Sidepodcast

Daily: 9th January 2009

If there was a drought of Formula 1 news before, then the flood gates have well and truly opened today. Autosport International kicked off for the press, and we've heard from a few paddock people already. It's not just limited to Birmingham, though, there's news coming in from all over the world.

• Dave Richards is apparently not buying Honda now, having hinted that the cost-cutting improvements won't begin to show until 2010, and he's not interested in Formula 1 when it is this expensive. Nick Fry says there are still plenty of people in the running - 12 in fact. Where did they all come from, and who are they?
• Motorsport Aragon - a new track in Spain - is hoping to get on the F1 testing roster. It seems as though there will be more test tracks than racing events soon. The question is, with two Spanish races on the calendar, and Valencia a very poor one, is Aragon hoping to be a replacement?
• Pedro de la Rosa, known as Pedalo round these parts, believes he's still got a chance at an F1 drive. He's fallen into the testing trap at McLaren, but holds out hope (and is sure that) one day he will return to the grid. Really, Pedalo? Really?

As ever, I'll end today's Daily post with a request. Please vote for us in the 2008 Weblog Awards. We're up for two categories, so that's just two clicks, and then I'll let you get on with your day.

Thank you in advance for your clicks, and I'll see you in the comments.

Prodrive 2008 Entry Plans Delayed

This article was originally written for BellaOnline, but is republished here for posterity.

As this season draws to a close, everyone is looking ahead to the next. Driver's are signing contracts and teams are proclaiming what progress they will make for 2008.

One team, though, has no car with which to progress. Prodrive are the new team for 2008, having bid for, and secured, the 12th and final place on the grid. With so little time, Prodrive had plans to purchase their chassis from another team, widely speculated to be McLaren, and therefore join in the customer car row.

The problem lies with the unconfirmed nature of the rules and regulations for 2008. At the moment, teams abide by the Concorde Agreement, which is due to run out this year. No one is able to agree on the issues for the next though, and so it's thought likely that the current agreement will roll over until next year.

The current agreement means that customer cars are not welcome on the grid. There are already legal battles with Super Aguri and Toro Rosso who are handed cars from their sister teams Honda and Red Bull respectively.

Martin Whitmarsh at McLaren has stated that negotiations with Prodrive are not continuing, at least not for now, and although there is no reason, it is most likely due to this contentious issue. The FIA International Court of Appeal is going to be reviewing the case soon, and Prodrive believe talks could be renewed with McLaren, if the findings are in their favour.

Either way, though, time is running out for Prodrive. To be able to compete in the season opener of 2008 in Australia, in the manner that Prodrive boss David Richards would like, they need the car now. All manner of testing, research, and adjustments will need to be made to their new chassis, and the delay is not helping anyone.

When Super Aguri joined the grid a couple of seasons ago, using an old Arrows chassis, people did not expect they would be able to compete. The construction of this team had occurred at record pace, and no one thought they would be ready. They may have struggled a little at first, but there's no doubt that they survived and thrived on the thrill of the race. Dave Richards believes the delay is only short term, and if not, they are looking at alternative options to enter Formula 1 next year. He had better hope it is only temporary, because Super Aguri managed a minor miracle with their entry, I don't believe it could happen again.