Chairman Tony Teixeira says he looked into buying both the former Spyker F1 and Toro Rosso teams as a promotional vehicle for the A1GP series. The plan was to offer the A1GP winner a full time Formula One ride.
However, F1’s decision to not allow customer cars beyond 2010 made the move financially unattractive.
“We wanted to be running at the top, and that means top 10,” Teixeira said. “The only way we were going to achieve that was with the customer cars. In other words, we were going to be the Ferrari B team and that’s why I was willing to buy Toro Rosso.”
Toro Rosso, which is co-owned by Red Bull Racing’s Dietrich Mateschitz and Gerhard Berger, currently have an engine supply deal with Ferrari and use cars built by Red Bull Technology.
Mateschitz announced last month he was looking to unload the Toro Rosso team because of the change in the customer car rules after 2009.
“I sat with Toro Rosso and when we were close to a deal, F1 changed the rules: No customer cars. When they changed the rules, I was through,” said Teixeira.
“I don’t profess to have that kind of money and even if I did I wouldn’t put it into F1, it would be madness.”
| 
|