AUGUST 19, 1996

Ford and Hart

BRIAN HART, who looks like being left out in the cold by Arrows next year, is understood to be having talks with the Ford Motor Company. Hart had a meeting with Ford's top motorsport technical man John Valentine in Hungary.

Brian may be negotiating a deal to build customer engines for Ford to supply some of the smaller F1 teams next year, but it is unlikely that such a deal would be discussed with Valentine. That could be taken care of by talks with Ford's motorsport director Martin Whitaker.

With Ford re-evaluating its relationship with Cosworth, a small entrepreneurial company like Hart may be in a position to sell its know-how to Detroit. That knowledge could be invaluable to Ford if it decides to stop working with Cosworth in F1 and do its own thing. Ford might even be convinced to badge Brian's currently dormant V10 project while it sets up its own engine manufacturing facility near the Stewart Grand Prix factory.

As yet, it seems, nothing is settled, but time is running out for the engine-builders as they will soon have to commit themselves to producing parts for their 1997 engines in order to have everything ready in time for the start of the new season in March next year.