He sponsors a team that wins the WCC and WDC and gets a bit carried away and buys into his own team. 2 seasons of finishing last and humiliated by being beaten by HRT who had a slower car he decides to run away.... ...But the other thing he has been running away from is his bet bet with Tony Fernandes. The bet for Charity after losing to Fake Team lotus and agreeing to work as a stewardess onboard an air asia flight. What a coward!
Richard Branson is a businessman, my father predicted he would sell out (as he always does when a good enough offer comes along) and leave with a massive profit. He started it with a few tens of million, but sold it off for triple it was worth to a bunch of Russians who wanted in on F1.
surely as it was for charity and was funny then you would think thier would be news on it or photos. also as its F1 related then it would be reported by the F1 media. This is odd. (what a pickle ) I agree SA, I knew he would sell out as soon as Marrusia became involved in the team.
I think that to suggest Sir Richard Branson is a "coward" is putting things a bit strongly Bando, and "Fake Team Lotus" is a bit naughty too. My understanding is that it was not Branson but Tony Fernandez pulling the plug on the bet's 'debt'. My understanding is that the debt was to be honoured with a flight from Kualar Lumpar to London in the middle of last summer but that it was cancelled by Fernandez, citing difficulty in finding accommodation. Bear in mind that accommodation was required for everyone on the planned flight. All the guests who were invited for the charity flight were then offered a refund. My understanding is that Branson is still keen to honour the bet, but the bet was that the winner would provide the flight for the 'losing stewardess'. Thus, it would seem the ball is rather more in the Fernandez courtâ¦
Your dad and I came to the same conclusion v early then. Branson tries to do everything on the cheap, and thought he could do F1 the same way (as he was paying a pittence for Brawn he thought he could do the same). When the CFD didn't work (which would've been cheap), it was obvious he was gonna sell. As to whelching on the bet, I'm a bit surprised at that tbh, simply because it's a chance to promote himself and his companies and he never seems to miss any opportunity for that. He is, after all, a very savvy business and PR man.
looking at the time stamps we seem to have crossed posts. Your explanation makes more sense to me, as he is an avid self promoter and it just struck me as odd that he'd turn the chance for some positive PR into negative. It's a shame he didn't get more involved with F1 as he seems fairly charismatic and would've been a good personality to have floating around it more.
I've found this statement issued by Air Asia, as quoted in "Business Traveller" earlier today! (Was it this which prompted you to write the article Bando?) The following would appear to support my earlier contribution (above): - - - "Low-cost carrier Air Asia X has postponed its charity flight featuring Sir Richard Branson as a flight attendant until July 4, citing difficulty in obtaining flights and accommodation in London due to Easter and the Royal Wedding. Branson had been set to dress up as a female flight attendant and serve passengers on a special charity flight on May 1, as a result of a bet between himself and Air Asia X boss Tony Fernandes. But the flight has now been postponed until July 4, due to "the growing difficulty of obtaining accommodation in and flights into London brought about by the increase in the number of people visiting London over the long bank holiday weekend and Royal Wedding". Air Asia said that "Guests who have purchased tickets for the charity flight on AirAsiaGo.com will be given a full refund, or the option to transfer the booking to the new date". http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/air-asia-postpones-richard-branson-charity-flight It is up to Fernandez to make any further arrangements, which now appear to be re-scheduled for July 4th this year.
Thanks Cosi, That link is from april last year so I am presuming it didnt go ahead on July 4th 2011 either... I dont know why I created this thread. It just popped in my head that he (well him and Tony now) are skipping on charity! and hey look at this.. predates your link to march last year... looks like he double booked himself! http://tobecomerich.com/richard-branson-london-2011/
Thanks Bando. You are quite right about the dates (I knew I'd heard this before!); and that the flight has not gone ahead. After Fernandez' cancellation of the initial flight scheduled for May 1st, one must assume that finding another mutually acceptable date is logistically difficult. But I think it is wrong to suggest cowardice on Branson's part, since my understanding is that he is only too keen to go through with this charity P.R. stunt, the bill for which is essentially at the foot of Fernandez for providing the flight and making the necessary arrangements.
the coward part was really on him jumping ship on his F1 team. I know Virgin will still have a precence as a backer but i will wager it wont last (even if the odds are 1/9 in favour)
Hahaha… As has been said, it was always an 'odds on' bet that Branson would put business before pleasure; but I think he's won more than 11p for every £1 he invested…
If I'm honest I'm glad that Branson tried running his team on the cheap, it was more the failure of the CFD that doomed the project, but it was a bold experiment - and a necessary failure, it shows the technology hasn't advanced far enough yet. More to the point, Manor, Lotus and Campos (as they originally were) all applied under the illusion that F1 was going to have a budget cap, don't forget. And it's mainly been unreliability that has cost Virgin that 11th place in the Constructors', because HRT were able to gain a few 13th and 14th places by way of attrition. Wonder how close they'll be with the new backing.
I think CFD works for things that don't have to as precise as an underpowered F1 car, not even the wind tunnels are acurate, as Ferrari's oscillating wing has shown, so whether CFD will ever be truly the best way to go is doubtful tbh.
