America's Road to Wealth

Chapter 244 Layout NBA and F1
In addition to what Alan Baker said.

Later, Abel also got some F1 materials compiled by the advisory group for him.

In the information, Alan Baker listed the expenses of the eleven F1 teams last year.

In 2000, the number one Ferrari team spent about $1.6 million a year (not including engine costs).

With Schumacher's Ferrari team, it can be said to be a standard top three team.

It was also the team that spent the most last year.

Ranked ninth in the Williams team, last year's spending was 0.855 million US dollars.

In addition, the salary of Ferrari driver Schumacher is currently the highest among F1 drivers, with an annual salary of about 3500 million US dollars.

The lowest salary among F1 drivers is the driver of the Toyota team, which is 50 US dollars.

In addition to these daily expenses.

There is also more expensive vehicle maintenance, vehicle research and development, and the money for F1 car production.

An F1 Ferrari race car costs almost £100 million.

Among them, the cost of engine, gearbox, body and electronic system is the most expensive.

Another F1 car race requires 21 people to complete it together.

It usually takes 6 to 12 seconds to refuel the car and change the tires.At the level of the F-1 team, through the cooperation of the team, the tire can be changed and the 7 liters of gasoline can be filled within [-] seconds.

The consumption of these personnel and accessories is also staggering.

After a race is completed, the cost of tires alone can sometimes be as high as tens of thousands of dollars.

Finally, playing F1 racing team, there is one of the most expensive things.

That is the research and development of the racing car, and the investment in it is even more exaggerated.

For example, in 1998, the McLaren team's car research and development expenses alone reached 7500 million US dollars.

A team participates in 20 races a year.

If the cost of research and development is included, the cost of an F1 racing car will be even more exaggerated.

This is why those racing teams with large car companies behind them will become more and more mainstream in the future.

Because with the development of technology, the small workshop-style racing research and development in the past has been difficult to support the advancement of racing technology.

Backed by big car companies and supported by stronger scientific research capabilities, the car can be more advanced and have more advantages on the track.

This is why Ferrari has been at the forefront of F1 competitions for a long time.

In addition to having money and daring to spend money, the mechanical technology of its racing car is indeed very strong.

No matter what people say, it is also the best-selling super sports car on the planet, and the number one sports car in most people's minds.

Not to mention the Bugatti Veyron.

In the eyes of many people, it is a luxury and ultra-luxury car-type toy.

In terms of influence, or sales, or other aspects, it is not comparable to Ferrari or Lamborghini.

It can only rely on Volkswagen's technical strength and rely on the two titles of "most expensive" and "fastest" to mix in sports cars.

After reading these materials.Abel also had a rough idea of ​​the cost of raising an F1 racing team.

Not counting research and development expenses, the annual cost of a Formula 1 team is about 1 million to 1.5 million U.S. dollars.

This does not count R&D expenses, and if R&D expenses are counted, there is no upper limit.

Thinking of this, Abel knew that he was going to set up a racing research laboratory.

This is relatively simple. There are many ready-made personnel and experts in Europe.

R&D teams like Flying Sword Racing Team and Prost can get it directly.

Even if they are a bit backward, they still have a certain foundation, which can save basic research and development.

Also in terms of engines, although the technical content of F1 car design is higher.

But because mass production is not considered, cost is not considered.

The difficulty of producing an F1 racing car is much lower than building an ordinary car that can be sold in the market from the beginning to the end.

Because in the production of ordinary cars, the consideration is how to produce cars that look the most beautiful, drive best, and have the most functions at the lowest price.

In addition to the necessary life support equipment for the driver, the only thing that needs to be considered in an F1 car is speed.

Acridine's car body doesn't even have an air conditioner, and even the engine is almost a one-time consumable.

To study them, as long as you are willing to spend money, you can get results in a short time.

There are also automobile companies in the United States.

The two groups of General Motors and Ford Motor still have the technical strength of engines.

Abel's idea is to bring Prost and the scientific research team of Feijian Racing Team directly to the United States.

Then find a way to find some experts who specialize in engines in the two auto groups in the United States.

Finally formed its own F1 formula scientific research team.

This scientific research team is estimated to be out of use this year.

This year's F1 American Grand Prix is ​​half a month away and it will be held.

This will definitely not catch up.

This season this year, if the entire team can be bought, there is a high probability that it will only be poor.

Whether they can get a ranking is already a matter of next year.

Abel had already thought about it in his heart.

If you can successfully buy these two teams.

He'll call one of them "Tesla Fleet."

This fleet is directly raised by the "Tesla" company.

Strive to get a good ranking within a few years and have a certain reputation in the world.

In this way, when Tesla's electric vehicles are launched in the future.

It is also possible to add more "F1 pedigree" and "Formula Racing DNA" in the slogan.

