Mercedes COTF in 2013?

[Damo]

Any one seen the latest Auto Action? The cover has SBR E Class Mercedes in Irwin and SP Tools livery on it and a full page story on the first page. they reckon Erebus Racing, the guys that run the AMG SLS in the GT series are going to team up with SBR next year with backing from Germany.

Really can't see it happening seeing the massive job and such a tight schedule the Kelly's have with Nissan, and they've had, what, 5-6 months?

Penny for your thoughts.

 

[Poita]

SBR have been working on COTF most of the year, just a matter of fitting different panels to an already built chassis. Mercedes Australia want nothing to do with V8 supercars apparently it lessens there brand [jk] but head office in Germany are more than happy to offer their support to the new team... if it goes ahead.

 

[Hardies Hero]

This is being confirmed today at 1pm according to reports..

 

[Gerry]

Yep - E 63 AMG.
AMG engines too.

 

[Quasi]

For those that haven't seen it.....

 

[Gerry]

Confirmed.

http://www.speedcafe.com/2012/09/19/erebusstone-brothers-mercedes-deal-confirmed/

 

[Bartman09]

What will 79Maq do now?????

http://www.speedcafe.com/2012/09/19/complete-erebus-takeover-of-sbr-not-being-ruled-out/

http://www.motoring.com.au/news/201...c-back-flip-means-benz-definite-for-v8s-32510

 

[Quasi]

And how soon after Erebus/SBR start winning races, or gathering podiums, will it be before Mercedes jump in for a share of the limelight I wonder

 

[Racin Jason]

Bring it! Pity it's not with DJR but by the sounds of it the Stones are looking at retirement sometime in the not so distant future. I would love to see Ford come to the part and look after DJR but I really can't see that happening. My next choice, given that GRM seems to have dibs on Chrysler when/if they decide to join would be Mazda. I hate to say it but all I see is DJR getting left behind.[sh]

 

[Gerry]

Bring it! Pity it's not with DJR but by the sounds of it the Stones are looking at retirement sometime in the not so distant future. I would love to see Ford come to the part and look after DJR but I really can't see that happening. My next choice, given that GRM seems to have dibs on Chrysler when/if they decide to join would be Mazda. I hate to say it but all I see is DJR getting left behind.[sh]

You mean further behind...

 

[Bigcol]

Well by the looks of it, you're either going to need factory dollars or a very cashed up benefactor. I can't see too many cashed up people wanting to get involved with DJR after whats happened in the past.

You're going to see 888, HRT, FPR, eventually the Kellys and now Erebus/SBR being competitive and the others are just going to be grid fillers.

With the results DJR have got lately there isn't a manufacturer out there that would bother

Ross and jimmy will be retired before we know it.

 

[TS-50]

http://www.speedcafe.com/2012/09/19/dick-johnson-hopes-ford-loyalty-will-pay-off/


Dick Johnson Racing has campaigned Fords in the ATCC/V8 Supercars Championship since the team’s inception in 1980, and will continue to do so next year.
“Right now I don’t know what it (SBR’s defection) is going to do for us to be quite honest, but one would hope it can only strengthen our overall position,” Johnson told Speedcafe.com.
“As far as we’re concerned we’re staying where we are, we don’t intend on jumping ship. We’ve been around this brand (Ford) for too long to be doing that.
“We’ve built a strong fan base around racing Ford products for the last four decades, and at this point in time we have no plans on changing that.”
Johnson however is quick to point out that he sees the prospect of Nissan and Mercedes joining the grid next season as a positive for the class.
“Quite frankly I do think that the arrival of new manufacturers is good for the category,” he said
“When you become so attached to something it’s hard for anyone to jump ship, but it is a business and other teams have made decisions that are right for them from a business point of view.”
While Johnson confirmed that negotiations with Ford continue over funding for next season continue, Speedcafe.com’s call to Ford Australia’s motorsport manager Graham Barrie is yet to be returned.
DJR is expected to campaign three cars in next year’s championship, with current #18 Racing Entitlements Contract holder Charlie Schwerkolt having previously confirmed his move to Ford Performance Racing.

 

[Damo]

It seems that MBA tried to kill this bid months ago and thought they had done it but Erebus went through the back door and straight to Germany and done a deal with AMG as an official customer. Now that its happening MBA are "oh yeah we wanted this all along but we have nothing to do with it". Now, fast forward 6-8 months, Mercs are extremely competitive pushing for wins and, "hello!, remember us we're MBA and we would love you to do some sort of advertising with us to showcase our brands success"

Just wait until BMW start sniffing around, MBA will start getting very twitchy.

And as far as DJR getting any sort of manufacturer backing, be it from Ford, or a new manufacturer, I highly doubt it. I hope I'm wrong but with the way they have been performing over the past couple of seasons, they are their own worst enemy. Again, I hope I'm very wrong but I think they are racing themselves into oblivion unless they start to DRAMATICALLY improve things and FAST.

 

[Quasi]

The sons-of-a-gun have done nothing for us this year, and as far as I can see the other two aren't worth pissing on. We need drivers who are capable of running at the front and at least threaten for a top spot regularly, not occasional flashes of brilliance.

