Spyker Sold

Lately there has been much speculation over whether or not the Spyker F1 team will remain part of the Formula 1 circus, as apparently the parent company Spyker Cars NV has been borrowing heavily from the F1 teams revenues in order to stay afloat.

Hence the disputed departure of Cristijan Albers due to late payments, the release of Giedo Van der Garde after a protracted contractual wrangling with Super Aguri F1 and finally Sakon Yamamoto bringing boatloads of Yen to claim a drive for the remainder of the 2007 season as Albers replacement.

Recently Maul resigned from his post at Spyker Cars, being replaced by newly installed CEO Hans Hugenholtz, in the first step of separating the two companies.

This appears to have been part of the plan to make way for the selling of Spyker F1 team to a consortium involving the Maul family and India’s Vijay Mallya which has just occurred. Therefore the Spyker F1 name will leave Formula 1 after just one year and could be rebranded Kingfisher F1?

The deal reportedly cost $80 million Euros ($54 million USD) and will undoubtedly see Michael Maul remain as head of the new F1 outfit with no known staff changes planned. Further details will be learned when the deal is finalized, since it must legally be announced on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange. No doubt having to pay off the remaining $38 million owed to Alex Shnaider, owner of the previous MF1 Racing team of which apparently Spyker Cars NV was in danger of defaulting on.

There are reports that the Stock Exchange’s regulator is upset with the Dutch car maker and is insisting that the “Cooked Books” be revised for 2006, sighting many problems with these figures. While the company has just reported losses of $28.8 million and $13.3 million for the F1 team respectively.

The new ownership seems to dovetail nicely with the upcoming 2009 Indian Grand Prix and I suspect that Narain Karthikayan will become Adrian Sutil’s teammate for the 2008 season…

No new Spyker

The much ballyhooed “B” spec Spyker F8VII that was supposed to make its debut this weekend in Turkey. Has now been slid back to the upcoming Italian Grand Prix. As the heavily revised Spyker did not pass its FIA mandated rear impact structure crash test.

In typical Formula 1 “Posi-Spin.” Chief Technical Officer Mike Gascoyne said that they knew the reason why they’d failed and now they’d be able to run the updated “B” spec chassis in the upcoming Italian GP pre-test next week. So they’d be able to have the car up to snuff prior to Monza, where they’ll continue their heated battle with Scuderia Toro Rosso…

New Dutch Schues

Well sorta; while all of the current speculation towards the little Dutch team focuses on the parent companies cash crisis… The much ballyhooed debut of the Spyker “B” spec is finally scheduled to occur at the Turkish Grand Prix.

And Technical boss Mike Gascoyne is relatively downbeat about the new chassis potential. Saying only we should be on par with Toro Rosso. Umm? That’s NOT saying a whole lot.

Then again the upgrade could be bad news for the Honda boyzs… Since Rubens was unable to pass Adrian Sutil during the Hunga-Boring race…

Yamamoto joins Spyker

While the media was focused upon the WMSC proceedings involving Stepney Spice. Spyker F1 was busy announcing Sakon Yamamoto as Adrian Sutil’s teammate for the remainder of the 2007 season.

Funny how money and a few drivers will change a teams prospective. With first Super Aguri releasing Guido Van der Garde and now sending Yamamoto to the financially burdened Dutch team. As Yamamoto’s race drive is rumoured to have cost $15 million. Makes me wonder if this along with the F1 travel fund being revised to split three ways between Toro Rosso, Super Aguri and Spyker are all payoffs for Spyker dropping its legal actions against the two “B” Team squads?

Spyker slip-up

While watching with great glee towards young Markus Winklehock’s dazzling move from last to first in his Formula 1 debut at his home Grand Prix. It was noted that Spyker had instead ceased all development upon its current chassis to focus upon the new “B” spec competitor that will debut in two races from now at the Turkish GP…

Spyker in trouble?

Will this F1 “Minnow” survive? As Speed’s bob Varsha spent the Monaco weekend blathering on repeatedly about Spyker Cars currently being in financial difficulty.

