21 replies to this topic

[juicy sushi]

Hi everyone,

 

I am starting this as a standalone because it could go in like 7 different threads, but rather than smear the forum with multiple discussions, I thought it might be best to group it all into one place since it shouldn't last a long time, but should probably get it's own focus for those that care.  Mods, if you disagree, feel free to close/move/nuke as you see fit

 

So, TWG Global have announced they have spun their various motorsports investments into a single group within the company.  They're calling that TWG Motorsports, and it currently is comprising:

 

• Cadillac Formula 1 Team
• Andretti Global (Indycar, IndyNXT, Formula E)
• Spire Motorsports (NASCAR Cup, Truck)
• Wayne Taylor Racing (IMSA Weathertech)
• Walkinshaw Andretti United (Supercars)

Racer's article on it is here:  https://racer.com/20...wg-motorsports/

 

To me, it seems like the first motorsports effort that resembles the multi-club ownership model seen in football (soccer) via City Group and Red Bull, and it's worth noting that TWG Global are part owners of the LA Dodgers and Chelsea FC, so are already involved in this business model.  It's interesting they're being quite so explicit.  I do think it's interesting to compare with McLaren, who in theory are a manufacturer in multiple series (like Ferrari or Porsche) but because they don't do their own powertrains in any series, are run much more like how this thing likely will be.

 

Anyway, thoughts?

[Beri]

Doesnt McLaren also do something similar already? F1, Indycar, Extreme E, Formula E, etc, etc?

 

Edit;

It reminded me that I opened a thread something similar to this one a couple of years ago:

Is McLaren's multi series approach the future of Motorsports? - Racing Comments - The Autosport Forums

Edited by Beri, 25 February 2025 - 15:12.

[Risil]

What does TWG stand for again? Is it the Gainbridge crew?

[Vielleicht]

I always associate TWG with tea. 

[juicy sushi]

What does TWG stand for again? Is it the Gainbridge crew?

Yes, plus others.  Towriss, the Gainbridge CEO is part of TWG and the guy running the motorsports group within TWG.

[Risil]

Who'd have thought Zach Veach (or rather, Zach Veach) would be so influential a figure in modern motor racing

[juicy sushi]

Doesnt McLaren also do something similar already? F1, Indycar, Extreme E, Formula E, etc, etc?

 

Edit;

It reminded me that I opened a thread something similar to this one a couple of years ago:

Is McLaren's multi series approach the future of Motorsports? - Racing Comments - The Autosport Forums

I think you're right that McLaren essentially do this, rather than behave like a traditional manufacturer.  Even their LMDh program mooted for WEC was relying on someone else building a powertrain they would run in their car, with their branding.  They don't want to do motors of their own.  I guess they feel that's an expense with no upside, so are limiting their racing to situations where they can avoid that and control all the other costs within their expertise.

[Frood]

What does TWG stand for again? Is it the Gainbridge crew?

Technophobic Wandering Geese. They’re all over the place, and you can never get hold of them as they refuse to use smartphones. Too many conspiracy theories, you see.

[juicy sushi]

Who'd have thought Zach Veach (or rather, Zach Veach) would be so influential a figure in modern motor racing

 

[jonpollak]

Jenna in AP
https://apnews.com/a...3cc36bc6c427251

Jp

[lustigson]

Good heavens: what about Ferrari, McLaren, Lola, Penske, and so on and so forth. Nothing new under the sun. The major difference with TWG being that all their outfits have different names.

[juicy sushi]

Good heavens: what about Ferrari, McLaren, Lola, Penske, and so on and so forth. Nothing new under the sun. The major difference with TWG being that all their outfits have different names.

To me the difference is that this isn't really a manufacturer of anything, and instead is a privateer team.  We can argue about how much of a manufacturer McLaren is anymore, but they do build their own F1 cars, and would have some capacity to build other stuff.  That to me is a difference, as TWG are basically a collection of privateer teams into one entity, rather than a manufacturer branching out into different series.  They will need to develop some capacity for the F1 project, but until they reach that point, they're uniquely lacking in that kind of infrastructure.

[Stephane]

Does it entail any synergy or something?

[BRG]

Going back a few years , there was TWR.  Had a toe dipped  into WSC, & Le Mans, Dakar, WTCC, Supercars and built road cars etc.

[Stephane]

Prodrive was also overseeing a wide variety of operations

[juicy sushi]

Does it entail any synergy or something?

No one's used the dread buzzword yet.

[juicy sushi]

Going back a few years , there was TWR.  Had a toe dipped  into WSC, & Le Mans, Dakar, WTCC, Supercars and built road cars etc.

Yeah, TWR and Prodrive were in a similar space in the past.  But seem to also have had more resources than Andretti, in terms of their capacity to engineer stuff.  That ability to build cars and parts is the difference that I see here.  Multimatic are very much like TWR and Prodrive, though, although maybe try to keep a slightly lower profile.

[noikeee]

I don't think this is a problem in the way it is in football, because multi-club operations in football then have their own clubs occasionally play against each other in international club competitions, and use these other organisations as money laundering financial optimization schemes of dubious ethics. In football the independence of teams across leagues is a much bigger deal than in motorsports.

[PayasYouRace]

I’m not really seeing what’s so unique about this, considering the number of jointly owned racing teams that history is littered with.

[juicy sushi]

If I'm wrong, it's definitely not the first time.  To me, this seems different as it wasn't a racing team which scaled up to multiple series, it was a non-motorsports company that grabbed multiple teams in multiple series to combine for their value as entertainment properties.  I think that's different, but I may be in the minority on that. 

[loki]

What does TWG stand for again? Is it the Gainbridge crew?

The Walter Group.  Mark Walter is the billionaire providing the capital.  And CEO of Guggenheim Partners.  He was the money guy from the get-go on the Andretti-Cadillac deal.  No stranger to sports investments.

[loki]

If I'm wrong, it's definitely not the first time.  To me, this seems different as it wasn't a racing team which scaled up to multiple series, it was a non-motorsports company that grabbed multiple teams in multiple series to combine for their value as entertainment properties.  I think that's different, but I may be in the minority on that. 

It’s Andretti Global with different branding.  It’s the guys that bought it from Micheal.  Same company, different money.