When the electric car formula appears in the future, the Tesla team can directly lead the trend and become the most beautiful boy in F1.

As for the other team, he plans to name it "MGM".

Mainly among Abel's companies, these two companies need the most popularity and publicity.

An entertainment giant with its own F1 team will have a lot of face in Hollywood.

And presumably those Hollywood stars are also willing to take a look at the heat of Formula 1 racing.

Conversely, FIA officials are probably willing to have a relationship with Hollywood.

Both Hollywood and F1 need popularity and exposure.

To acquire an F1 team, people with their own advisory group are busy.

Abel's attention returned to USD/NOK.

Smith Building.

In the trading hall on the fourth floor.

May 22.

It has been a week since Smith Capital entered the market.

The exchange rate of USD/NOK has been fluctuating between 7.6050-7.6100.

In other words, a week has passed.

The Norwegian krone, which had been on the rise, was abruptly restrained from its upward trend.

This originally was not a big currency exchange, but with the stalemate between the long and short sides, the amount of funds has become larger and larger.

At this time, there are definitely not only Smith Capital and Neon People who are facing gambling here.

"This market is very abnormal." In the office, David said to Abel:

"I think there must be other agencies coming in."

Abel nodded and said:

"You're right. It's true. Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch and Bear Stearns, at least three of them are in the market."

"So sure?" David asked curiously.

If David hadn't been in the safe house state, with his channels and connections, he could have detected similar information.

David is now in the safe house state, unable to communicate with the outside world, so there is no way to help Abel with intelligence.

Abel smiled: "Don't forget, I am now a director of four of the five major investment banks."

"Oh~" David suddenly realized. "Well, then it should be one of them, someone revealed this information to you. It seems that this information is indeed true."

Abel smiled and did not respond, but it was not someone from the four major investment banks where he was a director who disclosed the information to him.

It was Paulson, the CEO of Goldman Sachs, who told Abel this information.

Paulson quietly called Abel and told him to be careful of these three investment banks.

At the same time, it made it clear that Goldman Sachs, whether it was the US dollar/yen last time or the US dollar/Norwegian krone this time.

Goldman Sachs did not join.

When he was about to hang up the phone at the end, Paulson only said one cryptic word: "Say hello to Texas for me."

Although Paulson's phone call, the information disclosed may be false, and it may be to cover up Goldman Sachs' subsequent entry.

But Abel believes that Paulson did not lie to himself, at least in the matter of having three other investment banks enter the market.

Tell Abel about the entry of these three investment banks.

Under normal circumstances, Abel would obviously put most of his vigilance on these three companies.

In that way, if Goldman Sachs really wants to enter the market halfway, it will also have some advantages.

Analyzing from various aspects, at least this part of Paulson's disclosure should be true.

When chatting with David, Abel also said these things.

However, he did not say that Paulson said it, but pushed it to his identity as a director of the four major investment banks.

David thought for a while, and said calmly:

"Boss, I think this is the situation now. There may be more than these three investment banks entering the market, and there must be more institutions entering the market. Currently, there are more than 120 million USD/NOK position contracts on the market. So With a large amount of funds, there will never be less than ten institutions entering the market."

Abel agreed with David's judgment.

Talent had told Abel about it long before David uttered the guess.

The difference is that David made such a judgment based on experience and knowledge.

Abel is through talent.

"Boss, what's our next strategy? Is it still [-] hands per day?" David said.

Smith Capital currently holds a total of 18 USD/NOK long orders.

"Forget it." Abel shook his head, "Stop building positions, and only hold this number of positions at present. Wait for my order."

After thinking about it, Abel added: "By the way, the safe house status will be lifted by the way. You can go home and rest. In the short term, there will be no big changes in USD/NOK."

David was taken aback by Abel's subsequent order.

"Release the safe house status?" David wanted to confirm again.

You should know that this is the first time that Smith Capital has ended the financial safe house status before the investment ends.

Every time before entering and exiting the safe house, it was done after harvesting leeks.

"It's not wrong. Since they have stopped opening positions, there is no need to continue to maintain them."

"This is my order." Abel said lightly.

David didn't have any ideas, he just wanted to make sure.

"Understood," said David, "my king, we will only obey your will."

This guy, Abel, wanted to ask David Mellon if he had read too many neon middle school comics recently.

Abel felt that David was getting more and more secondary.

May 23.

USD/NOK is in a strange state.

It has been oscillating in the fluctuation of 7.6050-7.6100.

There are more and more funds piled up on the plate, and more and more hands.

Yesterday, there were still 120 million lots, with 1000 and [-] billion US dollars in funds.

At noon today, the number of hands has reached about 150 million.

About 1500 billion US dollars of funds.

This weird situation made the Norwegian government and banks, which had been watching from the sidelines, panic a little.

If the amount of funds and contracts piles up again, it will reach an unbearable amount for Norway and Norwegian krone.

