FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[yamashek]

Leaked email says Virgin buying Manor stake
Donnelly linking up Virgin, Manor and Saudi investors
03/07/09 10:25

Virgin has decided to buy a share of the new Manor Formula One team, a leaked email has confirmed.

Sir Richard Branson's brand currently backs Brawn GP but the British billionaire said recently that the success of the team in 2009 had sent its 2010 sponsorship price too high.

We reported last week that Virgin may already have signed a deal to re-name and possible buy into the new 2010 entrant Manor, which involves FIA President Max Mosley's former Simtek colleague Nick Wirth.

Recent reports indicated that Mosley's FIA representative at Grand Prix and chief steward Alan Donnelly may also be involved, confirmed now in the pages of the Guardian newspaper.

An email authored by Donnelly indicates that the Virgin-Manor linkup was in place even before Manor was selected to join fellow new teams US F1 and Campos on the 2010 grid.

"Virgin have signed to be investment partners with a shareholding of around 20 percent,” Donnelly wrote.

Donnelly's questionable neutrality is also likely to return to the spotlight due to his arranging of meetings with Manor officials and a member of the Saudi royal family.


His email, attached to a draft Manor sponsorship and investment agreement, goes on: "I will be in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and look forward to seeing you at our planned meeting ... with representatives of Manor and Virgin.

"However if you would like a pre-meeting with me privately on Sunday then please let me know," Donnelly added.

Virgin and Manor did not comment, while Donnelly insists the email is not evidence of improper behaviour as he was already in Saudi Arabia on official FIA business.

Manor boss John Booth, meanwhile, told the English newspaper Dinnington Guardian that the team's commercial package will be confirmed in the next few months, followed by announcements regarding drivers in October.

Source: GMM
© CAPSIS International

Too bad VIrgin is not looking forward to get behind BrawnGP anymore, but it is understandable as Ross Brawn raised sponsorship prices significantly.

Thing is, though, could there potentially be a problem since Donelly (FIA official) linked up Virgin and Manor?

ps: how does Virgin GP sound?

[Jamie]

i was disgusted to find this out, back stabbing

they really have fount a prefect team! one that would bring them more business than Sky could ever imagine and now there just getting greedy, really annoyed me this has

[EwanM]

Of course this isn't a surprise, but it is a shame that it had to be leaked like that.

[f1usa]

What would Donnelly's motive be, to have a team sympathetic with the views of the FIA and Max and gain membership into FOTA.

[EwanM]

What would Donnelly's motive be, to have a team sympathetic with the views of the FIA and Max and gain membership into FOTA.

Good point. The war continues.

[bud]

I doubt Manor would be a member of FOTA straight away, they would have to earn it. Williams and Force India have not been granted re entry to the association.

[7UpJordan]

Branson can look forward to going from sponsoring a potential Championship winning team to a potential back-of-grid-warmer team. Then he'll probably go running back to Brackley begging to re-sponsor Brawn.

[NateDawg80126]

Screw Branson, Brawn has bigger fish to fry.

[myownalias]

I doubt Manor would be a member of FOTA straight away, they would have to earn it. Williams and Force India have not been granted re entry to the association.

Why? "Formula One Teams Association" - doesn't that name say that it should represent the interests of all F1 teams? otherwise it just turns into another old boys club. FOTA are only powerful because they have the support of all teams, if five teams on the grid don't support or are not allowed in; the association needs a name change!

Screw Branson, Brawn has bigger fish to fry.

You say that but without Virgin sponsorship would Brawn still be in such a strong position even with Ross Brawn at the helm?

[Denthúl]

I doubt Manor would be a member of FOTA straight away, they would have to earn it. Williams and Force India have not been granted re entry to the association.

Why? "Formula One Teams Association" - doesn't that name say that it should represent the interests of all F1 teams? otherwise it just turns into another old boys club. FOTA are only powerful because they have the support of all teams, if five teams on the grid don't support or are not allowed in; the association needs a name change!

Screw Branson, Brawn has bigger fish to fry.

You say that but without Virgin sponsorship would Brawn still be in such a strong position even with Ross Brawn at the helm?

Yeah. Their Honda-funded car would still have won those races.

[myownalias]

Screw Branson, Brawn has bigger fish to fry.

