We learned the sad news last week, during the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, that Cosworth would not be supplying any engines in
Formula One next year.
The Spyker team (formerly Midland and before that Jordan) had agreed to go with Ferrari engines next year rather than Cosworth. The lure of a deal with one of F1's six major motor manufacturers was too irresistible to the new Dutch owners, leaving Cosworth's F1 hopes for 2007 high and dry. Cosworth made a remarkable winning F1 debut back in 1967 and has competed in racing's top category every year since, winning no fewer than 176 F1 races, second only to
Ferrari.
"Cosworth is completely out of the Formula One business," confirmed company co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven. "It's sad to see our heritage disappear, but the world has changed and we have to move on. That's all there is to it."
Cosworth's commercial director Bernard Ferguson has been the company's point man in
F1. Ferguson has worked hard this year to wrap-up a deal for Cosworth to race in F1 next year and believed he was close to an agreement with the Spyker group.
"It was hugely disappointing when we found that the last team available for us in Formula One next year had made a decision to go elsewhere," Ferguson commented. "Most of the grid acknowledged that our engine was as good as anything out there, probably the best out there. It was as reliable as anything out there and the service we give at the track
was second to none, but we don't come with the magic manufacturer's logo on the cam cover and all the assistance that suggests."
Added Kalkhoven: "Formula One is all about the manufacturers now. They're giving their engines away and that makes it really difficult for an independent engine manufacturer to compete. What they end up with basically is a development team, which is excellent for them.
Honda has got
Super Aguri and
Renault will have
Red Bull and Ferrari will have Toro Rosso, and they all just end up as development teams."
