Richards and billionaire to buy embattled Renault?
Dave Richards |
There might be more to this story then only Marcel Boekhoorn's involvement. Marcel Boekhoorn (14th richest Dutchman) invested in McGregor in 2006 (see rumor below), after which the McGregor Fashion Group went to the stock exchange.
McGregor's Fashion Group CEO and Renault Megane Cup race-driver Jeroen Schothorst, is also a partner at the AT&T Williams F1 Team since 2008. At the end of 2010 this contract wasn't, at first, extended. There were many rumors Giedo van der Garde would join an F1 Team for the 2011 season. When this didn't materialize and the management of van der Garde decided to do another season in GP2, the contract with AT&T Williams was renewed again.
Last year one of Marcel Boekhoorn's business rivals, Dutch investor Frank Botman, acquired 5% of the Williams F1 Team, together with business partner and Holland’s 11th richest person, media tycoon John de Mol, owner of Cyrte Investment, Talpa Entertainment and creator of Big Brother. Its imaginable Boekhoorn wants to get out of the Williams partnership deal, as he is indirectly 'sponsoring' his business rival Botman … Interesting detail is that the AT&T Williams 2nd largest corporate sponsor is Randstad, owned by Frits Goldschmeding and Holland's 4th richest person !
Could a Dutch take-over of the Renault F1 Team, by Boekhoorn, Schothorst (McGregor) and Goldschmedding (Randstad) all involved, and with Giedo van der Garde as a driver, be possible … ? Then there are also 2 young Schothorst race-kids in the pipeline, both sons of McGregor Fashion Group CEO Jeroen Schothorst. These are Pieter Schothorst (19 y/o), who is racing in the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup and Steijn Schothorst (16 y/o) who is racing in the Dutch Formula Ford series … !
With a view to the future, a possible take-over of the Renault F1 Team by the McGregor Fashion Group could make a lot of sense to Jeroen Schothorst … "
Watch this space … to be continued …
08/30/11 (GMM) Renault is still in "big" financial trouble and David Richards has expressed interest in buying into the Enstone based team.
That is the claim of the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, adding that one of the richest Dutch entrepreneurs Marcel Boekhoorn has been asked to support Prodrive chief Richards' interest.
"I've heard about it but I do not know what to think of it," said Jan Paul ten Hoopen, who is Dutch GP2 driver Giedo van der Garde's manager.
The link with van der Garde is that the 26-year-old driver is married to Boekhoorn's daughter.
Ten Hoopen continued: "I think it is pretty much a mess within that team (Renault). Put it this way, it is clear in terms of Lotus-Renault that many things remain unclear.
"Certainly if there is any more to it, we should see if there are any opportunities for Giedo," ten Hoopen is quoted by NUsport.
Richards, also the former BAR boss, was the team principal at Enstone based Renault when the team was known as Benetton in the late 90s.