of possible legal action. In May 2009, Prodrive also applied for an entry for the 2010 F1 World Championship, however, all three new entries were given to teams using Cosworth engines, while Prodrive already had an agreement to use Mercedes engines. World Rally Championship In 1999, Richards sold 49% of Prodrive to the private equity firm Apax Partners. In 2000 he acquired the television rights to the World Rally Championship with the acquisition of International Sportsworld Communicators (ISC) from Bernie Ecclestone. He sold these rights on to North One TV in 2006. Aston Martin On 12 March 2007, Richards led a consortium of investors including Investment Dar and Adeem Investment, raising $925 million to finance the purchase of Aston Martin from Ford. Richards subsequently became chairman of the car company. He stepped down from this role at the end of 2013. Technology More recently Prodrive has expanded to undertake a wide range of advanced technology projects in the aerospace, marine and defence industries, including the development of low carbon technologies, lightweight composite structures and niche vehicle design with specific expertise in electric vehicles. The business was a technical partner to the Land Rover BAR team and developed the control systems for Britain's America's Cup entry. Prodrive helped Ford create the first hybrid Ford Transit van and today is working on everything from complex control systems for commercial jet engines and hypercars to ballistic protection systems for the UK's armed forces. Prodrive also has a composites business in Milton Keynes making lightweight carbon composites for car manufacturers as well as aerospace businesses. The company is also developing sustainable alternatives to carbon fibre such as flax, as well as recycling carbon fibre composites. Recent history On 16 September 2007 Richards and his wife, Karen, survived a forced landing in their helicopter in Essex whilst returning from the 2007 Belgian Grand Prix, less than 24 hours after his former WRC driver, Colin McRae, perished in a similar accident along with his son and two others. Based on Prodrive's statement after the incident, Richards was piloting Prodrive's Eurocopter EC 135. Both Richards and his wife Karen walked away unharmed. In July 2010 it was announced the Richards' Prodrive business would take MINI into the World Rally Championship in 2011, using the new MINI Countryman as its base. The team was unveiled in April 2011 and first competed as the MINI WRC Team at the