THE GAFFER: DAVE RICHARDS
Why set up the Advanced Technology business?
I hit 40 and didn’t want to spend the rest of my life at racetracks, though I normally still do! We have some great talent here, they don’t want to live out of suitcases – AT helps us to recruit and retain as well as expand into interesting new areas.
What is it that car makers like about working with Prodrive? We look at things dierently. Great car companies could do the job we sometimes do for them, but they’d take longer and it might be more expensive.
Do you see Prodrive expanding signi icantly in future?
No, it’s about being more selective about what we do, choosing projects that play to our strengths.
What are those strengths?
We’re not afraid to take on challenges and take risks, and we’re freer than large organisations that wouldn’t push boundaries in the same way.
Where do you see growth?
Not necessarily in automotive, but we’re doing work in renewables, with electricity generation from wave power, and we’re looking at marine, aerospace and defence. We’ve recruited a lot in electronics expertise, worked with Ford on the plug-in hybrid Transit, and we’ll have another EV project announcement soon. I’ve also been testing our amphibious car in Cornwall.
Is the boom in classic motorsport attractive to you?
We’ve just employed someone to set up our heritage business. We have race cars going back 35 years – McRae rally cars, Aston race cars selling for £1m. It’ll be a validation system, where people can check out the cars.
Are we likely to see Prodrive reunited with Subaru in the WRC? We keep the door open and have regular discussions. We were very successful but companies evolve, and I’m not sure if motorsport is appropriate for them today.
A Prodrive Formula E entry would seem logical…
We’d only do that in partnership. We’ve had discussions, but nothing has come of it so far. You tried unsuccessfully for a Formula 1 entry in 2008. Is Formula 1 still of interest?
We’d never be in a position to have ownership of a team, but I can see a role in certain aspects.
You’ve been linked to the Dakar… Dakar is our number-one target. It works to our strengths, because most championships have very rigid rules, but the Dakar regulations allow a large degree of freedom. I’d expect us to have an entry within three years.
Tell us about your role as chairman of the Motor Sports Association… You can’t make a living from motorsport and not put something back. It won’t happen overnight, but the MSA will be a very dierent organisation in two years’ time; more relevant. We need to concentrate on grassroots motorsport in the UK. It’s the key to everything: right now, it’s over-regulated and too expensive. It needs to be more accessible.