Renault angling for Total to subsidise their engines

[John S]

Cheaper prices with locked in oil company branding on cars of customer teams, other suppliers may well follow suit, reckons Joe Sayward on his blog.
Could this cause a serious shift in how non manufacturer teams can plug into sponsorships if mandatory oil company branding comes on all engines?  Not sure this is really the win win situation for all teams, especially McLaren or Williams, as Joe (or is it the French engine builders words in the blog) suggests?

The word on the street in F1 circles is that Renault has come up with a new concept to fund its F1 activities. From what we are hearing Renault has proposed to Total that rather than giving money to different teams, the oil company should give its entire F1 budget to the car manufacturer (as part of a much larger original equipment manufacturer – OEM -deal), allowing Renault to lower the money it has to invest in the sport.
The teams will then get a better deal on engines, bringing down the supply price, and all Renault teams will contractually have to carry Total stickers. That is a real win-win-win situation, because there is something in it for everyone, apart from those who currently soak up the Total sponsorship. Similar schemes could work for other manufacturer-oil company tandems.

Extract from 'Why F1 engines have been changed in 2013' by joesaward March 31, 2011, joesaward,worldpress.com

[Jericoke]

There is certainly benefit if the engine makers and fuel suppliers do work together to ensure a perfect fit.

I remember when Sauber ran Petronus engines, so it's not really a new idea 

[cosworth151]

That will certainly starve out the small independents that depend on that money for survival.

Nice try, Renault. Don't let la porte hit you in the arse on your way out.

[Cam]

This had me scratching my head.

Now I realise the timing of the announcement is probably the key. 

[Scott]

Oh geez, everything is suspect today, isn't it.  I bet that Tesla story was a hoax too?

[Ian]

Your safe with that one Scott, the Tesla v Top Gear one was in the paper a day or two ago.

[John S]

This had me scratching my head.

Now I realise the timing of the announcement is probably the key. 

    No joke in this topic as far as I know, the quoted passage comes from a longer piece by Joe Saward on his blog page. Anyone can check the blog for themselves, scroll down to relevant article, 'Why F1 engines have been changed in 2013' on the link posted here.  http://joesaward.wordpress.com/

[lkjohnson1950]

The Renault people are obviously looking for a free lunch. How to be in F1 without spending any money out of your own pockets. My hat's off to them, this is the best scam I've heard in years.

Lonny

[Scott]

Maybe you'll see those horrible TOTAL logos on Renault road cars from now on...otherwise how could TOTAL justify it?  "Oh yeah, it's our oil and grease in every Renault...until you get the first oil change".  Like you say Lonny, gotta hand it to them for trying.

[Cam]

OK so maybe it isn't an April Fools but it might as well be.

Joe Saward normally makes sense, so I may be missing something here, but to me it just sounds like your uncle saying "Give me your pocket money and I'll make sure you get your sweeties"

[stealthhaggis]

OK so maybe it isn't an April Fools but it might as well be.

Joe Saward normally makes sense, so I may be missing something here, but to me it just sounds like your uncle saying "Give me your pocket money and I'll make sure you get your sweeties"

Thats not your Uncle....