Prodrive still on track
August 19th 2007 12:41
Prodrive will be ready: Richards
Speculation that Formula One’s twelfth official team is in danger of being stillborn has increased with the lack of news regarding the team’s progress.
Richards has remained very tight-lipped about any details regarding the team, but was quoted on a website as saying “Absolutely not. We will be there next year.”
The Briton promised more information would emerge “very soon,” despite failing to deliver expected news at the end of July.
The former BAR boss also spoiled rumours that he has approached Williams driver, Alex Wurz to pilot one of the Prodrive cars next year.
The Austrian has previously for Richards back when Richards ran the Benetton outfit in the late nineties.
"I know him very, very well," Richards said, "but I have spoken with him as a friend - not about contractual matters."
Earlier this week, German magazine, Auto Motor und Sport reported that Prodrive had secured three substantial sponsors and was planning to run similar chassis and engines as McLaren next year.
The magazine claimed that Richards was in advanced stages of negotiation with the Woking-based team to establish Prodrive as McLaren-Mercedes’ ‘B-team’.
Chassis-sharing regulations that come into effect in 2008 would allow Prodrive to run such an operation, the magazine reported, adding that current McLaren testers, Pedro de la Rosa and Gary Paffett are likely to race the cars.
Richards has not confirmed nor denied these claims.
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