I enjoy a lot of different motor sports and attend a lot of events at my local track , Lime Rock Park in Ct. I was watching the Brasil F1 races the other day and was wondering if Jaguar would ever return to F1 racing. The same with the other motor sports where it seems Aston Martin has a good foot hold in it's GT class. In the vintage racing world I still see a lot of D-Types as well as XKE's . I believe that the cost was the issue that took them out but with Tata taking over I would think there might be a potential for them to get back in.

 

Was Jaguar ever really in F1 Racing? I thought it was nothing more than a change in ownership and a name change.

If Jaguar ever gets back to motorsport, I want them to be involved in the engineering!

 

They were indeed in F1, albeit on Fords behalf. It depends how much you value a change of ownership, would you say Mercedes aren't in F1, because it used to be Brawn, which used to be Honda, which used to be B.A.R. and a lot of the original staff are still there?

I'd be surprised if they did return, it's cost efficient in terms of advertising but it's hard to justify the costs unless you're at the front of the grid, which isn't that easy to achieve. They seem to be doing well in attracting new customers at the minute through more conventional advertising techniques so it would be a high risk venture I'd of thought.

 

I am just questioning how much Jaguar engineering was involved. Mercedes is clearly deeply involved in the engineering of their racecars!

Of course I would love to see Jaguar come back to motorsport. The legend is what makes this brand great!

 

Sorry to disappoint you but F1 doesn't really work like that (at least nowadays), Jaguar engineers certainly had no input into the F1 project and likewise with Mercedes, they may take something out of it i.e. accelerated R&D with battery and engine technology but generally there is very little crossover (from both technology and engineers).

 

I don't think Jaguar will be returning to F1 any time soon. The current engine format does not suit their market. I could see them in LeMans racing either unde GT or Prototype. I would be an easier sell for upper management if the racing series was actually racing the cars they manufacture and there are more privateers to help front the cost.

The closest I could envision for Jaguar and F1 is a supporting "challenger" race at selected circuits, but a lot is dependent on clientele will to fork out for a car. Something similar to the Porsche Cup or Ferrari Challenge, but offer owners a lower cost of entry. Jaguar may just mimic whatever Aston does to capture the same buyers at a lower price point.

 

Good discussion guys.

You know we have a section here on JF dedicated to motorsport ==>> Motorsports - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum

You can see some of what Jaguar has done in recent times, there's more than you think, although mostly through privateer teams, the XKR's & XFR's are being raced TODAY.

If you have a keen interest in Motorsport check out that section & if there is something missing feel free to contribute.