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Renault against Force India becoming Mercedes B-team

Published on 02 Aug 2018 11:51
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By: Fergal Walsh

Renault's Cyril Abiteboul has admitted that he is aware of the possibility Force India could become a Mercedes B-team, and has clearly stated that he would be against such a development. Last weekend, Force India entered administration after several parties began proceedings over money owed to them.

It is also understood that there are several parties interested in purchasing the Silverstone-based team. However, it is facing some resistance from Renault, McLaren and Williams who want reassurances before the future of the team is solved.

According to BBC Sport, the trio wants to make sure that Force India doesn't become a B-team for Mercedes, as Abiteboul states that it would be heavily unfair to the opposition: "That’s not the type of F1 we like," the Frenchman said.

"We are a little bit afraid that such a construction would make it impossible for anyone who is not enjoying the benefit of a master team or slave team to be competitive at their own level.

"We start to see some glimpses of that today in certain aspects of the grid or the development of the chassis or engine. We need to make sure it does not become a necessity, otherwise our model does not work and our involvement can’t be sustainable."

But Mercedes boss Toto Wolff claims that the Silver Arrows are not interested in investing in Force India, as it doesn't like the idea of having a B-team: "We don’t like the concept of B-teams in Formula 1," he said.

"We’d rather not have this structure because it provides advantages to both teams, and competitive advantages, you could argue. We are not buying Force India and we would rather not have the concept of a B-team. I understand there are questions from Cyril and others over what is the future of F1 if big teams buy smaller teams, which I completely respect. I completely share those thoughts and I don’t think it is the right way forward.

"I hope we can find a discussion so the scope of co-operation is narrowed down between teams. There are commercial arrangements that make sense, but there are downsides to it. And that is the competitive order can change.

"So we need to find a solution to how the small teams can benefit from shared infrastructure but at the same time not gain an advantage that is currently possible.

"We have held discussions with every potential buyer to my knowledge and the most important thing is someone with the right funds buys the team. But we are not orchestrating it. It is in the hands of the administrator. It needs to be the best outcome for the creditors of the team and that is to sell for the best financial outcome.”

Bhurt

Posts: 320

Agreed. I don't much like the way things are going either, but the one positive to take away from it would be that going down this path has given us a very competitive Haas car and a dramatically improving Sauber. So the upside is that potentially we could have a grid with more competition behind... [Read more]

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Aug 2 2018 - 19:40

F1 News Susie Wolff McLaren Force India Mercedes Renault Williams

Replies (8)

Lotus4Ever

Posts: 26
What about Red Bull/Toro Rosso - Ferrari/Sauber (and no - HAAS is not a B team to Ferrari)
- + 0
- Aug 2 2018 - 12:10
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  Eh, like it or not, I think Haas is a Ferrari B-team. The prancing stallion didnt settle for just one concubine, methinks. Proof is in the raw amounts of parts Ferrari shared with Haas.
  + 0
  
  Aug 2 2018 - 17:38
Kean

Posts: 692
Wait, am I understanding this correctly? Renault are afraid of not being able to beat B-teams? I thought their aim was to be champions, if they're aiming to beat A-teams then they shouldn't worry about B-teams.
- + 0
- Aug 2 2018 - 14:55
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  A B-team with a Mercedes engine, mind. Renault also dont put down the resources that Ferrari and the likes do.
  + 0
  
  Aug 2 2018 - 17:38
f1dave

Posts: 782
If they don't own a part of it why can third parties dictate or require any type of assurances who Force India sells the team to ?
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- Aug 2 2018 - 16:12
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  Because the current rules have to have all teams in agreement over whether the new owners get to access the team's current finances. And thats insane.
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  Aug 2 2018 - 17:40
calle.itw

Posts: 8,527
Nobody asked you for your opinion, Abiteboullshit, the Mollyneux of F1.

Mind, I agree that its a shame that this is what FI would have to become to survive, BUT then again whats the difference? They are more or less already a B-team, even letting their drivers take orders from Daddy Wolff.
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- Aug 2 2018 - 17:42
- Bhurt
  
  Posts: 320
  Agreed. I don't much like the way things are going either, but the one positive to take away from it would be that going down this path has given us a very competitive Haas car and a dramatically improving Sauber. So the upside is that potentially we could have a grid with more competition behind the top teams. The downside would be that potentially someone like Renault who don't put in the resources of Ferrari or Merc, and don't have a B-team may not want to play anymore.
  
  Obviously Merc and Ferrari are doing this to "lock up" deals with their B-teams so they don't jump ship to other suppliers should more engine suppliers enter the sport. So with nearly all the grid locked up with engine deals, why would anyone else want to build engines for F1 if nobody is going to use them? This is all done to stop new companies coming in as that would bring loads of new costs to the current suppliers.
  + 1
  
  Aug 2 2018 - 19:40