Carlos Slim says he’s not buying Honda
Reports that the Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim has or will buy Honda’s Formula 1 team have been denied.
The Telmex racing team, owned by Slim’s telecommunications firm and involved in F3 and other series, said in a statement that Slim “has not bought, nor is negotiating to buy” the Brackley based outfit.
Slim’s Telmex said the reports, first carried by the Italian newspaper La Stampa, are thus “baseless and completely false”.
Meanwhile, in the Mexico City-based newspaper Reforma, Slim’s son Carlos Slim Domit also denied the reports linking Telmex with buying Honda.
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Read more: Carlos Slim Helú linked to Honda
I think if anyone’s going to do it, it will be David Richards. But Honda said they wanted a buyer confirmed by Christmas and we’re done with the turkey…
Richards was (albeit according to rumour) going to make an announcement just before Christmas.
I fear that the Prodrive ship may have sailed…
What a shame. I guess Mr Slim just missed the best chance he has of getting into F1. Fingers crossed for Dave now I guess, but its been too quiet on that front…
Economic slowdown ( or recession) has made Companies realize their priorities I guess. To be in F1 is not be all and end all, as the perception was created in mind of Sponsors and Companies in last decade.
Will this actually see return of days of Amateur sports, where serious sports enthusiasts will be associated with the sports
To Keith,
Well, technically, Christmas is still upon us. The 12 days of Christmas. By that virtue, from Honda’s own mouth, they have until January 5th to get a buyer.
DR is by far the best man for the job, but he’s been very quiet recently, just like the Prodrive attempt - my guess is that he may have pulled the plug…
bugger
I wouldn’t be too concerned just yet. Lets not forget that things can take longer over the Christmas/New Year period anyway and even if an investor is 100% sure about going ahead with the buyout, the details of the deal will be very carefully considered and worked on in this climate. Its by no means the work of a moment.
Ross and Fry said they hope to announce a deal by the end of January, so it might be a while yet. I’d still say DR is best placed though.
Kind of says a lot that the person people thought were most likely to buy Honda wasn’t even in negotiations.