Honda F1 in trouble, and withdraw from F1

[tarzoon]

@donskar

So, from that article, we can conclude that car makers owning F1 teams were misled by money driven managers with little interest in F1 as a sport and added value to themselves...

@pgj

Williams is probably the best example of poor profit distribution in F1. One year they finish second, the next year they struggle to have a decent car and sink down.

@Conceptual

Honestly, I don't understand why they banned tobacco ads in the first place. It didn't stop anyone from starting to smoke. But allowing them to advertise once again would be quite hypocrite and irresponsible.


F1 is not a money making sport for a long time. At least for the teams and their sponsors.

[sunny1304]

but i dont understand 1 thing that honda was one of the teams moved to devlop 2009 car and they have already tested 2009 wings alongside with bmw.

then how they can run out of money within a very short time where small teams like force india and toro rosso are running their normal program ??

[xpensive]

I doubt that Honda ran out of money per se, but the fast changing economical climate made them re-evaluate their priorities, just like any sensible corporation would do.

Spending 350 MUSD to make up the numbers in F1, was just not part of said priorities.

[timbo]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72347

I have a feeling that maybe crisis is an excuse to withdraw without admittance that their F1 programme sucked. Well, that must not be the sole or even main reason, but I think in Japan their bosses had too much of, this year we lose but on the next year...

[Metar]

Though a vast portion of that sum was directed at the 2009 car, surely?

It's more of a political move - you can't show 350m$ in spendings when the company loses money. Honda were always in F1 to succeed - after their late-'80s success with McLaren, they quickly pulled out once others beat them..

[xpensive]

Of course, just like a big chunk of 2007s budget went to develop the 2008 car.

[WhiteBlue]

Ex Honda will quickly become a private team with a high probability of an experienced and proven operator at the helm. I see people like Dave Richards or Gerhard Berger in a position to get a minority share in exchange for expertise from a middle eastern financial investor.

No investor will run such a venture with a person like Fry. You want to have someone who makes decisions for his own money and carries the risks equally. This person also has to have a proven track record of success. Apart from these two I see very few people who would have the money and the qualifications. Ross Brawn would have the know how but not the money and not the experience as an entrepreneur.

Most likely a private owner would go for a huge cost cutting orgy keeping only core functions in the team and maximising outsourcing. Looking at Ferrari as a quick way to get 2009 engines and support would be sensible and keeping Ross Brawn would also make sense. For the longer term they probably should sign up with Cosworth or negotiate a deal on the same cost level with Ferrari.

The long term alternative to this would be a new automotive entrant in some years who could pay for the effort of the financial investor by buying shares of a restructured team.

[xpensive]

Kindly allow me to re-phrase the above:
Possibly, the ex-Honda team could become a private team with an experienced and proven operator at the helm. I can see someone like Dave Richards in a position to have a minority share, provided that he can find a heavy financial investor to guarantee the rest.

[WhiteBlue]

sure, do as you please.

[xpensive]

According to internet sources, Honda now offers to sell the whe whole team for une USD, provided some sort of guarantee to run it is given. Sensible that.

[bar555]

One wish i have , please bring Tyrrell back [-o<


Honda was born from B.A.R. F1 team ashes and B.A.R's origin was Tyrrell



PS = OMG , a couple of weeks away from the forum and so many things happened

[andartop]

According to internet sources, Honda now offers to sell the whe whole team for une USD, provided some sort of guarantee to run it is given. Sensible that.

Well, then maybe the F1technical Forum Members Association could buy the damn thing.
I vote we should keep Rubens and get rid of Button!

[xpensive]

Right, just make sure he takes his precious helmets with him...

[Rob W]

I shouldn't laugh as this is a sad day for F1 but for Ross Brawn to come out and say publicly that Honda could have won in 2009 is pretty laughable.

http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954, ... 64,00.html

"We would have had a race-winning car and that's the tragedy," Brawn said. "Our information is that, relative to the other teams, we had a very strong car for next year and we would have continued developing it."

Either he's the most cocksure man on the planet or is plain deluded and trying to impress potential buyers. I know he's an F1 guru/legend but to say something like this is pretty thin considering the potential and performance claims made time and time again by Honda/BAR over the years which have been a flop in pretty much every case.

[jamsbong]

I agree with Rob W. I am kinda laughing and feeling sad to see Honda go. Laughing because I always find them humorous for continuously making outrageous claims that they are so close and just one small step away from being on top.

I am sad because I can no longer laugh at them as they are gone.