Some of you have been waiting for it and so here it is...
Oh Yez! Oh Yez! Oh Yez!
To P or not to P that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them?:
P1 want Honda teams to sign up to Superstock - well 10 per class anyway - who cares about the rest? Well Four Nations do!
On the face of it the P1 deal seems good. But the 225s have to upgrade (if invited which of course I won't be) to Merc 300s which have to be bought through P1 and yes! Subcontracted to guess who..yes C Power! The latest version of Sir Steve's boat building and supplies empire! Oh and sealed and tested there...great as one team pointed out if you live in the Channel Islands! but tough luck son! Though if the sea was flat enough you could drive to Warsash surely?
2500 Euros later to enter (225 or er 300).. you must do all races (3 at home but as yet no detail) including 2 in Europe alongside P1 and at 40p per mile and also free fuel. Hmm sounds good but how long will it take for me to drive (though of course I won't be invited) to Split and back? Tolls and hotels?
But! If I win I get 50,000 Euro 'support pack' to upgrade to P1 as part of my career path! Wow fantastic! I think Mr Wick(e)s and co assume that we don't do anything else?? Know your market they say before selling! Robert, can I enter my Xcat?
If I heard it right...10 boats per class max - so SOD OFF! anyone who owns a Honda boat and isn't one of the chosen 10! Mostly new interest apparently. I challenge anyone to list if they are entering the series here as I need to be convinced. When asked through a show of hands, of the teams in the room, how many will enter...(an interesting point put by Martin Cambell of Team Williams..though I understand he can't here ...sorry mate couldn't resist that one)
Around 3 hands went up...now are they scared of being called 'scabs'
OR is it that the interest is not there amongst the teams who listened to the sales pitch. Probably lack of information made decision making a trifle difficult.
Close of application date - Mid Jan - but possible to extend - if no numbers i guess? And yet no detailed costs - can't wait to see how much more money people are expected to pay and who signs up.
TV? Perhaps 5 minutes tacked onto the end of the P1 programme and some live in the Country...that'll please my sponsors. No guarantee...
Verdict?
Probably OK for 150 teams. Or for the richer people who who have no issue with buying kit from 'that' single source??? Wish I had a monopoly like that in my business - smart move Sir Steve!
P1? Why did they not talk to Four Nations and Tony Crossley (which was set up in Sir Steve's full knowledge as he advised them to do so last winter in a meeting - I know as in the words of the great welsh comedian "I was there!!").
Result? Probably a split of the fleet as Four Nations have a load of events organised and a good budget including the TV and they have worked hard to provide continuity whilst F4SA have done a deal to provide financial continuity to their leader and or his entity... Is this in the interest of powerboat racing? Hmm I wonder? As I contemplate my Honda naval.
P1 in my view missed a trick and F4SA will be wound up with the rest eh?
SUPPORT FOUR NATIONS!!!
THE ORGANISATION IS OWNED BY THE TEAMS, WANTS TO PROVIDE GOOD RETURN FOR SPONSORS, WANTS TO MAXIMISE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR TEAMS as that is the method of building the series. You can have the marketing might of the McCormack, but without enough teams your product becomes procession and a dissappointment so the opposite will be Four Nations focus I guess.
HOW SIMPLE CAN THIS BE AS A CONCEPT?
With the budget accruing to Four Nations it seems to me that the return of the 'family spirit' provides an opportunity to race, once again, in a non political organisation is very appealing as the teams will OWN the series. Many are business people and will not rely on one man to hold the destiny. Gosh how we miss the days of Honda people, Karen Waterfall, Rory and Debs instead of the incumbants, misplaced and in charge, who so started the destruction process...in Torquay May '08
The Vision of P1 though is perfectly formed but unfotunately I reckon they missed what they say is important - focusing on the needs of the teams and their sponsors. The deal looks rushed and incomplete and the fact that Sir Steve is trying, once again, to dominate the supply chain is quite ridiculous. I am very surprised at P1 for doing the deal with the organisation which has reigned over the series for 2 years (when boat numbers have halved and some teams have simply refused to payup or race out of principle like us) that they enter into this strange deal.
I hope Four Nations succeed in their vision and I think Tony Crossley has done a great job in his efforts so far.
For that and his openness he gets my vote and I do speak for others!
Perhaps P1 need Honda but do the teams need P1? Not a good deal for 225s at all!
Over to you all my watery friends....
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