09/01/2009
NEWS STORY
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According to a report in the Daily Telegraph, Nick Fry is interested in making his own bid for the Honda F1 team, and it is this possibility which is scaring off would be buyers including David Richards.
The British newspapers claims that with Honda having already paid for the team's entry in the 2009 World Championship, not to mention having paid the lease on the Brackley factory for the next four years, Nick Fry is considering making his own bid.
According to the Daily Telegraph, on learning that Fry is involved, one potential buyer, Greek shipping tycoon Achilleas Kallakis, "expressed dissatisfaction with elements of the process".
The paper claims potential buyers (rescuers?) "became frustrated at the lukewarm reception to what they felt to be well-financed offers".
Consequently, "disheartened at the lack of progress they were told, on further inquiry, of Fry's attempt at a management buy-out".
The paper claims that Fry did not return calls when asked to comment on this new turn of events.
It is not known whether Fry's bid is the reason for another withdrawal from the bidding, by the man who many tipped as the best placed person to lead the team back to the right end of the grid, David Richards.
Yesterday, the Prodrive boss announced that he would not be making a bid for the Brackley outfit, claiming financial reasons.
"I just personally feel that the current environment is too unsettled," he is quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph. "The cost-cutting process that has been put in place has not yet seen its full benefit, and I don't think it will be until 2010 that you will see those issues roll out properly. The teams have still got a burden of unsustainable overheads."
Speaking in Birmingham yesterday, Fry claimed that originally there were as many as thirty bids for the team, but that these have now been whittled down to a dozen. However, for a man ever eager to blow his own trumpet, he failed to mention that he might be one of the potential purchasers.
While employees at Brackley and fans of the team, are desperate that a buyer be found, and soon, there will be widespread dismay that the new boss could be Fry himself, the man who has presided over the team as it slid further and further down the grid.
Under Fry's leadership next year was always going to be the year, with the current season one of transition. The team was always young and still learning, even after almost ten years. And let's not forget the meaningless Myearthdream concept, pure puff to try and disguise the fact that even when enjoying some success (Hungary 2006) the team couldn't attract sponsors.
Fry likes the sound of his own voice, as Aguri Suzuki pointed out so eloquently last year, he also likes having his picture taken with celebrities. However, he is not a man to lead an F1 team, certainly not in a winning direction.
It is hoped that a proven winner such as Ross Brawn will see through all this nonsense and assist Honda (Japan) in finding a serious bidder for the team.