Monty 0 Report post Posted April 5, 2005 Article from SpeedTV Last Sunday, Gil de Ferran called the Indy Racing League event as color analyst for ESPN. In a few days, the employees of the BAR-Honda Formula One team will start calling the 37-year-old Brazilian their boss. SPEEDTV.com has learned that in the next few days de Ferran will be named sporting director of the English-based team that has failed to finish a race so far in 2005. de Ferran was in Indianapolis Tuesday but flying back home to Fort Lauderdale and unavailable for comment. Alan Henry, the longtime F-1 corrrespondent for The Guardian newspaper, also confirmed this unlikely, if not shocking, promotion in Wednesday's editions. It's not a surprise that current CEO Nick Fry is under fire since this season has been a disaster for Jensen Button and Takuma Sato. After finishing third and eighth in the 2004 point standings, neither has made it to the end of a race and both have been off pace. And Toyota has scored a pair of podiums and pretty much humilated their arch rival. Fry replaced David Richards, who was credited with turning this team around but got left by the side of the road when Honda acquired the controlling interest last winter. de Ferran is an accomplished race driver -- owner of the 2000 and 2001 CART championships, 2003 Indianapolis 500 and 1992 British Formula 3 title -- yet has never managed a team. Bobby Rahal, who had a short term running the Jaguar F-1 program in 2000, was happy for his old rival in CART but also pragmatic. "Good for Gil," said Rahal from his shop in Columbus, Ohio. "I know he's never led a team but you know he's there because of Honda. Obviously, they think very highly of him and he's a sharp guy. "Of course it's going to be a big challenge. It's seven days a week, 18 hours a day and it's going to be very demanding." But Rahal, who was replaced by Niki Lauda after only six months when there was a change in upper management at Ford, believes that Gil has a better chance of sticking. "Honda is not Ford and I think it's a relatively patient organization," continued the 1986 Indy winner who also made two starts in F-1 before becoming a three-time CART champ. "What undermined me at Jaguar weren't the people who brought me in. It was the next chain of command and I think Gil will have a good guy working with him named Outmore Szafnauer. "I hired Outmore at Jaguar to be my COO but Lauda never allowed him to do his job so, after being paid by Ford for three years to do nothing, Honda hired him. He's good." Still, Rahal has this advice for de Ferran. "Ultimately, he still has to watch his back. It's a whole different world over there." Since retiring from open wheel racing after the 2003 season, the personable de Ferran has worked as an IRL analyst for ABC and ESPN. He spent several seasons racing in England and his wife, Angela, is a native of Great Britain. BAR-Honda is located in Brackley, a suburb of London. link http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/formulaone/16075/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sato 0 Report post Posted April 5, 2005 What a joke, its no wonder they suck, they should of kept Dave Richards, he was doing a great job, delivering the results, then he gets shown the door, and they fail to finish a race! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jenson_Rules 0 Report post Posted April 5, 2005 WTF!!! They are mad!!! Is this true!!! Bring back DR!!! OMG i cant believe ive read this! ****ing need kocking sense into them thats what they need! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jenson_Rules 0 Report post Posted April 5, 2005 kicking not kocking (that sounds rather rude lol) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Monty 0 Report post Posted April 5, 2005 Nick gets the boot after 3 races? that's not good. It took a while for Gascoyne to deliver in Toyota. Looks like these guys are getting desperate, and a few heads are rolling, and Dave Richards must be laughing is head off... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jenson_Rules 0 Report post Posted April 5, 2005 I bet he is, ohh what a mistake they made! Surely JB and DR would have tried to get along with 1 anover! I cant believe BAR, they are quite incredible! Stupid idiots, and hiring someone who has NEVER managed a team! Wheres the use in that! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jenson_Rules 0 Report post Posted April 5, 2005 Oh and brackly is no london subburb, its nearer oxford and silverstone! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sato 0 Report post Posted April 6, 2005 ahh, if only Jenson didn't whinge about DR, they might of still benn half decent this year. Hindsight is 20/20 though i guess. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AutoRacer5 0 Report post Posted April 6, 2005 I must say, this is interesting, He's won 2 cart titles and the Indy 500, so he might be able to understand the driver's point of view. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nojvnof1 0 Report post Posted April 6, 2005 you've all jumped to conclusions, apparently Nick won't be fired, Gil coming in will free up Nick of duties which are hindering his performance in running the race team, which ultimately is his real job. I hear Honda was behind the move, talk about jobs for the mates!!! First Taku, now Gil, maybe they'll offer Jenson a job as deputy to Willis Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Senna 0 Report post Posted April 6, 2005 WTF!!! They are mad!!! Is this true!!! Bring back DR!!! OMG i cant believe ive read this! ****ing need kocking sense into them thats what they need! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Indeed, Richards was a great asset to BAR. If these stories are true Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jenson_Rules 0 Report post Posted April 6, 2005 Nick Fry is still in plave it is all explained online! Ill post the story! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rodders47 2 Report post Posted April 7, 2005 and one wonders why J.B. wanted to "Jump Ship" Guess he has a very good "Crystal Ball" and can forsee that BAR sucks with all the money they have in reality this year they are not far ahead of Minardi who are Literally struggling or more realistically "have lost it " Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Senna 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2005 and one wonders why J.B. wanted to "Jump Ship"Guess he has a very good "Crystal Ball" and can forsee that BAR sucks with all the money they have in reality this year they are not far ahead of Minardi who are Literally struggling or more realistically "have lost it " <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well, I wouldn Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
