Former F1 team eyes possible motorsport comeback

Former F1 team Spyker is eyeing a possible return to motorsport in the future, particularly to the Le Mans 24 Hours.

The Dutch manufacturer, founded in 1999, appeared in Formula 1 across the final three races of the 2006 season after acquiring the Midland outfit.

It continued in 2007 before being sold to Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya, with the outfit becoming Force India from 2008.

F1 was not Spyker's only motorsport venture, as it also competed in the Le Mans 24 Hours, the Le Mans Series, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and made occasional FIA GT Championship appearances.

Spyker's final Le Mans appearance came in 2010, which remains its most recent motorsport outing to date. However, a comeback is suddenly on the cards.

The manufacturer filed for bankruptcy at the end of 2014 but reversed the decision in early 2015. In 2021, it went bankrupt again before announcing a return to building sports cars in 2022.

A recent social media video from the Dutch manufacturer has teased a major return, something Dutch racing driver Jeroen Bleekemolen has confirmed.

"There's definitely something going on," Bleekemolen told RacingNews365. Bleekemolen made several Le Mans appearances for Spyker.

Spyker is currently developing a new production car, the C8 Preliator, which is due to be unveiled at Pebble Beach in California later this year.

The project is backed by a fresh group of well-resourced investors, and with that financial firepower has come the resurrection of a long-dormant ambition.

"Victor Muller (Spyker co-founder) actually said right away: 'If we're starting over, then we're also going back to Le Mans,'" Bleekemolen revealed.

However, Bleekemolen has stressed that a return to motorsport remains some way off, with manufacturers having to meet strict homologation requirements.

"There are still quite a few hurdles to overcome," he acknowledged. "But the intention is definitely there."

A long project

For Bleekemolen, the intention is not simply to be an observer of the project, but rather to get back behind the wheel of a Spyker.

According to the Dutchman, an agreement is already in place with Muller for him to be one of the drivers should the manufacturer return to motorsport.

"I spoke with Victor a few weeks ago. His goal is clear. And if we go, I'll be in that car. That's what we agreed on."

Despite that personal commitment, the former Le Mans competitor is measured about what he is willing to promise publicly.

He is reluctant to put a definitive timeline on the project and is not prepared to say when Spyker might actually appear on a grid.

"I can't say right now that we'll be on the grid in three years," he added. "It might take longer. That's why I'm being cautious about it."