 

[Poita]

SBR are not denying that a take over by EREBUS is part of the current arrangement. This will be by mutual agreement once EREBUS are happy to go it alone, the earliest being 2014.

 

[Donut King]

Well by the looks of it, you're either going to need factory dollars or a very cashed up benefactor.

On the cashed up benefactor bit, remember when the story broke of Tinkler's intended involvement in DJR, tere were howls from all corners about how rich benefactors and race teams dont mix because eventually the money runs out and thigs go bad...

Well how exactly does that differ from erebrus being involved with (Read: taking over) SBR? The same pundits decrying Tinklers involvement are now celebrating erebrus' deal because it brings in mercedes.

The way i see it is that all we have is an eccentric cashed up person (kinda like Craig Gore was) who is coming in with stars in their eyes, and has happened to for some reason decide they will make their cars look like mercedes, eventually I am sure the harsh realities of self funding a race team will sink in and they'll wonder why it is they're throwing good money after bad and look to exit stage right.

This is not a 4th manufacturer, its an eccentric rich person coming in to get a few thrills, proably at australian motorsports eventual expense

 

[DJR590]

On the cashed up benefactor bit, remember when the story broke of Tinkler's intended involvement in DJR, tere were howls from all corners about how rich benefactors and race teams dont mix because eventually the money runs out and thigs go bad...

Well how exactly does that differ from erebrus being involved with (Read: taking over) SBR? The same pundits decrying Tinklers involvement are now celebrating erebrus' deal because it brings in mercedes.

The way i see it is that all we have is an eccentric cashed up person (kinda like Craig Gore was) who is coming in with stars in their eyes, and has happened to for some reason decide they will make their cars look like mercedes, eventually I am sure the harsh realities of self funding a race team will sink in and they'll wonder why it is they're throwing good money after bad and look to exit stage right.

This is not a 4th manufacturer, its an eccentric rich person coming in to get a few thrills, proably at australian motorsports eventual expense

from the looks of it i think we dodged a bullet by not having Mr Tinkler involved.
his finances are not to healthy at this moment.[tsk]

 

[Donut King]

Agreed on that, and I wasnt sure it was a good move at the time either, more pointing out that peoples tunes have changed somewhat on this type of deal since the last one was mooted...

 

[djr18fan]

On the cashed up benefactor bit, remember when the story broke of Tinkler's intended involvement in DJR, tere were howls from all corners about how rich benefactors and race teams dont mix because eventually the money runs out and thigs go bad...

Well how exactly does that differ from erebrus being involved with (Read: taking over) SBR? The same pundits decrying Tinklers involvement are now celebrating erebrus' deal because it brings in mercedes.

The way i see it is that all we have is an eccentric cashed up person (kinda like Craig Gore was) who is coming in with stars in their eyes, and has happened to for some reason decide they will make their cars look like mercedes, eventually I am sure the harsh realities of self funding a race team will sink in and they'll wonder why it is they're throwing good money after bad and look to exit stage right.

This is not a 4th manufacturer, its an eccentric rich person coming in to get a few thrills, proably at australian motorsports eventual expense

I don't reckon Erebus will necessarily need to put much money in. If any. I'd be very surprised if Ross & Jimmy have tipped their own money into SBR very often, if at all. I assume the team runs on sponsorship $, and has a history of running well. Popular opinion is that the Ford sponsorship was/is not worth a lot. Car of the future is supposed to be cheaper, so unless sponsors leave...?

However if Erebus want to invest heaps, that's there perogative.

Oh, and I think DJR's drivers are not the primary cause of their poor performance. (Why did Courtney win a championship one year then no-where ever since)
None of the top 5 drivers currently placed in the championship could get a DJR car to win a race at present. But I reckon if you put any of the DJR drivers in a 888 or FPR car rignow, a win would be a distinct possibility.

 

[Damo]

On the cashed up benefactor bit, remember when the story broke of Tinkler's intended involvement in DJR, tere were howls from all corners about how rich benefactors and race teams dont mix because eventually the money runs out and thigs go bad...

Well how exactly does that differ from erebrus being involved with (Read: taking over) SBR? The same pundits decrying Tinklers involvement are now celebrating erebrus' deal because it brings in mercedes.

The way i see it is that all we have is an eccentric cashed up person (kinda like Craig Gore was) who is coming in with stars in their eyes, and has happened to for some reason decide they will make their cars look like mercedes, eventually I am sure the harsh realities of self funding a race team will sink in and they'll wonder why it is they're throwing good money after bad and look to exit stage right.

This is not a 4th manufacturer, its an eccentric rich person coming in to get a few thrills, proably at australian motorsports eventual expense

I think the big difference between Tinkler and Erebus owner Betty Klimenko is that she actually has the money and Tinkler has the worth but nowhere near as much money. Tinklers "money" is mostly on paper, none of the coal interests he has have actually turned a sod of dirt yet, but Klimenko's money is real, her father was co founder of Westfield with Frank Lowy and now she is a director of the family's company Tower Group. Make no mistake, she's no flash in the pan.