Honda F1 1965 – 2008
It’s official, Honda just pulled out of F1 racing. They said so last night during a press conference/statement from their (soon to be former) British team HQ.
Why?
The same old reason: Money.
There’s more after the jump.
According to the BBC, Honda had this to say:
“Honda Motor Co. has come to the conclusion that we will withdraw from all Formula One activities, making 2008 the last season for participation,” said Honda president Takeo Fukui at an emotional press conference.
“This difficult decision has been made in light of the quickly deteriorating operating environment facing the global auto industry… and the sudden contraction of the world economies,” he added.
“Honda must protect its core business activities and secure the long term as widespread uncertainties in the economics around the globe continue to mount.”
According to the Reuters news agency, team bosses Ross Brawn and Nick Fry told a meeting of the Formula One Teams’ Association: “They have a month to find a buyer, otherwise they are closing the team.”
Ouch!
Money is what Honda said at any rate, but others think differently. People like Jacques Villeneuve, former F1 champ & Honda driver. He had this to say to British racing news source AutoSport:
“I don’t think F1 is one of Honda’s biggest expenses, but with the world economic climate as it is you have to be perceived to be making cuts,” Villeneuve, who drove for the Honda team in their BAR guise from 1999-2003, told autosport.com.
“I think it’s more of a political decision.”
Jacques could be right. Sure, he’s got his personality quirks, but his assessment sounds pretty close to what I’d think.
As a commenter on a racing site pointed out: ” … are they pulling out of the IRL too during this financial crisis…?”
Good point! I haven’t heard anything form friends back in Speedway, nor nary a peep from the press.
So maybe that’s all this is: Honda, via the world econ troubles, was presented with a perfect excuse to bail from a series they were sucking at; a series they had once dominated, but were now relegated to something little more than a joke, consistently getting thumped by arch-rival Toyota last season.
Or maybe I’m wrong.
Maybe Honda was just weak, and they knew it, and for the good of the tribe took a ride on an ice flow before things got really bad.
We will see.
Source: AxisofOverSteer & elsewhere
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