View source for Prodrive F1

{{Short description|Proposed Formula One team}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox former F1 team
|name          = Prodrive F1
|long_name     = Prodrive F1 Team
|logo          = Prodrive-Logo.svg
|base          = 
|founders      = [[David Richards (racing)|David Richards]]
|staff         = 
|previous_name = 
|next_name     = 
|drivers       = 
|constructors  = 
|engines       = 
|debut         = 
|races         = 0
|cons_champ    = 0
|drivers_champ = 0
|wins          = 0
|podiums       = 0
|points        = 0
|poles         = 0
|fastest_laps  = 0
|last_race     = 
}}
'''Prodrive F1 Team''' was the name of a proposed [[Formula One]] team to be run by [[Prodrive]]. The team was selected by the FIA in 2006 to be the 12th entry into the [[2008 Formula One season|2008 Formula One world championship]]. In November 2007, a legal challenge to the team's proposed use of customer cars led to Prodrive pulling out of the 2008 season.

In 2009, Prodrive boss [[David Richards (racing)|David Richards]] announced that either Prodrive or [[Aston Martin Racing]] would appear in F1 from 2010 should the budget caps planned be acceptable.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8014273.stm |title=Dave Richards ponders F1 Return |date=23 April 2009 |access-date=23 April 2009 |archive-date=26 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090426051611/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8014273.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Prodrive Ltd. is based in [[Banbury]], [[England]], but has unveiled plans to relocate to a new {{convert|200|acre|ha|0|sing=on}} motorsport facility called "The Fulcrum" (based at the former [[RAF Honiley]] airfield) near [[Wroxall, Warwickshire]].

==Entry into F1==
===2008 attempt===
On 28 April 2006, rallying and motorsports technology firm Prodrive were officially granted entry to  Formula One when the [[FIA]] announced the list of entrants to the [[2008 Formula One season|2008 Formula One World Championship]].<ref>{{cite news |title=2008 FIA Formula One World Championship Entry List Q & A With FIA President Max Mosley |url=http://www.fia.com/mediacentre/Press_Releases/FIA_Sport/2006/April/280406-02.html |publisher=FIA |date=2006-04-28 |access-date=2007-08-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070622161822/http://www.fia.com/mediacentre/Press_Releases/FIA_Sport/2006/April/280406-02.html |archive-date=22 June 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> While a total of 22 teams applied for entry, the FIA had always maintained that, for reasons of both safety and practicality, only 12 teams would be granted entry, meaning only one new team would line up on the grid in 2008.

FIA president [[Max Mosley]] was impressed by Prodrive's bid, which beat off stiff competition from [[Carlin Motorsport]], the [[Jean Alesi]]-led and [[McLaren]]-supported [[Direxiv]] outfit, [[British American Racing|BAR]] co-founder [[Craig Pollock]], former [[Minardi]] owner [[Paul Stoddart]] and ex-[[Jordan Grand Prix]] team principal, [[Eddie Jordan]].

Mosley revealed that Prodrive had found the finances to support their bid, adding: "Prodrive have the best combination of financial backing, technical capability and motor sport experience and are well known to the FIA through their participation in the [[World Rally Championship]]. Also, Prodrive's chief executive, David Richards, has experience as a Formula One team principal".<ref>{{cite news |title=Richards set for F1 return as Prodrive win 12th slot |first=David |last=Tremayne |url=http://sport.independent.co.uk/motor_racing/article360890.ece |work=The Independent |date=2006-04-29 |access-date=2007-06-22 |location=London |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927193600/http://sport.independent.co.uk/motor_racing/article360890.ece |archive-date=27 September 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Richards has previously acted as team principal of the [[Benetton Formula|Benetton]] and [[British American Racing]] teams.

According to some reports,<ref>{{cite news |title=Rumours about McLaren |url=http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns18051.html |publisher=Grand Prix.com |date=2007-02-20 |access-date=2007-08-14 |archive-date=1 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070301202617/http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns18051.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Prodrive F1 was to use [[Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains|Mercedes engines]] and the same cars as McLaren. During the 2007 season, McLaren boss [[Ron Dennis]] denied that the partnership had been finalised.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dennis: No McLaren/Prodrive deal yet |url=http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=39064 |publisher=ITV-F1 |date=2007-04-23 |access-date=2007-08-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070819010259/http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=39064 |archive-date=19 August 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Discussions with other potential suppliers of cars, including [[Renault F1|Renault]], were also carried out.{{Citation needed|date=November 2007}} On 25 April 2007, it was announced that Prodrive had attracted a title sponsor for 2008. The same article also referenced [[Gary Paffett]] for a race drive citing his "one year" contract in [[Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters|DTM]] and with McLaren as a test driver. There were also rumours linking DTM driver [[Bruno Spengler]], ex-F1 driver and McLaren tester [[Pedro de la Rosa]] and ex-McLaren test driver [[Alexander Wurz]] to the team. By October 2007, it was believed that the team had an agreement in place to use [[McLaren (racing)|McLaren]]-[[Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines|Mercedes]] cars, at a cost of around $100M.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns19715.html |title=The problem for Prodrive |access-date=23 November 2007 |archive-date=11 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071211234228/http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns19715.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Although David Richards also led the consortium which owns [[Aston Martin]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Aston Martin 'on brink of sale' |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6433349.stm |publisher=BBC |date=2007-03-09 |access-date=2007-08-14 |archive-date=20 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070320062253/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6433349.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> he ruled out the Aston Martin brand entering F1.<ref>{{cite news |first=Andrew |last=Benson |title=Aston Martin owner rules out F1 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6443609.stm |publisher=BBC |date=2007-03-13 |access-date=2007-08-14 |archive-date=24 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070324075250/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6443609.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Although the FIA had announced in 2006 that customer cars would be permitted from the 2008 season, the 2007 season saw complaints against two teams, [[Scuderia Toro Rosso]] and [[Super Aguri F1]], believed by other teams to already be using customer cars. The use of customer cars (cars built by a constructor entered in the F1 championship and sold to another entrant) is forbidden by the [[Concorde Agreement]]. The Concorde Agreement is the contract between the FIA, the F1 [[List of Formula One constructors|teams]] and [[Formula One Administration]] which dictates the terms by which the teams compete in races and take their share of the television revenues and prize money. As the Concorde Agreement was scheduled to expire at the end of 2007 and a succeeding Agreement had not yet been finalised, in October 2007 the [[WilliamsF1|Williams]] team challenged Prodrive's proposed use of customer cars for its entry to the 2008 championship in the FIA's International Court of Appeal.

