Honda to leave F1

[Cupra Kev]

Honda are due to announce they are selling their F1 team on Friday, and if no buyer is found by March they will close the doors on the team.

Another victim of the economy, or bosses unimpressed with the 08 season (although they said they weren't in a points-scoring car at the beginning of the season and were focussing on the 09 season)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7766092.stm

 

[ZBOYD]

F1 teams are under some serious financial threats when you weigh it up, the automotive industry is on it's knees at the moment, and the banking sector has gone to the wall. Advertising and sponsorship are the first things to suffer in a recession, and they are usually the first things to recover too.

Looks to me like Honda are doing what SEATUK have decided to do, but on a large scale. They obviously think the money is better off serving the company for the time being than being used to wave the flag.

 

[wisejason]

That will be bad news for the sport - but in the current hard times you can't really blame them.

 

[F2 Stu]

Not really surprising really when you weigh up the 2 dismal seasons they've had and the current global climate

Callous as this may sound but they may aswell give out the P45's now as they wont honestly find a buyer for such a big team

 

[m0rk]

Strange really given the huge amount of construction work going on in Reynard Park at the moment

 

[ZBOYD]

Appears to me like they have chosen to invest their money in the company rather than in motorsport.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/7763629.stm

 

[old 'uns]

torro rosso to follow soon then? due to teams having to produce own car can you seriously see anyone else buying it?

 

[IainW]

Red Bull have bought Toro Rosso back from Gerhard Berger.

Shocking news about Honda, read the rumours earlier on, then got told by a friend who knows someone who was a mechanic on Button's car this season, saying it was true.

 

[AlpineWhite]

Unlikely that they'll find a buyer, but possibly, maybe, Prodrive?

 

[Boo]

Good god what next ?! Hardly suprising though. Aguri and now Honda ......... crumbs

 

[AndrewJB]

debate on now


wheres button going?

 

[Craig Senior]

debate on now


wheres button going?

Job Centre.

Not many seats left for next year and with the number of up and coming drivers around I can't see anyone taking him.

 

[RobDon]

Not surprised, costs hundreds of millions to take part in the most boring form of motorsport around.

 

[Andywarr]

debate on now


wheres button going?

i'll have a super wild guess but would be good if it came true

i think button will be without a drive in 00, but i can see him in a Ferrari in 2010 due to link with Ross brawn,

Who knows though

 

[Andywarr]

Not surprised, costs hundreds of millions to take part in the most boring form of motorsport around.

£200 million a season is said on the news

 

[BRJ87]

debate on now


wheres button going?

I can't see him getting a drive anywhere if no one buys honda, also he ws the 4th best paid driver last year after LM,KR and FM, so he comes at a price.

Time for the Abu Dhabi group to buy something else i reacon!! Rather than waste their money on man city, then again there worth over $1 trillion!!

Or, we could kidnap H.Kov and get Jenson i at McLaren with LH, all british team then.. apart from the german engine but hey!

 

[MarkE]

2 more teams to follow Honda?

 

[F2 Stu]

Red bull will certainly wind up Torro Rosso, Toyota will come to the same conclusion as Honda and I suspect Williams will do so too.

 

[AlpineWhite]

Ever the optimist, eh, Stu?

 

[F2 Stu]

Red Bull Technologies have made no secret in selling off its 'junior' team as a result of a stop to customer cars, Dietrich Mateschitz buying back Gerhard bergers half of the team is a step towards that.

Toyota has one of tbe biggest budgets around and has very little to show for its investment since 2001. I can't see it sticking around indefinetly.

Williams although you cant take away the success they've had, they are past it to be frank (no pun intended) and should of sold up to BMW whilst they had the chance long ago. If Toyota go they lose their 'free' engines and have to revert to a customer powerplant.