Honda Quit Formula 1

[malc]

According to the TV this morning due to financial concerns Honda
is withdrawing from Formula 1, to take effect immediately.

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

[FEF100]

Re: Honda Quit Formula 1

Um... probably not because of economic downturn. They have been saying "this is the year" ever since BAR was started.

Probably realized they didn't have a chance again in '09.

[malc]

Re: Honda Quit Formula 1

Some have reckoned with a different driver
and more wins they?d not be going.

[Falcon67]

Re: Honda Quit Formula 1

Just heard the report on CNN. Got distracted by the next report about cheerleaders "sexting" neeked pictures to their boyfriends. Where was this tech when I was in high school dammit.

[CM325]

Re: Honda Quit Formula 1

The scary parts of this, is how will it effect us. We long held F1 as the richiest of the rich racing.
When Honda pulls out i think that is a hell of a sign of whats to come.
With all the big money dropping out of racing what will be left?
If i can find one positive in it, it would be that with all the current economical problems all the posers will quit. Leaving us to race again, now if we could find a way to get rid of so many of the rules.
CM

[dieselgeek]

Re: Honda Quit Formula 1

With all the big money dropping out of racing what will be left?

Easy answer: grass roots racing! A day as a spectator at Maxton or Bonneville is 800x better than the best bigscreen 7.1 THX Surround Sound NASCAR, F1, or MotoGP race.

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Honda Quit Formula 1

In a racing arena that is so heavily based on engineering and far less on intuition and soul, it's amazing that Toyota and Honda have been such epic fails in F1.

There's major intellectual horsepower there and for whatever reason they can't convert it into success.

The Italians out engineered, out witted, and out lasted the Japanese. Wonders never cease.

Brian

[Falcon67]

Re: Honda Quit Formula 1

Probably because the Italians eat better and have better booze than the Japs.

[TexasT]

Re: Honda Quit Formula 1

With all the big money dropping out of racing what will be left?

Easy answer: grass roots racing! A day as a spectator at Maxton or Bonneville is 800x better than the best bigscreen 7.1 THX Surround Sound NASCAR, F1, or MotoGP race.

While sad that they have taken their toys and gone home, I think it is for the better.

I have only gone to a hand full of national events and rarely watch NHRA on television, I love drag racing. I like the wheel standing stockers and super stockers. I like real street cars that people actually drive to the cruise and on the street. Maybe not DD but at least not trailered race cars brought in on a big semi.

I used to love NASCAR. I think Cale Yarbrough is the $9iT. The likes of David Pearson, Buddy Baker and the rest bareknuckled drivers who drove the cars. They were almost stock or at least much more than they are now. A two door Taurus, I mean come on. These jokers are next on the chopping block.

F1 not based on any street cars. Really of no interest to me. Blazing acceleration, ridiculous handling and an anchor for brakes. Cool I guess but just not for me. I know the trickle down theory but you can't even take a passenger. How can you impress a girl when she is standing/sitting with someone else.

Grassroots racing is where it's at for me. I love to take the car to the local strip and run it. I bring it on a trailer(Only because it breaks now and again) but used to drive it back in the day. It is street legal and it gets driven.

[BluLightning]

Re: Honda Quit Formula 1

Audi is pulling out of ALMS too now.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20081205/FREE/812059995

[Woodward_Dreams]

Re: Honda Quit Formula 1

Audi is pulling out of ALMS too now.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20081205/FREE/812059995

I think a lot of that has to do with their change over to the IRL.

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Honda Quit Formula 1

Jeepers!

I didn't see that one coming. Woah.

Brian

[Barry_R]

Re: Honda Quit Formula 1

Yawn....
F1 and ALMS to me are just channel filler. Impossible to keep interested in.

If the automotive economy continues it's death spiral we'll be seeing the end of high budget racing world wide.
You might be able to dream of a quasi-privateer effort in NASCAR again after all the money dries up....

[FEF100]

Re: Honda Quit Formula 1

In a racing arena that is so heavily based on engineering and far less on intuition and soul, it's amazing that Toyota and Honda have been such epic fails in F1.

There's major intellectual horsepower there and for whatever reason they can't convert it into success.

The Italians out engineered, out witted, and out lasted the Japanese. Wonders never cease.

Brian

One word stands out, SOUL. The Italians put their heart into it, the Japanese send money and engineers.

[TC]

Re: Honda Quit Formula 1

Hurry up and run to the tracks because there are fire sales going on right now. Hell you might even be able to just drive away with a whole semi full of tools, cars, and equipment for free. When the funding runs out these people just walk away from it all, as they can't afford to do it without the funding.


This happened to a buddy of mine that was building the Aurora V8 engines for 6 IRL teams. He had contracts with each of them that they had to spend a minimum of a million dollars a year with him. Which was all fine and dandy until the one day that Chevy called him and told him Toyota was coming in and that they where pulling out. Basically they told him if anyone owned him money that he better go and get what he can out of them.

Anyway with the economy the way it is you might be able to find some good deals. ;)