Following lengthy negotiations between president Mosley and Richards, including a request that the team be allowed to enter from mid-season, Richards announced on 23 November 2007 that Prodrive F1 would not compete in the {{f1|2008}}, as the legal situation left no time for the team to be set up for the start of the season.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/071122152528.shtml |title=F1-Live - Prodrive no-go for 2008 |access-date=23 November 2007 |archive-date=19 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080319093703/http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/071122152528.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> "It is still our ambition to compete in Formula One," Prodrive said in a statement. "We are hopeful that a new Concorde Agreement between the FIA, [[Formula One Group|FOA]] (Formula One Administration) and teams will provide clarity as to the terms on which this might be possible. When this new agreement is reached, we will be in a position to consider the extent to which we can adapt our plans for participation in the future."<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7109405.stm Prodrive gives up on 2008 F1 entry]</ref>
In an interview Richards said that he would have wanted Pedro de la Rosa and [[Lucas di Grassi]] as his drivers for the 2008 season.{{Citation needed|date=April 2009}}

===Further attempts===
When [[Honda Racing F1|Honda]] withdrew at the end of 2008, Richards was linked to buying out the team and using it as an output for Prodrive,<ref>{{cite news|title=Honda will help out buyer in '09|url=http://www.itv-f1.com/news_article.aspx?id=44753|date=2008-12-11|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207165812/http://www.itv-f1.com/news_article.aspx?id=44753|archive-date=7 February 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref> but [[Ross Brawn]] and the rest of the team's management bought out the team instead, becoming [[Brawn GP]].

In May 2009, Richards lodged an entry for the [[2010 Formula One season]].<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?id=45995|title= Prodrive confirms 2010 entry bid|publisher= ITV.com/f1|date= 2009-05-29|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090724040609/http://www.itv-f1.com/news_article.aspx?id=45995|archive-date= 24 July 2009|df= dmy-all}}</ref> If successful, it would have allowed the [[Aston Martin]] name to return to Formula One<ref>{{cite web|title=Aston Martin to enter F1 in 2012|publisher=Inside F1|work=grandprix.com|url=http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns21517.html|date=2009-05-29|access-date=2009-05-30|archive-date=11 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611145411/http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns21517.html|url-status=live}}</ref> (which ultimately occurred in 2021, when the former [[Racing Point F1 Team]] [[Aston Martin in Formula One|was purchased and rebranded]]). On 12 June 2009 it was announced by the FIA that Prodrive's entry for 2010 had not been accepted.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/f1releases/2009/Pages/f1_2010_entrants.aspx |title=2010 FIA Formula One World Championship Entry List |access-date=2015-07-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100303131653/http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/f1releases/2009/Pages/f1_2010_entrants.aspx |archive-date=3 March 2010 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Prodrive stated in a press release that they were 'disappointed'.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.prodrive.com/p_releases.html?id=233 |title=Prodrive |access-date=12 June 2009 |archive-date=17 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617191157/http://www.prodrive.com/p_releases.html?id=233 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In early December 2009, there were reports in the media suggesting that Renault were looking to sell their team ahead of the 2010 F1 season.  [[Bernie Ecclestone]], the commercial rights holder for Formula One, revealed on 7 December 2009 that Richards' Prodrive was one of four potential bidders.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.itv-f1.com/news_article.aspx?id=47514|title=Ecclestone says Renault has four bidders|publisher=ITV.com|date=2009-12-07|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106190139/http://www.itv-f1.com/news_article.aspx?id=47514|archive-date=6 January 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Reports suggested that Prodrive's proposal would have seen Renault withdraw from the sport as a manufacturer, but remain in place as an engine supplier.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/091203131835.shtml|title=Renault linked to Prodrive sale|publisher=F1-Live.com|date=2009-12-03|access-date=3 December 2009|archive-date=5 December 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091205185202/http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/091203131835.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Formula One constructors}}
[[Category:Formula One entrants]]
[[Category:Formula One constructors]]
[[Category:British auto racing teams]]
[[Category:Apax Partners companies]]