Toyota pulls out of F1

[Peloton25]

Editor's note: I merged this thread with earlier comments made at the end of the Abu Dhabi [FJ] F1 Challenge thread.

So no Toyota seat for Kobayashi next year as they announced they are pulling out of F1 effective immediately.

Renault also announced today they will hold a special meeting to determine their future involvment - perhaps as just an engine supplier, or maybe not at all.

Bridgestone is leaving the sport at the end of 2010 and Michelin, Goodyear and now Pirelli have already turned down offers to fill their spot. Will we see Kuhmo or Hankook as the official F1 tire supplier? Maybe NITTO is ready to step up their game?

Several of the new teams granted entries into next year's series are questionable including, no check that, especially USF1.

One has to wonder if we're finally going to see the demise of Formula One after so many years of the sport being trashed by the policies and politics of Bernie and Max.

>8^)
ER

[azbobbybooshay_10]

Originally Posted by Peloton25

So no Toyota seat for Kobayashi next year as they announced they are pulling out of F1 effective immediately.

Renault also announced today they will hold a special meeting to determine their future involvment - perhaps as just an engine supplier, or maybe not at all.

Bridgestone is leaving the sport at the end of 2010 and Michelin, Goodyear and now Pirelli have already turned down offers to fill their spot. Will we see Kuhmo or Hankook as the official F1 tire supplier? Maybe NITTO is ready to step up their game?

Several of the new teams granted entries into next year's series are questionable including, no check that, especially USF1.

One has to wonder if we're finally going to see the demise of Formula One after so many years of the sport being trashed by the policies and politics of Bernie and Max.

>8^)
ER

It certainly does seem like the sky is falling quick, all of a sudden. USF1 really didn't do themselves any favors to quiet the skeptics with that very awkward "tour" they showed before the race Sunday. No outside shots of the building, an empty office with no desk with a Jim Clark picture on the wall, another guy on a computer showing the same animation over and over, and a machining lathe that wasn't even doing anything.

[bigdaddyzx3]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091104/...toyota_pullout

The world's largest automaker announced Wednesday it needs to cut costs and focus on its core business.

"Based on the current economic environment, we realize we have no choice but to withdraw from Formula One," Toyota president Akio Toyoda said at a news conference. "This has been a very painful decision for the company."

[Apex clipper]

Saw that news this morning ..'they' all seem to be tightening their belts.
Although too be fair, Toyota were a team on a treadmill..in the performance and results domain.

Haven't we a solely American team signed up for next year?

[sleeperlove]

Originally Posted by Apex clipper

Saw that news this morning ..'they' all seem to be tightening their belts.
Although too be fair, Toyota were a team on a treadmill..in the performance and results domain.

Haven't we a solely American team signed up for next year?

Sort of, yes, they will use Cosworth engines and hopefully at least one American driver. However, whether they make it to the grid or not is questionable.

[azbobbybooshay_10]

Renault is apparently having a meeting where they are considering pulling out effective immediately as well. USF1 is having a very hard time apparently, and a couple of the other "expansion" teams are also in limbo. Bridgestone is out after 2010, and Pirelli and Goodyear have already said no. The bottom may very well be about to fall out of F1.

[bigdaddyzx3]

bye bye F1

[HotRodKristina]

But I'm sure if the idiots in charge disappear, suddenly these teams will pop back up right quick.

[MrBirdman330]

I'm waiting for it to start in NASCAR.

[azbobbybooshay_10]

Originally Posted by MrBirdman330

I'm waiting for it to start in NASCAR.

The fan revolt is brewing, I will tell you that...

[Hitokiri]

I wonder where that leaves guys like Kaz Nakajima and Kobayashi? Koba raced his pants off probably to assure himself a seat in 2010 but as a Japanese driver with no ties to any of the F1 teams - this well be tough for him. There is a strong stereotype that Japanese drivers just can't cut it in F1 (or motorsports overall?) and that might play into if Koba and Kaz can find a seat. I personally believe Kaz is done but Koba has a chance to land a ride on one of the newer teams.

[MrBirdman330]

Originally Posted by azbobbybooshay_10

The fan revolt is brewing, I will tell you that...

Its been brewing for a long time now, just a matter of what rule they imply next that will pop the balloon.

[Peloton25]

Originally Posted by bigdaddyzx3

bye bye F1

As you can see from the new 1st post in this thread, I felt the same way yesterday when I first heard the news. However I participate on another forum with many more F1 fans and several were quick to remind those of us with a 'the sky is falling' mentality that historically F1 has been a series of privateer teams. Manufacturer involvement in the sport is a relatively new thing, and while it may have brought a lot of money and exposure to the series, very few of those manufacturer teams were anything more than a rebadged privateer effort. Trace each of their histories back and Toyota was really the only one started from scratch.

After reading their comments for a couple of days I am inclined to agree that perhaps the end is not near. While the series may struggle for a year or two to find its roots again with new money and new managers, it will probably stabilize over time and continue to survive. What might not survive are some of these new multi-hundred million dollar venues like Abu Dhabi, especially if the crowd at a track like Istanbul saw this year are anything to base their futures on.