Apparently the trouble lies in the overly quick “ramp-up” to promote the small specialty automobile manufacturer. (By purchasing a Formula 1 team?) This has seen a Management shake-up at Spyker Cars, while further speculation has centered upon the possibility of Jos Verstappen being given a test drive to attract media attention.

And then there’s the countless legal wrangling's that Spyker F1 is currently in the midst of. With the Guido Van der Garde test driving “scrum.” Along with the customer car legality row. Hence one must wonder if these actions will be dropped in order to save cash (face) or will its Middle East backer’s simply pump further oil profits into the struggling operation?

Hopefully Spyker F1 team boss Colin Kolles recent comments about the Formula 1 team’s financial position being separate from the struggling car company are true. As Kolles insists that Spyker F1 is looking good for the time being…

Albers gets beaten again

OK, so it was a publicity stunt. Or more likely a PR exercise for the little Dutch team… And yes the competition should of won, but if I was Cristijan Albers I’d be getting slightly tired of constantly drawing the “short straw…”

Recently Albers in his Spyker F1 race car went head to head with a Dutch F16 fighter plane and the results were typical as jet planes are faster than Formula 1 cars.

And there appears to be even more scuttlebutt over Albers future with the Spyker team. Although Albers has “mega” connections with the Dutch outfit, he appears to be struggling with this year’s chassis and the switch to Bridgestone tires. And with Spyker’s appetite for cash, anything is possible to happen if Albers continues to muddle about…

Spyker to run Aero upgrades

While you may have thought that Spyker was only busy preparing its legal briefs for its upcoming arbitration. The squad’s design staff has been busy rushing forward a revised “aero” package for the Spyker F8VII, which to date has languished on the very last row of the grid.

Will Mike Gascoyne’s aerodynamic tweaks help the F8VII fit into the glass slipper or will the Orange cars simply turn into pumpkins at midnight?

Spyker lobbies Protest

As previously mentioned, Spyker F1 submitted a formal protest against Super Aguri F1 on Friday practice in Melbourne over the thorny issue of chassis cloning.

The protest was denied by the Melbourne race stewards whom claimed it was an FIA issue. Therefore Spyker has promised to go to arbitration upon the Formula 1 circus beginning its European rounds.

It is believed that Williams also supports the Spyker position but its unknown how the other Constructors feel towards this matter. Yet BMW Sauber’s Dr. Mario Theisen has been fairly outspoken against the notion of customer chassis.

Stay tuned to find out how Bernie & Max will gloss over this issue. Will there simply be an exchanging of funds or will the little “Minnows” go to court?

Spyker strikes Oil

And the Spyker team continues its ever expanding portfolio of team sponsors with the additions of two Abu Dhabi companies. Etihad Airways and Aldar.have joined the multitude of Dutch backers.

Of course it doesn’t hurt when you’re partially owned by Middle East concerns, which I’m sure have something to do with this latest development…

Spyker revises colours

Spyker has once again changed its color scheme prior to the upcoming Australian Grand Prix. For pictures of the revised livery see: Spyker color revision

Dutch Trifecta

Although the Spyker F8VII has just undergone it’s maiden shake down test on the frigid Silverstone tarmac in the hands of both Spyker F1 drivers…

It appears that the scrap over Giedo Van der Garde is perhaps related to the Dutchman’s love life… As the scuttle-butt making the paddock rounds centers on Van der Garde’s defection from Super Aguri being attributed more to lust then Kroner’s…

Meanwhile Mike Gascoyne and Adrian Sutil are dutifully carrying out the dreaded “double-speak” associated with any F1 team’s latest car launch, exclaiming that the new F8VII will be “Super!”

