Free Web NovelChapter 778: Chapter 317: The Triple Crown Circuits of Motorsport
In the hotel next to the track, Chen Xiangbei sat on the sofa looking at the media’s exaggerated headlines, showing only a faint smile on his face.
The back-to-back F1 East Asian races have ended, and next, the team will make an intercontinental transition, but Chen Xiangbei did not participate in the equipment packing with the technician group as usual.
Instead, he stayed in the hotel lounge, preparing to meet with the representatives from Toyota and Huali Automobile.
In the last race, a preliminary agreement on collaboration between the HRT Team and Huali was reached, but many details have yet to be executed, and there are also differences in opinion regarding the level of technical involvement from both parties.
Naturally, Huali aims to be fully involved in the development of F1 cars. Whether they can develop something impressive is one thing; just having the golden nameplate of an F1 factory team is an ample attraction.
It’s important to know that F1 is not only the pinnacle of motorsports but also the pinnacle of automotive technology.
Countless top-tier global car manufacturers spend enormous amounts to participate, hoping that the F1 races will give their brands a gold-plated edge, thereby enhancing their overall technology R&D and commercial value.
Even if there are scenes of withdrawals during tough times, as long as there’s a chance, they rush back in, a typical example being Japanese companies.
Honda has entered and exited several times, and even after Toyota withdrew for over a decade, they re-emerged in cooperation with the Haas Team.
European car manufacturers don’t even need mentioning; basically, all that can be named have participated in F1; it’s just about whether they achieve good results.
Huali Automobile is currently in a period of rapid expansion. Whether it is acquiring Volvo or taking a stake in the HRT Team, it is essentially to get rid of the imitation, low-cost image and move towards high-end and high-profit sectors to achieve a positive cycle of brand value and profits.
However, the HRT Team is reluctant to accept this that quickly, with the management and shareholders providing two main reasons. free𝑤ebnovel.com
On one hand, they do not trust in Huali’s technology.
Chinese engineers are indeed hard-working and cost-effective, but in the realm of F1 research and development, one cannot neglect the fundamentals; without building a good car, efforts hold no value.
On the other hand, it’s about the technology protection agreement.
Consider the full acquisition of Volvo by the Huali Group; they still couldn’t directly involve themselves with the Northern European Gothenburg R&D center. They had to build a European joint R&D center to "learn" technology, and then both parties would form a subsidiary through collaboration before applying the results to the Lynk&Co brand.
This entire integration process took over a decade, and even in later years, Volvo still maintained a considerable degree of independence.
Now the Huali Group holds only 40% of the HRT Team’s shares, yet wants to fully place its engineering and technical personnel. Based on what?
Chen Xiangbei’s face isn’t that influential yet.
Therefore, this meeting mainly discusses the depth of cooperation and the arrangement of Huali engineers.
Chen Xiangbei and the bottom line on Huali’s side are to mimic the cooperation model with Volvo, indirectly establish a subsidiary for joint development, granting both parties the rights to use the technology and patents.
There’s no choice—many things outweigh others when it comes to negotiation leverage; back in 2010, there wasn’t much room to bargain.
As for the Toyota Group’s visit to South Korea, it is to discuss the optimization of engines and chassis, and parts supply.
Initially, after the Toyota Group cut its F1 department, there wasn’t much enthusiasm for subsequent cooperation with the HRT Team; the scene was basically Chen Xiangbei urging and then seeing slight movements on their side.
But now, things have changed.
The HRT Team’s consecutive wins of two races are the best endorsement for engine suppliers!
Honda’s last dance left for Brawn GP paved the way for their return to the F1 paddock in the future, and they created a team dynasty with Red Bull once again.
As old rivals of Toyota, there’s an inner unwillingness, but the massive investment in F1 without results forced them to withdraw from the paddock.
Now the situation is reversed. This car has been vindicated through HRT. freewebnøvel.com
The Toyota Group hopes to deepen cooperation and maintain the HRT Team’s competitiveness in the paddock. As long as they can win either the driver or team championship, the brand value received will compensate past losses.
One can only say the world is realistic. In the past, the HRT Team went to Japan seeking cooperation with the Honda Team. Now it’s the other way around; they come to South Korea actively seeking to upgrade and develop.
In competitive sports, results determine everything!
Once business negotiations reach a substantial stage, the entire process is filled with intrigue. Chen Xiangbei is not adept in this area; he only provides a communication bridge in between.
How to negotiate and to what extent depends on each party’s capability.
As for Chen Xiangbei himself, during the half-month break following the South Korean Grand Prix, he participated in collaborations with personal and team sponsors, which is an obligation every driver has to fulfill when signing a commercial contract.
After all, brand partners aren’t made of money; if others invest millions, even tens of millions in sponsorship, it wouldn’t make sense not to run any ads.
Of course, Chen Xiangbei himself has benefited quite a bit from it all.
According to Lu Xiaoman’s statistics, Chen Xiangbei’s current personal assets have exceeded ten million US dollars, while his net worth has soared to over fifty million US dollars, meaning each future endorsement contract would at least double in price.
Previously, Chen Xiangbei was just a newcomer in the paddock, but after winning two races, he has become the rising star of the paddock.
