Honda F1 in trouble, and withdraw from F1

[monkeyboy1976]

I have just read this article...
http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns21016.html

and this:-
http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_ ... t_id=36682

Honda have had a terrible few years in the sport, and coupled with it's road car business problems, I would not be suprised to see 2009 season without them.

Anyone out there with contacts at Honda etc...?

[DaveKillens]

Wow, can this mean Honda will stop all operations in F1? But let's see how this unfolds over the next few days, and not be easily swayed by rumors. No matter how strong..

[meves]

Lets hope this doesn't get any worse, it's bad enough considering the cost of F1 and that manufacturers are seeing huge drops in sales year on year. Figures from the US

"GM's sales fell 41%, Ford's 30% and Chrysler's 47%. Foreign auto makers were hit hard, too. Toyota Motor Corp.'s U.S. sales fell 34% and Honda Motor Co.'s 31%."

All these manufacturers are making workers redundant, including Honda http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art ... gD94RQQ501 , Honda have had little success in the last 2 seasons in F1 so to justify the cost must be hard. A number of other manufacturers are going to be making redundancies and not just he big three in the US or cutting workers hours and with a number of manufacturers asking for government support etc. Maybe this will mean the rise of the independant team again.

Hopefully we will still have some circuits to race of too with Hockenheim, Canada and France unable to afford to run a race. We also must not forget that all these new circuits in new countries are mostly supported on the back of high oil prices which when they are much below $60 per barrel mean that they make little or no money. Things could get interesting!

[ISLAMATRON]

wow, I thought they were investing so much towards 2009, and now this... I hope they get a good major sponsor, and get some good points/podiums next year, I would hate to lose them totally, and it could start a domino effect with Toyota & renault following right behind.

[DaveKillens]

Apparently other news services are picking up this story, and the latest poop is Honda will make an announcement tomorrow. Seriously folks, this looks for real.

[Roland Ehnström]

[timbo]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72319

Things look bad... I don't think there's much interest in starting F1 project (one can think of Chineese or South Korean investors but crysis seems to hit growing markets harder) and with possible loss of Toro Rosso the grid may become scary small .
Also, I think that historically Honda never shown much commitment to stay in F1 came hard times. In 1992 they left abruptly when they learned they don't make best engine, 60's project also didn't last. I wonder will Toyota stay?

[ISLAMATRON]

but yet so many F1 fans thumb their noses at the idea of cost cutting. Yes the FIA has botched up cost cutting but it has been clearly needed for at least the last 10 years.

We have been losing the independent teams 1 by 1 and now the manufacters are backing away... as MAX says F1 is clearly not sustainable. At this rate we'll all be watching Indy cars by 2010.

[Shaddock]

Honda will quit Formula One on Friday is the rumour

The Japanese company hopes to sell its team, which costs £200m a year to run, but is prepared to close the team early in 2009 if no buyer is found.

According to the Reuters news agency, team bosses Ross Brawn and Nick Fry fear Honda could close the Brackley-based team within weeks.

According to a Reuters source, Brawn and Fry told a meeting of the Formula One Teams' Association: "They have a month to find a buyer, otherwise they are closing the team."

[CMSMJ1]

Honda will quit Formula One on Friday is the rumour

The Japanese company hopes to sell its team, which costs £200m a year to run, but is prepared to close the team early in 2009 if no buyer is found.

According to the Reuters news agency, team bosses Ross Brawn and Nick Fry fear Honda could close the Brackley-based team within weeks.

According to a Reuters source, Brawn and Fry told a meeting of the Formula One Teams' Association: "They have a month to find a buyer, otherwise they are closing the team."

BBC

Yeah..theya re gone. It is a real shame but the first of many I fear. Toyota next? Merc and BMW with really poor slaes too.

Maybe we get back our F1 again!

[Shaddock]

Honda will quit Formula One on Friday is the rumour

The Japanese company hopes to sell its team, which costs £200m a year to run, but is prepared to close the team early in 2009 if no buyer is found.

According to the Reuters news agency, team bosses Ross Brawn and Nick Fry fear Honda could close the Brackley-based team within weeks.

According to a Reuters source, Brawn and Fry told a meeting of the Formula One Teams' Association: "They have a month to find a buyer, otherwise they are closing the team."

BBC

Yup, what about Jenson ? Rubens is old enough to retire but JB will need to find a competitive drive. He may still be paying Frank back when he jumped ship some years ago.

[Sawtooth-spike]

All i can say is WTF!

a few weeks ago they were banging on about how they could do really well next year! Now this? If honda goes, who is next?

I can understand there reasoning, the last 2 years have really taken it to there pride!

On a Side note, JB needs to sack his manager, He always seems to make the wrong choices. I think if honda goes he will be in the wilderness for a year or so.

[Scotracer]

They've gone for two years with no real sponsor - it's their own damn fault trying to look like they are helping the environment

[Sawtooth-spike]

they have just not in the same way as other teams. they have loads of sponsors all of which are are signed up the save the world. sorry help the planet.

It was a bloody stupid idea, stupid marketing companys!

If honda go that means we will have 18 out of a possible 24 cars. Humm, Evidance the FIA are making a right mess? i think so. Maybe this is what f1 needs to return to its roots again.

[Ciro Pabón]

I wonder how Williams is doing.