Honda F1 in trouble, and withdraw from F1

[WhiteBlue]

My Question is this

Will we Ever see this car that have been 2 years in the making?

That is a very valid question. With 3 days from the dead line Honda F1 are looking into a deep abyss. I was very dissapointed when DR reported that they are not a viable proposition. Also Gerhard Berger commented on possible F1 activities that he is not actively looking into anything. Those two guys would have been the obvious choices by their track record of having the ability to run a successfull F1 team. If they stay away from Honda F1 it looks really bad.

[xpensive]

In this context, I would like to re-iterate my December offer to eat a balaclava if those cars show up at the Melbourne-grid.

[WhiteBlue]

Gp.com is making the point, that the dead line doesn't really apply to a management buy out. I wonder why they keep publishing these things. Probably because some people over there are fans of Nick Fry. When I look at the prospect of a private HRF1 with NF at the helm I ask myself why a man who could not make it work with billions of automotive money should suddenly be able to succede with sponsorship, that he has to earn on the teams merits?

[xpensive]

Another most crucial point WB, is that said gentleman was incapable to land a major sponsor at a time when the Honda name was on board and the economy was in full swing, why I find it highly unlikely that it should be any easier without Honda during a world recession? "Fry" the balaclava.

[WhiteBlue]

I have to put some marks into my 2010 calendar to celebrate the day we agreed on something.

[xpensive]

Sometimes you make sense WB, that's all.

[john Stiner]

You've just got to feel for all those blokes, the year it really looked promising and then... From a technical pont of view I would really like to see the car make it onto the grid. I guess there is still the RB to look forward to.

[timbo]

I have a thought on Honda's situation. Maybe they want to leave it for Fry, and then, after some time, when financial situation improves take it back?
Setting (or better say giving away) team for another manufacturer, or some seruois player (like Richards) rules out that possibility. And if they want to come back to F1 they would have to create another factory...

[modbaraban]

Why haven't they given it back by now? Every day of this 'uncertainty' could be used to attract some sponsors, insted.

[timbo]

Why haven't they given it back by now? Every day of this 'uncertainty' could be used to attract some sponsors, insted.

Well, the main problem with this situation is that if Honda really wanted to give for someone who would guaranty 2009 season participation, they are already one month late.
The only reasonable (but said) explanation is that there's nobody at their door.
However my version is bit more optimistic - i can suppose that the answer for your question is that Honda people are unwilling to admit mistace.
Giving team away and then making another start may be smart move to get rid of 2007-2008 image as Fry's attemt at 2009 would be almost predetermined fail, however he would not be assosiated with Honda.

[donskar]

Discussion of Honda's future leads me to STR. Although Mateschitz continues to say all the right things, I have to wonder how long Red Bull can continue to support two teams. And, since there seems to have been minimal interest in Honda, I can't see a flock of potential buyers for STR. Mateschitz is a businessman and he has already admitted that running two teams under the regs forbidding chassis sharing is not viable. At some point, it seems likely he will pull the plug.

What then?

Got to wonder: if Mateschitz pressures Bernie will he work out a deal to front them some money a la Williams?

Interestinger and interestinger.

[Conceptual]

Discussion of Honda's future leads me to STR. Although Mateschitz continues to say all the right things, I have to wonder how long Red Bull can continue to support two teams. And, since there seems to have been minimal interest in Honda, I can't see a flock of potential buyers for STR. Mateschitz is a businessman and he has already admitted that running two teams under the regs forbidding chassis sharing is not viable. At some point, it seems likely he will pull the plug.

What then?

Got to wonder: if Mateschitz pressures Bernie will he work out a deal to front them some money a la Williams?

Interestinger and interestinger.

When you charge $2USD per 13.5oz can of Red Bull, you can ABSOLUTELY sustain 2 teams! And what forbidding of chassis sharing? Didn't the RB4 win at Monza in a STR3 uniform? If chassis sharing was a big deal to the teams, Vetttel winning on merit would have had them screaming at the top of their lungs. Chassis sharing may be technically illegal, but there seems to be an agreement of non-objection on behalf of the teams.

I still think that Richard Branson should buy Honda, and brand it under the Virgin name. He has the money, is a thrill junkie, and has a strong global brand. And that doesn't even account for his close ties with Scaled Composites and Rutan. I'm sure THAT would be a very well put together racecar!

Anyways, I think that the Fry-man has it on lockdown, and the chess board has been shifted in his favor (when no one was looking of course!). I sincerely hope that they are in Melbourne in 09. Maybe a Brawn/Schumacher/Todt(jr) conglomeration should buy it?

[donskar]

Conceptual wrote:

Anyways, I think that the Fry-man has it on lockdown, and the chess board has been shifted in his favor (when no one was looking of course!). I sincerely hope that they are in Melbourne in 09. Maybe a Brawn/Schumacher/Todt(jr) conglomeration should buy it?

Love to see it happen, but with little or no testing, they could be an embarrassemnt.

[Conceptual]

Conceptual wrote:

Anyways, I think that the Fry-man has it on lockdown, and the chess board has been shifted in his favor (when no one was looking of course!). I sincerely hope that they are in Melbourne in 09. Maybe a Brawn/Schumacher/Todt(jr) conglomeration should buy it?

Love to see it happen, but with little or no testing, they could be an embarrassemnt.

Would anyone really hold it against them in their first year? Look at the Jordan/Midland/Spyker/Force India team. Nobody expected anything of these first year teams, so why would it be different with the New owner of the Honda team?

And to be honest, if they scored just a single point more than 08, they wouldn't even be a disgrace!

[donskar]

Conceptual,

Would anyone really hold it against them in their first year? Look at the Jordan/Midland/Spyker/Force India team. Nobody expected anything of these first year teams, so why would it be different with the New owner of the Honda team?

WE wouldn't hold it against them -- I agree. And I HOPE a buyer turns up SOON.

But I'm trying to look through the eyes of potential buyers/sponsors. They are looking at investing a small fortune with the knowledge that they are likely to get minimal short-term return. In the current economic environment, investors are going to be more cautious and more demanding.