You say that but without Virgin sponsorship would Brawn still be in such a strong position even with Ross Brawn at the helm?

Yeah. Their Honda-funded car would still have won those races.

That would have taken them upto maybe 1/3rd of the season but without further funding that Virgin is providing Brawn would have dropped back unless Ross is willing to sink some of his personal fortune into the team! would he be willing to do that? I don't blame Branson for moving onto a better return on investment with Manor!

[McLaren Fan]

Why? "Formula One Teams Association" - doesn't that name say that it should represent the interests of all F1 teams? otherwise it just turns into another old boys club. FOTA are only powerful because they have the support of all teams, if five teams on the grid don't support or are not allowed in; the association needs a name change!

A couple of important qualifications. FOTA will always be powerful so long as they have the big teams (i.e., outfits such as Ferrari) within their ranks. To be really honest, nobody really cares what Manor F1 thinks. They are insignificant plebeians. And, moreover, it's not like Manor F1 is just another team; it is only in Formula One by the corrupt actions of Mosley, who wants Manor F1 to be his pawn to influence the direction of the sport after his ignominious demise.

[darwin dali]

Screw Branson, Brawn has bigger fish to fry.

You say that but without Virgin sponsorship would Brawn still be in such a strong position even with Ross Brawn at the helm?

Yeah. Their Honda-funded car would still have won those races.

That would have taken them upto maybe 1/3rd of the season but without further funding that Virgin is providing Brawn would have dropped back unless Ross is willing to sink some of his personal fortune into the team! would he be willing to do that? I don't blame Branson for moving onto a better return on investment with Manor!

I seriously doubt that Manor will be a better return for Branson's dough: return in this context is measured by exposure, airtime and the likes, which Brawn with their wins and podiums have provided in abundance. Branson got a very cheap deal with Brawn this year and the best imaginable return for the investment. Brawn will be more expensive next year, but still promises good to excellent results and hence, return for the price. Virgin's money will be lost at Manor for little to no return.

[myownalias]

Screw Branson, Brawn has bigger fish to fry.

You say that but without Virgin sponsorship would Brawn still be in such a strong position even with Ross Brawn at the helm?

Yeah. Their Honda-funded car would still have won those races.

That would have taken them upto maybe 1/3rd of the season but without further funding that Virgin is providing Brawn would have dropped back unless Ross is willing to sink some of his personal fortune into the team! would he be willing to do that? I don't blame Branson for moving onto a better return on investment with Manor!

I seriously doubt that Manor will be a better return for Branson's dough: return in this context is measured by exposure, airtime and the likes, which Brawn with their wins and podiums have provided in abundance. Branson got a very cheap deal with Brawn this year and the best imaginable return for the investment. Brawn will be more expensive next year, but still promises good to excellent results and hence, return for the price. Virgin's money will be lost at Manor for little to no return.

Assuming that Manor are at the back; they may well pull a surprise with their supposedly corrupt entrance into the world of F1. Who's to say that Brawn will be winning next year? Look at last years title contenders Ferrari and McLaren; who are nowhere right now, Ferrari and McLaren are fighting it out for the small points! Plus I believe that Branson has bigger plans to own or part own a F1 team to further his brand identity. We won't know how the grid shakes out until Melbourne 2010!

[myownalias]

Why? "Formula One Teams Association" - doesn't that name say that it should represent the interests of all F1 teams? otherwise it just turns into another old boys club. FOTA are only powerful because they have the support of all teams, if five teams on the grid don't support or are not allowed in; the association needs a name change!

A couple of important qualifications. FOTA will always be powerful so long as they have the big teams (i.e., outfits such as Ferrari) within their ranks. To be really honest, nobody really cares what Manor F1 thinks. They are insignificant plebeians. And, moreover, it's not like Manor F1 is just another team; it is only in Formula One by the corrupt actions of Mosley, who wants Manor F1 to be his pawn to influence the direction of the sport after his ignominious demise.

Alleged corrupt action; there is no solid proof of that at this time! If Manor F1, Campos, USF1, Williams and Force India are not allowed into FOTA then that smacks of a old boys club, either it's for all teams entered into the F1 world championship or FOTA has no place in Formula 1 in my opinion!