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Prodrive Linked with Renault F1 Buyout

The rumors suggesting that Renault is more and more eager to walk away from their F1 operations by New Year's Eve – as a factory team – have increased in numbers through the past few weeks. Ever since we've reported to you that Russian investors are lined up to purchase approximately 40 percent of the team, the news regarding Renault's quit from the series – under one form or another – have been anything but denied by the French officials.

Most recently, it's David Richards' Prodrive company who is linked with a potential purchase of the Enstone facility, on the condition that Renault remains engine supplier in the championship for at least the next couple of years.

The report appeared in the French newspaper L'Equipe on Thursday, and the aforementioned publication tends to benefit from some strong inside information when issuing this type of allegations.

The report, written by former Renault engine boss Denis Chevrier's wife Anne Giuntini, added that Richards' latest F1 plans involve the backing of a minor car manufacturer that is new to F1,” said the GMM news agency regarding to the aforementioned reports appeared in L'Equipe. It seems the deal would also include Prodrive switching base from Banbury to Enstone, where it would also take care of their F1 development programme.

In order to stop the rumor from spreading, a spokesman for Prodrive – whose boss was involved in F1 at Renault and BAR in the past – insisted that no decisions have been made by the company regarding their potential entry in F1. Prodrive was, in fact, one of the teams rejected by the FIA earlier this season, during the selection process for the 2010 F1 roster.

We will make an announcement the day we have something interesting to announce. The truth is that Prodrive, whose candidacy was not accepted by the FIA for 2010, will be ready to take part in F1, on the condition of being able to be competitive and that the company be viable,” said the spokesman.
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