sport.

.

He was one of my lecturers last semester! He's got absolutely bucketloads of stories, and I'd have loved to have sat down with him to hear some more; unfortunately he was only in one day a week (and lecturing until 7pm) so never got the chance!

All the Asiatech info I got out of him was in a 5 minute lecture break, and he seemed kinda surprised someone wanted to hear about it...

[dinizintheoven]

Inside info is always good to have. That said, I doubt anyone involved with Ferrari 30 years ago will ever spill the gnocchi about the real reason why René Arnoux suddenly found himself out of a job.

The article certainly taught me something: I had no idea Asiatech was Japanese! I always thought it was from a less-well-off Pacific Rim country like Malaysia (probably because of Alex Yoong at Minardi) and was F1's answer, in some weird way, to Proton. Neither did I know it had any connection to Sony or miso soup.

Dozo yoroshiku Atakushia-san! *loud, ominous gong*

[Waris]

I wonder if any of those engines still exist somewhere?