Spyker F8VII

Spyker has just launched its first racing chassis, the F8VII as its 2007 challenger. The car is a bit of a hybrid with old and new bits added, with the largest change being the customer Ferrari “lump” behind the cockpit…

Don’t expect any major design influences from the team’s Chief Technical Officer Mike Gascoyne until the arrival of the F8VIIB sometime in August…

The much discussed signing of four test drivers including Van der Garde seems solely centered around cash. It is rumoured that each tester will pay $90,000 per day of testing…

This would seem to lend credit to the theory that Spyker isn’t as flush with Dutch Kroner’s as it would like the media to believe? Of course one can never have too much money in the world of Formula 1…

To read about William Grand rix’s 2007 Launch, see: Williams FW29

Sutil still learning

Spyker F1 Racing’s newest recruit Adrian Sutil says he’s still got a lot to learn in Formula 1 despite Lewis Hamilton’s predictions that Sutil will “blow” teammate Christijan Albers away this season… (First I believe that Sutil needs to get on track!)

Spyker Suits Up

In a totally opposite vain than the previous owner, (Carl Shnaider ) the Spyker F1 Racing team continues to attract new sponsorship arrangements…

First the team went for clearing up its drivers complexions upon announcing a multi-year sponsorship deal with Philoderm. Next the team went after ex-Minardi sponsor Trust and now the team will focus on gussying up its drivers off track apparel…

Spyker has announced another multi-year deal with clothing manufacturer McGregor…

Spyker also announced its upcoming launch of the team’s brand new Spyker F1 by McGregor clothing line. Look for this new apparel to appear in spring of 2007. The McGregor moniker will adorn the Spyker’s rear wing end plates along with the driver’s uniforms…

As ZZ Top once said: “Everybody Likes a Sharp Dressed Man,” And Spyker is quite literally going for an image makeover with new suits and fresh faces. I just hope their cars will be as good looking as the rest of the team…

Spyker speaking Chinese?

Current rumours suggest that Dutch born Chinese driver Ho-pin Tung is seeking employment with the Spyker F1 Racing team as a test driver…

Spyker goes German

Since the sale of the Midland team speculation swirled over who would partner Christijan Albers next season Spyker F1 Racing recently confirmed that F3 “hot-schue” Adrian Sutil will replace Tiago Monteiro for 2007…

The 23 year old German drove for Spyker as its Friday third driver in 3 events last season along with winning the Japanese F3 Championship this year. Sutil got his first F3 drive with spyker’s Team Principal (Colin Kolles) F3 team in 2004. In 2005 Sutil was runner-up to teammate and European F3 Champion Lewis Hamilton…

Spyking Profits

Ever needed to boost your corporate bottom line? Spyker Cars has done exactly that with the purchase of the Midland F1 Racing Formula One team. After paying $107 million to acquire MF1 Racing, stock prices have risen from $12.00 to $25.00 per share…

Spyker’s Smooth Moves

The Spyker F1 Team has announced a new sponsor for it’s 2007 campaign. Netherland’s Philoderm has been inked to a three year contract. Philoderm is a leading skin care brand manufactured by Rofil Medical in Breda.
Look for Spyker’s racing drivers healthy complexions to be accompanied by Philoderm’s logo plastered on the Spyker airboxes, drivers helmets and overalls...

Gascoyne’s Gardening Leave

Mike Gascoyne, ex-Toyota Technical Director has begun his new employment with Spyker this past Wednesday. (Nov. 1) Gascoyne, who’d been on “Gardening Leave” since departing Toyota mid-season will become Spyker’s new Chief Technology Officer.
Gascoyne first came to prominence designing winning Formula 1 chassis for privateer Eddie Jordan in the late 1990’s before departing for Benetton/Renault. After a brief stint for Flavio Briatore, Gascoyne went on “Gardening Leave” in order to join Toyota before turning full-circle and returning to Spyker. Spyker recently acquired the Midland F1 Racing team which had purchased Jordan Grand Prix.
Once again in typical Formula One PR “speak,” Gascoyne has promised to move Spyker towards the “sharp end of the grid.” However, Gascoyne warns: “Don’t expect too much from Spyker immediately.” The Ferrari engine deal came together late and Gascoyne joined the team even later. The new chassis for 2007 was mostly completed by November 1st. Gascoyne expects to focus on the future of Spyker, which begins its first full F1 campaign next year…