Team owner Rod Nash has ruled out talking to rival manufacturers as discussions about continuing the alliance with Ford progress.
Nash was responding to conjecture the team is talking with BMW, and further innuendo around the continuance with Ford past their current agreement, which comes to a conclusion at the end of this season.
“You can quote me hand on heart or whatever,” said team co-owner Rod Nash. “We are not stupid, we take the view it would not be helpful in our negotiations with Ford to enter into discussions with other manufacturers.”
While the BMW link was scotched by Nash – who along with team principal Tim Edwards was alleged by Auto Action to have visited the German company’s Munich HQ last week – he confirmed to v8supercars.com.au that a three year extension of the Ford deal was still yet to be completed.
But Nash, who has been in extended discussions with Ford motorsport and sponsorships manager David Francis over the deal as recently as this 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 he future’. They (Ford) are actively in the frame and coming to us as well.”
Nash, who purchased FPR from Prodrive with Rusty French just four months ago, said he’d discussed with Ford its ongoing commitment then and been buoyed by the responses given.
“I made certain enquiries when we purchased the business to make sure the steam wasn’t blowing out of that partnership and the relationship has not dulled at all,” he said.
However, Francis, who has been determinedly low profile since taking on his job last November, was less forthcoming, issuing only a written statement via FPR about the matter.
“Ford Australia is in discussion with Ford Performance Racing regarding possible future plans, but we do not disclose details about this or any other sponsorship arrangement.”
Once FPR submits its sponsorship proposal, it will move upstream from Francis to Marketing and Sales Vice-President Brad Brownell and President Bob Graziano for board approval. If it passes that hurdle it goes on to Shanghai for Asia-Pacific sign-off.
v8supercars.com.au believes that process means a sponsorship extension – if it comes – wouldn’t happen until the new financial year.
Nash acknowledged the deal was running late, but a variety of factors on both the Ford and FPR sides – including a focus on building and testing 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, its diversification into imported models and the eventual expected closure of the local assembly operation.
He also makes the point that Ford has been steadily winding its support of V8 Supercars back to the point it only sponsors the four-car FPR operation
However Nash said the negotiations with Ford centred solely around 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 (Ford slashing sponsorship support),” said Nash. “We are not going to disclose the figure we are talking about or what they currently are either. Nonetheless it is at least equal status to where we are currently at.”
Nash said that the negotiations with Ford had been FPR’s sole focus, denying any contact with BMW or any other brand.
“Absolutely definitely, there has not been any conversation in our organisation about BMW or any other manufacturer,” said Nash. “
“You can say ‘why wouldn’t you consider the alternatives and leave the business exposed?’ That’s all great but the reason why we haven’t is because we have been in discussion with Ford all along and if we had of thought it was looking iffy then we would have been pursuing things.
“But you have to be conscious … when you are labelled the official factory team, the logo and name FPR, you do have some ethical restrictions on yourself.”
The rumours of the BMW contact swirled along the pitlane at the Australian Grand Prix meeting, prompted by Nash and Edwards’ absence on a sponsor trip to the UK with Metcash, the owner of Bottle-O.
