Branson: Ferrari should welcome us - Formula 1 news - GPUpdate.net


Sir Richard Branson believes that Ferrari should support Formula 1's new teams as opposed to criticising this year's debutants, as it did earlier in the week. The Maranello squad, the only team which has remained in the sport since its very first race in 1950, believes that governing body the FIA should have assisted larger manufacturers more to be able to remain.

With Honda, BMW and Toyota having all left Formula 1 between December 2008 and last November, Renault has also sold the majority of the shares in its team to Genii Capital, which was highlighted by Ferrari in its statement. However, the Chairman of the Virgin Group believes that the Scuderia should focus more upon the future.

"It's a bit sad to see Ferrari carrying on with those kinds of words," Branson explained to GPUpdate.net at the Circuit de Catalunya on Saturday morning.

"F1 needs new teams and Ferrari won the battle of making sure that they're shackled; for testing, we built a new car and we're going to have to have exactly the same amount of practice time as Ferrari or the others, who have had years and years to get their cars to a certain stage."

Branson stressed, however, that his team's progress has not been slowed as a result of the disagreement. "We're not complaining about it," Sir Richard continued. "We're happy to go on with it but Ferrari should be welcoming new teams because make they sport much more exciting.

"We'll make them look better for a year or two, until we catch them up; ultimately, I think the new teams will give Ferrari a run for their money and that will make the sport more exciting, particularly as the budgets come down to more realistic levels."

 

I am not surprised by RB's comments. He has built his brand on challenging the establishment however in the case of F1 his comments are naive.

I like what Branson does when he provides healthy competition and an alternative to consumers but in the case of F1 I really think they won't have what it takes to win or to last more than a couple of years. He is now just a venture capitalist and will not keep throwing money at a team that does not get results.

 

He should have just stuck with Ross Brawn. That was his ticket.

And who is he to talk about realistic budgets. He bought an Island.

 

A *small* island. Apparently, he bought it for around $300,000, so about enough to build the first six front wings on an F1 car (or, enough to last Jensen Button two races).

 

 

Well lets see in a few years. RB has some failures and lots of successes behind him. Many people have said that he would not make it in several situations, but his huge desire to succeed and his passion has worked wonders before.

I would not count him out yet ;o)

 

Without the new teams and with the exit of BMW, Honda, etc. F1 would have been affected seriously. So I think his remarks are somewhat justified. I think Branson thrives on being an underdog and by publicising that fact he creates instant value for his brand and project. It's a formula that's worked well for him in the past and he's doing the same again. Good luck to him. I for one am glad to see new teams in the mix.

 

I am glad to see new teams as well but there are no fairy tales in F1.

Virgin Racing doesn't have a silver bullet, whether it be personnel or hardware.

 

Joe I couldn't of said it any better if I tried,, the loss of the manufacturers and their deep pockets isnt good for F1 only the rich can compete in this sport IMO these new teams won't ever have what it takes to challenge the status quo. That piece of magic comes about once in a life time and we all witnessed it with Brawn. And as Dana said he should've stuck with Brawn the fact that he didn't proves to me that his business smarts wont serve him in F1