>8^)
ER

[ZX3autoxtasy]

Originally Posted by Peloton25

As you can see from the new 1st post in this thread, I felt the same way yesterday when I first heard the news. However I participate on another forum with many more F1 fans and several were quick to remind those of us with a 'the sky is falling' mentality that historically F1 has been a series of privateer teams. Manufacturer involvement in the sport is a relatively new thing, and while it may have brought a lot of money and exposure to the series, very few of those manufacturer teams were anything more than a rebadged privateer effort. Trace each of their histories back and Toyota was really the only one started from scratch.

After reading their comments for a couple of days I am inclined to agree that perhaps the end is not near. While the series may struggle for a year or two to find its roots again with new money and new managers, it will probably stabilize over time and continue to survive. What might not survive are some of these new multi-hundred million dollar venues like Abu Dhabi, especially if the crowd at a track like Istanbul saw this year are anything to base their futures on.

>8^)
ER

I share very similar sentiments.

The best thing that comes to mind is how Brawn took over Honda (iirc?).

They took a lackluster team and made a pretty good one out of it. I wouldn't be surprised at all if something similar happens with Toyota.

[Hitokiri]

Originally Posted by bigdaddyzx3

bye bye F1

I wonder why people say this because its not like F1 is broke and its not like teams aren't spending tens of millions of bucks to run their teams. Plus as long as F1 has model teams like Ferrari, McLaren, Renault, and Williams - they're going to be there for the long run. Plus don't forget they have new teams coming in. Its not like the first time in history that a Japanese manufacturer hasn't been in F1 and I believe after a few years everyone knew Toyota was a go or bust sort of deal. The same could be said of Honda after it bought out the team from BAR a few years back. BMW never really had a rich history in F1 anyways not like their other European counterparts

F1 well never fall as long as countries are willing to use hundreds of millions of dollars to bring them in (while paying extremely high sanctioning fees) and millions upon millions of viewers stuck to the screen every Sunday.

I believe it when people say that F1 is the #2 or #3 followed sport in the world behind baseball and European football.

[MichaelXi]

Originally Posted by Peloton25

Bridgestone is leaving the sport at the end of 2010 and Michelin, Goodyear and now Pirelli have already turned down offers to fill their spot. Will we see Kuhmo or Hankook as the official F1 tire supplier? Maybe NITTO is ready to step up their game?

Care to Explain what the logic could be here?
Just thinking to myself... On one hand, you've got a guaranteed market to sell product. On the other hand, you have expectations placed on the company, and any error looks like egg on the face. (Think GoodYear at NASCAR's Indy race in '08 )
Any insight for discussion's sake?
I find the tire thing far more interesting than the Camry-Company's decisions.

[wilko]

LOL at the tread title...

I know its low browe but it is funny.

[MichaelXi]

Originally Posted by wilko

LOL at the tread title...

I know its low browe but it is funny.

I don't think Toyota was worried about F1 getting Preggo...

[Apex clipper]

Originally Posted by bigdaddyzx3

bye bye F1

Elaboration on that statement.




Ta.

[bigdaddyzx3]

It's fat, bloated and bitchy though... sooooo...

[Peloton25]

Originally Posted by MichaelXi

Any insight for discussion's sake?

I think the obvious reason, and the one provided by Bridgestone in their press release, is a lack of ROI and the desire to spend that development money elsewhere. F1 teams don't cover all of Bridgestone's costs with the payments they make for their tire sets. That's why all the cars get little 'Bridgestone' logos, and the company gets a few signs around each race track.

Without any real tire competition anymore they have dreamed up a way of making the tires relevant by mandating teams use two compounds at each point during the race, one of which usually makes a car slower. That's exciting.

There's also very little about F1 tire construction that trickles down into a marketable product to consumers, so at the end of the day you get some fancy race cars in your advertising photos and the ability to claim you are the "Official tire supplier of Formula 1." Yay...

Finally one could speculate that they just want to get away from the circus that is Formula 1 of late. No explanation necessary there, but it doesn't fit well in a press release. I'm really not too surprised they are leaving, or that no other major tire company is jumping at the chance to fill their spot.

In other news - these US F1 animations are priceless!







>8^)
ER

[bigdaddyzx3]

Originally Posted by Apex clipper

Elaboration on that statement.




Ta.

I was just being a smart ass.

It's a common thing to be thrown around here whenever there is upheaval in anything.

[Apex clipper]

Originally Posted by Hitokiri

I believe it when people say that F1 is the #2 or #3 followed sport in the world behind baseball and European football.

Football has more fans than any sport in the world.

Fact.

[slidemaster]

Tough times in motorsports. Toyota is really hurting, recalls of huge numbers and people saying they hid safety problems.

They are still in NASCAR but the numbers are smaller this year for nascar. Its so, predictable at times. Well at least that will speak well for some of the other motorsports like Time Attack, which is growing

[Apex clipper]

Originally Posted by bigdaddyzx3

I was just being a smart ass.

It's a common thing to be thrown around here whenever there is upheaval in anything.

Oh! IC.

I'm recognizing the very nuance of this particalur Forum everyday.