By Huw Alban
September 14 2006

Yesterday the official team site published an article featuring an interview with Colin Kolles where he indicated that the Spyker MF1 team stood a reasonably good chance of securing an engine deal with Ferrari. We decided to cast around the media to see if we could find any other Ferrari links.

In the interview on MidlandF1.com, Adam Cooper asked, "Is Ferrari a real possibility?"

"There is a Ferrari connection because people who are shareholders in Ferrari are also shareholders in Spyker," Colin Kolles replied. "We are always in contact with Ferrari."

Just to explain that connection Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Development Company formed an alliance with Spyker Cars just under a year ago. That same company owns a 5% stake in Ferrari and is involved in other business ventures with the car maker including a theme park in Abu Dhabi. In addition to this Spyker Cars are also involved in a deal with Ferrari over engine supply for its D12 Peking-to-Paris, a four-wheel drive, four-door, four-seater luxury Super Sports Utility Vehicle, which is due to go into production at the end of 2007. Currently an Audi engine powers the vehicle, but a number of media outlets believe that Spyker Cars prefers the Ferrari option.

Further research into the speculation with regard to Spyker MF1 securing Ferrari V8s for next season has revealed another article published by Autosport a couple of days ago. Autosport believes that an engine deal with Cosworth is more likely than Ferrari, but in conversation with Spyker Cars chief executive Victor Muller has added to the possibility of the team using Ferrari powerplants instead.

"There is a chance certainly," Muller has been quoted as saying to Autosport, "and there is no doubt that a Ferrari engine will be a great opportunity for Spyker. But these discussions are on-going and until we've concluded a deal we can't say anything."

About the aquisition of Midland F1 Racing Muller added, "Formula One is the one single most marketing tool for a manufacturer. Other than that it's sponsoring the grand final of the World Cup. This is like having a final every two or three weeks through the year and we are a very small manufacturer and in order to get the resources for marketing - nothing beats entering Formula One."

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