Yamaha's probable entry into F1

[raindancer]

There are rumors that Yamaha is contemplating an entry into F1, either through engine Supply or a team. ( These are unsubstantiated) . I know that the closest Yamaha came to winning a race was when Damon Hill was driving for Arrows and lead for a considerable number of laps before his engine gave up.
1. What do you guys think of this?
2. Do you all think that Yamaha can deliver an engine which can win ?

[Dare]

look how long Honda and Toyota have been trying,can't
really see Yamaha doing any better.Maybe SA could
give them a few pointers

[Ian]

Great, if they get Rossi on the case

[Steven Roy]

Since FIAT are sponsoring Rossi and Colin Edwards are Yamaha coming in as a Ferrari B team?  I would love to see Rossi in F1 but I would miss him in MotoGP.

[Chameleon]

Once bitten twice shy - I can't see Yamaha wanting to be involved after their last foray.

Is this a case of Yamahahahaha...?   

[johnbull]

Their success or failure will all depend on how they go about it. You don't see many Jap faces in the moto GP Yamaha garage.

They just might see where Honda and Toyota are going wrong and avoid the same mistakes.

It would certainly be nice to see a team of competitive Yamahas in F1, especially with Rossi driving one of them.

[Dare]

One problem is with Prodrive entering next year there
are'nt any spot open on the grid

[raindancer]

I don't think they will manage a team and look at Engine Supply.

[raindancer]

To take this a little further , how many engine manufacturers have even won the WC and how many chasis have over the years.
Can we get a list ?

[johnbull]

Interesting one rain dancer.

Starting with engine manufacturers:

Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Ferrari, Mercedes, Coventry Climax, Repco, Cosworth, Matra, Renault, Porsche, Honda,

I know the likes of Lamborghini were in F1 but I'm not sure they ever won anything. This is all off my head, I'm sure a few of youwill scour the records and come up with a few more.

Did Peugeot ever win a GP in Mc Laren or Jordan?

[f1box]

Starting with engine manufacturers:

Grand Prix Winners (Since 1950) - list given with most GP wins first (as of end of 2002 season)


175 - Ford (Cosworth)
159 - Ferrari
95 - Renault
71 - Honda
40 - Climax
40 - Mercedes-Benz
26 - Porsche (including TAG)
18 - BRM
14 - BMW
12 - Alfa Romeo
11 - Maserati
  9 - Vanwall
  8 - Repco
  4 - Mugen
  3 - Matra
  1 - Weslake

If someone wants to work out the revised position (Ferrari should now be above Ford and Mercedes well clear of Climax) - then please be my guest!

Non Championship Formula One race winners would also see the following added to the list of winning powerplants:

Talbot
ERA
Gordini
Bristol
Lea-Francis
Lancia
Alta
Chevrolet


David

[johnbull]

I knew someone would do it. Well done Dave.

Actually I'm quite impressed with my list which was honestly "off my head". I only forgot BRM, BMW and Weslake.

Did Vanwall actually make their own engines or were they rebadged Coventry Climax?

[Steven Roy]

The reason their don't appear to be many Japanese faces in the Yamaha pit is because Rossi did a Schumacher and took his own guys with him and effectively set up a new team.  The team he took with him were people who had worked with Mick Doohan so with the record they had and the fact that Honda was going to lose all that talent Yamaha stepped back and let them get on with it.  The Dunlop Yamaha team is run mainly by the Yamaha factory people.

[f1box]

Had to go scurrying to a different source for this one! lol

After the 'Thinwall Specials' (modified Ferraris) that Tony Vandervell originally run, he commisioned (or at least had developed) a two litre Norton engine.

This was further developed by Vanwall - and is always recorded as a Vanwall Engine - eventually to 2½ litres.

The Lotus connection is that Chapman and Costin were comissioned to design the new Vanwall for 1956 (Lotus weren't in Formula one at the time - so I'm sure he used it as a 'proving ground' for his ideas at someone elses expense!) but as far as I can make out the engine that achieved the victories and the inaugural Constructors Championship was the developed Norton designed unit.

David

[raindancer]

I am impressed David !