Once it collapses, the result will be very unfavorable to Norway no matter what it is.

The Norwegian government and Norges Bank wanted to make a move, but the market looked turbulent and confused, and they didn't dare to end it.

Just keep watching.

In the strange state of USD/NOK.

Abel was in the brandy restaurant where he had eaten with little Laura and Li Xinyu last time.

Abel received a guest from China.

The height of this Chinese guest is exaggerated, as much as 2.26 meters.

The Huaxia guest was wearing a well-fitting suit that looked weird because it was too big. He sat opposite Abel, acting a little reserved.

"Hi, yaoming, right?" Abel looked at the young Chinese giant in front of him, and he greeted with a smile: "How about I just call you Yao from now on?"

"Of course." The little giant on the opposite side said cautiously and politely: "You can call me whatever you want, and I can accept it."

"Your English is pretty good." Abel smiled.

"Thank you."

The 2.26-meter-tall giant saw that the ghost in front of him spoke so friendly and had such a gentle attitude.

The little giant breathed a sigh of relief.

The little giant is a Chinese, 21 years old this year.

As early as 1998, he was selected for China's basketball national team.

The little giant participated in the China Men's Basketball League A from 1999 to 2000, and his team won No.2.

He personally won three individual awards in the 1999-2000 season of the China A League for rebounds, dunks, and blocks.

In September last year, Little Giant participated in the No.9 Seventh Olympic Men's Basketball Competition held in Sydney, and won No.20 with his teammates.

Probably at that time, the little giant had the idea of ​​coming to the NBA to develop.

He began to make preparations, such as starting to learn English.

According to the little giant's thinking, it may take two or three years before he can hope to try in the NBA.

The little giant never expected that someone would find him at the beginning of this year.

At first, the giant Yao didn't believe it at all, thinking he was a liar.

Thinking about the giant Yao, how could the NBA notice him so quickly.

But later the other party found several big shots, and under the guarantee of the big shots, Giant Yao learned of the other side's sincerity.

Then in March of this year, he officially received an invitation to this year's NBA draft.

This let the giant Yao know that he can really go to the NBA to develop.

Then, with the help of the big shots, he took care of domestic affairs.

There is only one month before the NBA draft this year.

He flew over in advance to adapt to the climate and jet lag here.

After arriving here, the giant Yao knew that he could come to the NBA ahead of schedule.

It was because a big man in the United States knew of his existence and specially asked him to come here by name.

Knowing this, the giant Yao, whose English is already good, secretly checked the information of this big man.

It's okay not to check, this investigation surprised the giant Yao.

It turns out that the big man who invited me here is actually so famous in the United States, and he is very rich.

He's even the owner of an NBA team!

The opponent just wanted me to play on his team, so they got me here in advance.

This made the giant Yao feel uneasy.

The little giant with a gentle personality is a little worried that he will live up to the expectations of the big shots, and he is also worried that he will not be able to go to the big shot's team.

Simple, he thought, since this big man brought him here, he wanted to help him play.

Then I should help this big man play well.

Today, the big man invited the giant Yao over for dinner.

The giant Yao saw the real person of this great man for the first time.

After seeing the appearance of this great man himself, the giant Yao's first impression was——

Fuck, this ghost is so handsome, he looks even more handsome than Xiao Lizi!
The second impression is——

This ghost looks really young, even younger than in the newspapers, is he really that rich and powerful?

Amidst restraint and curiosity, the giant Yao started the conversation with the other party.

After a simple exchange of pleasantries, the giant Yao found that the big man was surprisingly gentle, which made Dayao let go of his formality and nervousness a lot.

In fact, according to NBA regulations, before the draft, the team owner is not allowed to contact any rookie players.

Dayao has been confirmed to participate in this year's NBA draft, and there is only one month left.

It stands to reason that he cannot meet Abel.

But Abel didn't care, the worst would be a fine.

Can David Stern guarantee that other team owners and teams will never contact rookies before the draft?
In addition, it is obvious that Abel Smith joined the NBA, which is bound to bring greater attention to the NBA.

That's good news for the NBA.

If it weren't really unreasonable, David Stern might have agreed to Abel's idea of ​​buying two teams
So don't say that Abel doesn't care about such small things.

Even if it was leaked out, David Stern would definitely cover up for Abel.

Dayao also knew about this rule.

But in Dayao's view, the big man has the grace to know him.

Besides, it is impossible for NBA officials to find out if they come secretly.

In addition, Dayao's economic contract was also signed with CAA. Once Dayao was instigated by his agent, he would not be afraid of this little ban from the NBA.

CAA's agent has said it all, it's a small problem, don't be afraid!
This is how the scene of the two meeting today came about.

After exchanging pleasantries, the two officially started a conversation.

(End of this chapter)