Joint launch plan axed

Plan for all teams to launch in Valencia next month shelved

Last updated: 23rd December 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Joint launch plan axed

Fry: Joint launch plan

Related links

Teams

Also see

Formula One teams have abandoned a plan to launch their 2010 cars publicly at the same time in Spain next month.

According to Mercedes GP chief executive Nick Fry, the idea of a joint launch in Valencia, suggested as a cost-cutting plan, had been tentatively agreed by teams.

However, speaking on Wednesday, one team source said: "It's been abandoned."

The source added: "There were not going to be enough cars ready by the date that would have suited all the teams."

Speaking earlier this month, Fry had talked of turning the joint launch into a public event, rather one than exclusively for the media and sponsors.

"I think it is another clear demonstration of how we are working together, we're not all just going off and doing our own individual launches. We can do something which is a lot more customer-friendly," he had said.

However Lotus F1 team principal Tony Fernandes said the proposed date would have been too early for his new team to have a track-ready car.

There were also fears that Ferrari, for whom Spain's double world champion Fernando Alonso will drive from next season, would have eclipsed the other teams at any joint launch in the country.

Formula 1 2010 Season. Click here to bet.