hero-img

Will FPR stay FPR?

28 Mar 2013
Team co-owner Rod Nash has ruled out talking to rival manufacturers as discussions about continuing the alliance with Ford progress.
3 mins by James Pavey
Advertisement

Team co-owner Rod Nash has ruled out talking to rivalmanufacturers as discussions about continuing the alliance with Ford progress.

Nash was responding to conjecture the team is talking withBMW, and further innuendo around the continuance with Ford past their currentagreement, which comes to a conclusion at the end of this season.

“You can quote me hand on heart or whatever,” Nash said. “We are not stupid, we take the view it would not be helpfulin our negotiations with Ford to enter into discussions with othermanufacturers.”

While the BMW link was scotched by Nash – who along withteam principal Tim Edwards was alleged by Auto Action to have visited the Germancompany’s Munich HQ last week – he confirmed to v8supercars.com.au that a threeyear extension of the Ford deal was still yet to be completed.

But Nash, who has been in extended discussions with Fordmotorsport and sponsorships manager David Francis over the deal as recently asthis week, expressed quiet confidence an agreement would be reached.

“At this point, we can’t predict exactly going forward, but… we are not the ones ringing saying ‘hey we still need to talk about thefuture’. They (Ford) are actively in the frame and coming to us as well.”

Nash, who purchased FPR from Prodrive with Rusty French justfour months ago, said he’d discussed with Ford its ongoing commitment then andbeen buoyed by the responses given.

“I made certain enquiries when we purchased the business tomake sure the steam wasn’t blowing out of that partnership and the relationshiphas not dulled at all,” he said.

However, Francis, who has been determinedly low profilesince taking on his job last November, was less forthcoming, issuing only awritten statement via FPR about the matter.

“Ford Australia is in discussion with Ford PerformanceRacing regarding possible future plans, but we do not disclose details aboutthis or any other sponsorship arrangement.”

Once FPR submits its sponsorship proposal, it will moveupstream from Francis to marketing and sales vice-president Brad Brownell and president Bob Graziano for board approval. If it passes that hurdle it goes onto Shanghai for Asia-Pacific sign-off.

v8supercars.com.au believes that process means a sponsorshipextension – if it comes – wouldn’t happen until the new financial year.

Advertisement

Nash acknowledged the deal was running late, but a varietyof factors on both the Ford and FPR sides – including a focus on building andtesting the team’s Car of the Future FG Falcons – had contributed to that.

The AA story, penned by respected journalist Mark Fogarty,predicts Ford’s exit on the basis of crumbling Falcon sales, itsdiversification into imported models and the eventual expected closure of thelocal assembly operation.

He also makes the point that Ford has been steadily windingits support of V8 Supercars back to the point it only sponsors the four-car FPRoperation.

However Nash said the negotiations with Ford centred solelyaround the continuation of its naming rights sponsorship.

“It would be FPR, the official factory team, same deal,”affirmed Nash.

“There has absolutely been zero comment like that (Fordslashing sponsorship support),” said Nash. “We are not going to disclose thefigure we are talking about or what they currently are either. Nonetheless itis at least equal status to where we are currently at.”

Nash said that the negotiations with Ford had been FPR’ssole focus, denying any contact with BMW or any other brand.

“Absolutely definitely, there has not been any conversationin our organisation about BMW or any other manufacturer,” said Nash.

“You can say ‘why wouldn’t you consider the alternatives andleave the business exposed?’. That’s all great but the reason why we haven’t isbecause we have been in discussion with Ford all along and if we had of thoughtit was looking iffy then we would have been pursuing things.

“But you have to be conscious … when you are labelled theofficial factory team, the logo and name FPR, you do have some ethicalrestrictions on yourself.”

The rumours of the BMW contact swirled along the pitlane atthe Australian Grand Prix meeting, prompted by Nash and Edwards’ absence on asponsor trip to the UK with Metcash, the owner of Bottle-O.

Related News

Advertisement