GPWC to buy F1?

How will the carmaker 'GPWC' group react to Bernie Ecclestone's Ferrari-FIA-FOM 'Concorde' coup? Paul Stoddart, of struggling team Minardi, thinks the diminishing group – now effectively represented only by BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Renault – will start a conversation with an investment bank (or three).

Last month, the banking trio (Bayerische Landesbank, JP Morgan Chase and Lehmann Brothers), known collectively as Speed Investments, won a landmark court ruling against Ecclestone.

As well as owning the majority of the SLEC (F1) commercial business, 'Speed' now have more say in how the sport is run. Paul Stoddart said: ''I think we could see a deal … for (GPWC) to take over the banks' holding.''