HRT has said in a statement that Colin Kolles is leaving the team, with immediate effect, “due to the new direction that the team has taken and the decision of the new management to move the team headquarters to Spain”.
Kolles has worked wonders with the team in recent years, getting it onto the grid and keeping it alive, despite some idiosyncratic team ownership along the way. This time, however, it seems that he was unable to make any difference and the team is now heading off to an uncertain future. The plan to base the team in Valencia seems to have been shelved and the latest idea appears to be some kind of base in Madrid. The operation does have a design, which was done by Kolles’s people in Munich. This will be manufactured by sub-contractors such as Carbotech in Austria and Formtech in the UK, but the pressure is on to put together a race team and to get the cars built in time for next season. With the withdrawal of Kolles, many of the current staff will also disappear as around half of them work for Kolles’s company Kodewa in Greding. It is not yet clear who will stay with HRT and who will leave with Kolles and this will have an effect both on the manufacturing process of the new car and on development of the package. It will be interesting to see how things go in the weeks ahead.
Joe, do you have a gut instinct in answer to your own question? Is this the beginning of the end for HRT, or a fresh new start?
I need to see something that suggest that these people have some idea of what they are doing.
Whilst I applaud the idea of turning this into a national team the problems associated with inconstancy in this sport are well documented so we can expect HRT to be again in the position of starting from the first step and last place on the grid.
Sounds to me like a great wayof making an investment and then doing everything you can to turn it bad.
Hear, hear…
Sounds like the embodiment of the maxim “make a small fortune in F1 by starting out with a big one” to me.
And Stefan GP were turned down for these jokers?
worse, Epsilon Euskadi also. They look to have an engineering heart. Stefan were far less attractive. All covered here before.
Carlos Nunes is now overseeing the team. He is a good guy with years of F1 experience and will staff the team with quality people
I wouldnt trust Kolles but I don’t see any other real option for them besides working with Kolles.
Maybe Lola is willing to help them out. Rumors said they had a car in development already before being rejected by the FIA (punishment for their 1996 debacle??)
In need of some Hormone Replacement Therapy it would seem. IMHO it was only the presence of Colin that conferred any credibility on the team. I only hope that correct, unfudged application of the 107% rule might supply a wake up call to the owners, to get some serious, experienced people involved again. If they had any sense, they should have recruited Pat Symonds before Marussia picked him up.
Logistically it is going to be a nightmare assembling and developing a car in Madrid.
Wilson
Kolles…credibility?is that a joke?!
Onyx,
No, it is not a joke. Kolles has a good reputation as a fixer in F1 circles.
That’s the end of HRT then..
Looks like Pedro De La Rosa won’t get to race those Caterhams or Marussias then.
HRT’s new address, Almería, Spain.
As confirmed by Terry Gilliam, whilst shooting Baron Munchhausen.
It’s okay, the man did Time Bandits. One may forgive the temporal inconsistency.
“Your reality, sir, is lies and balderdash and I’m delighted to say that I have no grasp of it whatsoever.”
Farewell, then, Colin Kolles,
it was that time of life.
This horse was stillborn and yet F1 still beats it. Someone remove it’s dead carcass from the road.
Completely unrelated to this Joe, but I have just seen that JJ Lehto has been sentenced this morning to 2 years and 4 months for his part in boating accident in June of 2010.
Bit of a mess really.
The idea of a “National Team” is interesting, hey look what a huge success this concept made in A1.
No, wait, what….?
Is Geoff Willis still there Joe ?
No, Geoff Willis is at Mercedes
Hang on, if memory serves he left in September didn’t he.
Sorry about that.
Must start getting back to more GP’s next year.
Thanks Joe, of course he is.
You beat me to it !
If HRT go – now very likely I would think – are there any viable teams in the wings
There is the press release (which you haven’t commented on) about them denying that Caterham composites were in charge of designing and building HRT’s 2012 car.
I even went so far as to read the spanish version of the press release and it confirms they are focusing on the words ‘in charge of’.
The press release then goes on to confirm that the design is being carried out in Munich.
But it says nothing about whether or not Caterham Composites will build the car or have any role (short of leading) in the design of the car.
It’s a nice touch, release a statement which looks like a denial of something but isn’t.
Do you have any thoughts on that, particularly now in the light of Kolles’ departure?
Do you think Colin Kolles might return to lead a buyout group for the remaining Kingfisher owned part of Force India?
I did not comment because the story was garbage.
So Joe, Garbage because there was no truth to it ever, so did not need reporting on or because really they are using Caterham under some other name? Somehow the two events have to be linked. Sad that you did not enlighten more or is your thoughts on it not likely to sit well with those involved! Insight as to why you consider the story garbage is in and of itself enlightening!
Also interesting that you did not get invited to Dany Bahar lunch at the RAC Club in London’s Pall Mall. I can’t imagine why not!
Garbage because the story has no truth at all. As to the lunch. Hold on a while longer and you will be saying “What was the name of that bloke who ran Group Lotus…”
Interesting – I had read into it too much, that it was a way of using caterham composites without falling foul of the constructor requirement. But if you say it’s garbage, I’m taking that it’s garbage!
Hang on a minute! I’ve just noticed Formtech is based at Leafield. Aren’t Caterham moving to Leafield? Do you know who owns Formtech and is there any chance that they are now part of Caterham Composites?
Chris D,
They are nothing to do with Caterham Composites.
@Chris D
i do believe they had something to do with the Super Aguri squad when they were in F1. Not sure what they have been doing since.
Looks like Caterham Composites are going to be staying in Hingham whilst the sporting teams head for Leafield.
http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/other-sport/motorsport/tony_fernandes_confirms_formula_one_s_hingham_departure_1_1138289
Chris D,
Yes, for now.
my two cents that they are taking over Epsilon facilities or some sort of agreement. This is political guys. As EVERYTHING in s-pain.
Basques and Spaniards, eh?
basques are spaniards
at least legally.
From whence the word ‘basquards?’
Epsilon Euskadi went bust a while back didn’t they? There doesn’t seem to be much money floating around Spain just now when their Government find it difficult to borrow at less than 7%. I just hope Alguesuari doesn’t get tangled up in this charade now.
Re ……’the name of the guy that ran Group Lotus’. Had that feeling for a while!
I’m sure that he’s done well out of it and had a great time, but it was all a bit ‘Resurrecting Car Companies 101′ for me.
I’ve worked for and with a number of large Corps at quite a high level and DB’s statements – that I saw anyway – always sounded like he’d just come off the MBA course.
Bet the Chapman’s are happy. IMO should’ve stuck with the racers. Less money up front but more long term cred.
I cannot argue with your logic.
Why do we need this team in F1? Will anyone outside of Spain miss them when/if they disappear from the grid (which is inevitable)?
Hi Joe,
Bernie seems to like him and I am sure he will be “placed” back in F1 soon,
Colin Kolles may not be universally loved within the F1 paddock, but he is a guy who get things done. His achievement in keeping teams at the back of the grid alive is quite impressive.
Now he is being replaced by people who potentially are only good in talking. What could possibly go wrong for HRT now … [/sarcasm]
Joe,
So Colin Kolles has parted company with HRT. Where do you think he will turn up next, given that he has staff wages to pay, and equipment sitting doing nothing, for how long?
Are there any new rumours on the grapevine as to new teams coming along and wanting to get into F1?
I don’t know where but I know that he will. Colin is a team owner in search of a team.