Planet-F1

Fry: F1 no place for struggling privateers

Tuesday 20th May 2008

Honda Racing CEO Nick Fry believes the demise of Super Aguri proves that Formula One is no place for privateers.

Super Aguri folded earlier this month after it failed to secure financial backing, which once again highlighted the difficulties smaller teams experience.

Fry told Autosport that F1 would be better off if it tried to lure more car manufacturers to the sport.

"The first question to answer is: 'Is F1 any place for a not-very-well funded privateer team?'

"In this sport, there is a history of teams working at the margins that invariably fall off the bottom and I think it will ever be so. The real mission for F1 is to attract a Volkswagen, an Audi or another big consumer business into the sport and not attempt to bring in more privateers, who may end up in the same position as teams like Arrows and Prost.

"Privateer teams enter on the basis that they can afford the first season - but invariably can't generate the revenue to continue into their second or third years. If you can't afford to compete, you shouldn't be here."

Flavio Briatore also believes the days of people lining up to buy Formula One teams are long gone.

"I remember when I sold Ligier [in 1997] - there were six or seven people interested in buying the team," said Briatore.

"There were people queuing up to buy it. What has happened with Super Aguri sends out the clear message that fewer people are interested in investing in an F1 team these days."