As Jack Welch sighed, Chen Geng picked up the phone and called David Richards: "David, it's me, Fernandez, there's something I want to ask you." ”

"Hey, boss, don't hesitate to tell me what's wrong. David Richards joked, "Is it about your WRC car?"

Although the "devil's claw" is only a symbolic holding of part of Prodrive's shares, David Richards and his team are the majority shareholders of prodrive, and this "boss" is more David Richards telling Chen Geng that the relationship between the two is very close.

"It has something to do with this," Chen Geng nodded, he didn't go around in circles with David Richards, and said straightforwardly: "David, that's the case, is there a way for me to participate in next year's WRC?"

"Participating in next year's WRC?" exclaimed David Richards, "Boss, do you know what month it is now......?

"I know," Chen Geng interrupted, "I know all these things, I only know, is it possible before the deadline for registration set by the WRC Preparatory Committee...... Or to put it more simply, is there any way I can build a good team that is at least mid-table in terms of team strength, and at the same time build a qualified car by deadline. ”

"That's ......"

David Richards was silent, and from Chen Geng's tone, he heard Chen Geng's attitude towards this matter: As long as there is a little possibility, then do your best to do it!

"It's not like there's no chance. After a moment, David Richards said in a deep voice.

"Oh?"

"First of all, the team, it's a coincidence, I know that Lancia has two reserve drivers and navigators whose contracts are about to expire, and Lancia has not given them new contracts, but I know that these two drivers are not bad, and they can probably be a little bit lower in the middle of the table among all the drivers and navigators in the WRC events...... Well, if everything goes well in the race, these two drivers will probably be able to finish eighth or ninth in the driver's place, and if you're interested in them, I can put you in touch and have a face-to-face meeting. ”

Chen Geng didn't ask David Richards why Lancia refused to renew his contract even with such a great driver, because Lancia is awesome, as a winning team on the WRC circuit, before the entire nineties, Lancia team's status in the WRC field was somewhat similar to Ferrari's status in F1, it was recognized as a strong team, and the championship won several, and the overall strength was definitely ranked in the top three of all teams, so naturally it was not a driver of this strength...... If you're a mid-stream driver, you're only a substitute in our team.

Such shai.

He nodded: "What about the two drivers and the two pilots? well, the team leader and the staff." ”

"It's okay to find it if you're willing to spend money, or a slight 10 to 15 percent increase in salary, it's fine, but you don't have the ability to excel. ”

Co-author Lao Tzu can only find some "scum"? For such a result, Chen Geng was a little unwilling: "What if I just take the money to dig it?"

"Boss, it's not about the money," David Richards laughed helplessly, "For these top drivers, they value their entire careers, not a year or two of them, you know what I mean?"

Of course, if you're willing to pay them millions of dollars a year and convince them that you're willing to invest heavily in growing your fleet for years to come, that's a different story, but ......"

Understood, of course Chen Geng understood.

In recent years, the income of WRC drivers is not high, and there are not too many advertising endorsements, basically the team's salary and bonuses can account for about 7% of their total income, and their annual income is only three or four hundred thousand US dollars, even if it is as strong as Ali Watanen, who helped Ford win the 1981 WRC Constructors' Championship, the total income of salary, bonuses, and endorsements is only 1.5 million US dollars. Rohr is even worse, with a total income of only a "measly" $770,000, less than half of Ali Wattanin.

Although the careers of WRC drivers are relatively long, just like football players and basketball players, if they enter a bad team, can't play with results and beautiful statistics, their value and salary will plummet after a few years, and the endorsements they have finally won will leave them immediately.

Of course, as David Richards said, if Chen Geng directly smashes people with ten times his annual salary, then there is really no problem: Lao Tzu earns more in two years than in the entire career cycle, so what is there to hesitate about?

Dry!

It's a big deal to work hard for two years, and the rest of your career will be hard to have no chance to play at all?

“...... That's ......."

Chen Geng was silent for a long time again, did not say yes, nor did he say no, and instead asked, "What about the racing car?"

AMC is ready to use the hatchback of fairy (fourth-generation polo) to build the idea of WRC racing, even if there is no Jack Welch and himself before, through the European media reports these days, David Richards also knows, he nodded: "Technically speaking, of course there is no problem, the hatchback has better passability, compared to the sedan, the response of the rear is also more keen, of course no problem, but it is still that problem, time, time is too short......"

"So I need your and Cosworth's help," Chen Geng interrupted David Richards before he could finish speaking, and said, "I need your extensive experience in WRC events to help AMC build a WRC car based on fairy." ”

“......”

David Richards didn't speak, his mouth was a little bitter.

As a professional and even one of the world's top chassis tuning companies, Prodrive, which was born in the British Lotus Motor Company, does have a wealth of experience in tuning the chassis performance and stability of WRC racing cars, and also has a good ability in the design and transmission design and tuning of the sequential transmission of racing cars.

"Mr. Fernandez, time is too tight," David Richards took a deep breath, "which means that we need to have more people to do this for you, so that our original work plan and progress will be affected......"

Isn't it just about adding money?

Chen Geng smiled: "How much does it cost?"

"Uh......"

David Richards was a little embarrassed, but ...... Business, business is business!" he pursed his lips: "I need to calculate the detailed numbers before I can give them to you, but ...... At least 40% higher than the regular price. ”

After a pause, David Richards hurriedly added: "Because of our relationship, you can get such a price, as for Cosworth, the price may be higher." ”

"Yes," Chen Geng agreed without saying a word: "There is no problem with these." ”

He even agreed?

David Richards couldn't understand why Chen Geng was so obsessed with participating in next year's WRC event: counting the cost of overspending to build a team, the money he needed to spend on Fernandez Chen could even allow him to build two WRC teams the year after, which is really ......

These damn Yankees, they're so rich!

David Richards, who originally thought that Chen Geng would retreat in the face of difficulties, didn't expect Chen Geng to agree so happily, he hesitated for a moment, and then said, "This...... One more thing......"

"Huh?"

"But with us at Prodrive and Cosworth, I'm afraid we're still nervous, and if you can, I'd suggest you'd better get Lotus involved...... But they may charge a little more......" David Richards said with a blushing face, after all, it was a little embarrassing for him to admit that he was not as good as others, even if he David Richards and his entire team were from under the door of the Lotus car.

"That's right," Chen Geng smacked his lips: "You help me make an appointment with Lotus Automobile is the relevant person in charge." ”

“......”

David Richards didn't know what to say anymore.

————————————

PS: Sorry brothers, please wait a few minutes.

After a pause, David Richards hurriedly added: "Because of our relationship, you can get such a price, as for Cosworth, the price may be higher." ”

"Yes," Chen Geng agreed without saying a word: "There is no problem with these." ”

He even agreed?

David Richards couldn't understand why Chen Geng was so obsessed with participating in next year's WRC event: counting the cost of overspending to build a team, the money he needed to spend on Fernandez Chen could even allow him to build two WRC teams the year after, which is really ......

These damn Yankees, they're so rich!

David Richards, who originally thought that Chen Geng would retreat in the face of difficulties, didn't expect Chen Geng to agree so happily, he hesitated for a moment, and then said, "This...... One more thing......"

"Huh?"

"But with us at Prodrive and Cosworth, I'm afraid we're still nervous, and if you can, I'd suggest you'd better get Lotus involved...... But they may charge a little more......" David Richards said with a blushing face, after all, it was a little embarrassing for him to admit that he was not as good as others, even if he David Richards and his entire team were from under the door of the Lotus car.

"That's right," Chen Geng smacked his lips: "You help me make an appointment with Lotus Automobile is the relevant person in charge." ”