AMG Customer Sports and Mercedes-Benz Australia have both given public support to extending Erebus Motorsport’s contract beyond the end of the current season.
Erebus hosted global AMG Customer Sports boss Jochen Bitzer alongside MBA’s marketing general manager Jason Nomikos and communications head David McCarthy at the recent Wilson Security Sandown 500.
Bitzer’s first V8 Supercars visit came exactly a year after AMG CEO Tobias Moers put Erebus on notice with a public attack on the team’s performance level.
While Erebus drivers Will Davison and Lee Holdsworth currently sit just 14th and 19th in the championship respectively, both have achieved podium finishes this year, including a win for Holdsworth at Winton in April.
Bitzer, who oversees more than 40 teams running Customer Sports SLS GT programs across the world, told Speedcafe.com that AMG has a positive view of Erebus’ professionalism and improved performances.
“First of all I think the V8 series is very interesting,” said Bitzer, who had also met with Erebus owner Betty Klimenko and CEO Ryan Maddison at the 24 Hours of Spa in September.
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“It’s good fun to watch and Erebus is definitely one of the most professional teams that is around.
“Of course they would be happier to be more up the front and get more victories, (but) at least there was one this year and of course the results are improving.
“I think they are all passionate and a good team, so everything is ok from our side.”
Negotiations over a new deal have dragged on throughout the 2014 season, leaving Erebus to also hold discussions with Volvo over a potential supply of Polestar engines and S60 bodywork.
The impending departure of current Volvo CEO Matt Braid, however, has cast doubt over the possibility of more S60s being added to the grid next season.
Bitzer declined to discuss details of its discussions with Erebus, but concedes that the process must be concluded soon.
“Nothing more to say than discussions are going on,” he said.
“We’re in discussions. That’s the status I can say at the moment.
“The decision should be made within the next couple of weeks.
“Next season is coming so everyone has to plan.”
Erebus’ current two-year Customer Sports agreement went ahead despite MBA’s efforts to block the move on the grounds that the V8 Supercars Championship does not fit within the company’s marketing demographics.
McCarthy however now says that there are “no issues” for MBA that would stand in the way of an extension.
“At Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific we have been part of the contract discussions and they have been positive,” he told V8 Supercars at Sandown.
“There’s been some good backwards and forwards. From our perspective there are no issues that remain unresolved. I think all sides want to move it forward and that is what we are doing.”
AMG and MBA have made it clear that there will be no financial support for Erebus which, despite taking its engine program in-house this season, continues to pay a ‘license fee’ to AMG Customer Sports.
Erebus ran prominent AMG Customer Sports branding on its cars for several events after first receiving permission to do so in June, but did not receive payment for the signage.
Erebus has, however, expressed its desire to be integrated into the MBA dealer network under the new agreement so that it can benefit from improved original equipment parts supply and corporate opportunities.
While Bitzer enjoyed two full days at the Sandown circuit, he held no discussions with V8 Supercars about the category’s technical future.
Bitzer says AMG has no role to play in the championship’s overhaul of its rule package ahead of the 2017 season.
“It’s clear that we won’t step in as a manufacturer, so for us there is no need to be in discussions with the category,” he said. “Our link to the category is Erebus.”
Erebus introduced several AMG technologies to V8 Supercars last year, including a fly-by-wire throttle and electric steering system, that were both removed after initial reliability issues.
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