Asia Motor Technologies France
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive, Motorsport |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Founder | Dr. John Gano, Enrique Scalabroni |
| Defunct | 2002 |
| Fate | Ceased operations, assets sold at auction |
| Headquarters | France |
Area served | Formula One teams (Arrows, Minardi) |
Key people | Dr. John Gano, Enrique Scalabroni |
| Products | Formula One engines, GT sportscar engines, LMP1 sports car design |
Number of employees | 221 (2002) |
Asiatech served as the commercial brand for Asia Motor Technologies France, established in 2000 through Japanese private investment spearheaded by Dr. John Gano and Enrique Scalabroni. Following the conclusion of the 2000 season, the firm acquired the assets from the Peugeot Formula One program with the objective to bring advanced European engine expertise to Asia and create an F1 team with an Asian identity. The workforce expanded from 170 to 221 employees, and during 2001 and 2002, Asiatech provided engines at no cost for development purposes to smaller teams. Additionally, it developed a wind-tunnel scale model of its proprietary F1 chassis prior to the cessation of Japanese financial support in 2002. Subsequently, the company returned its facilities back to Peugeot and terminated its activities by the end of that year.
History
Prior to adopting the "Asiatech" designation, the enterprise operated under the name Asia Motor Technologies (AMT), a fact reflected in the video game Formula One 2001, where Arrows' engine supplier is identified as "AMT".
During 2001, Asiatech supplied V10 power units free of charge to Arrows. The following year, it collaborated with Minardi to enhance performance. In 2002, Arrows, utilizing leased Cosworth engines, ceased operations mid-season due to financial difficulties. That same year, Asiatech's engine reliability was ranked fourth among nine Formula One suppliers, tied with BMW; notably, only four out of Minardi’s fourteen retirements stemmed from engine failures.
At the same time, Asiatech was developing a compact new engine tailored for GT sportscar applications and finalized a design for an LMP1 sports car.
In 2002, Asiatech considered entering Formula One as a constructor by acquiring a former Williams design facility located in Didcot and working alongside Enrique Scalabroni on a prototype vehicle intended both as an engine test platform and a potential contender for the 2004 season. Reports surfaced in May indicating that Asiatech might supply engines to Jordan or possibly take over the team after Honda redirected its engine supply exclusively to BAR, withdrawing support from Jordan after 2002. However, during the course of 2002, Japanese private funding—allegedly from an heir to Sony—was withdrawn, leading Asiatech to halt operations on 3 November 2002. Employees either returned to Peugeot or joined other F1 engine programs such as Renault. Efforts by former staff members to establish a consultancy named 'Design Tech Centre' were unsuccessful.
In February 2003, Asiatech's assets—including eighteen engines, a dynamometer, machine tools, and electronic measuring instruments—were sold at auction in Paris under the management of Jacques Martin and Gilles Chausselat.
Complete Formula One World Championship results
(key) (Races shown in bold denote pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
