TOYOTA: 2010 Or Its Over

Toyota has given F1 team principal Tadashi Yamashina until 2010 to turn around the team's results. Following a season of no podiums, corporate has decided it can no longer continue to operate at their current level.

Yamashina blamed aerodynamics and difficulty adjusting to the Bridgestones as the major reasons for the dismal results in 2007.

No mention was made as to the outcome if the team does not improve its standings by 2010.



(It would be a shame if Toyota left F1. I don't believe that their 2007 driver line-up was the problem, even Ralf, as both he and Trulli can put it on very nicely with a good chassis. Toyota team mangaement just has not blended into F1 as they thought they would. The put on great trackside parties, but their engineers are not doing their job)

 

Never would expect Toyota to give up but even the mighty occasionally fail. Toyota may have deep pockets but I'm sure that even they wrinkle their brow at the burn rate of top tier F1 racing. They're already the world's most profitable manufacturer so I can understand why they might reconsider the program in light of the cost versus benefit factor. Would hate to see them go but would also understand their decision to do so.

 

Maybe they can take some comfort from the fact that Honda had an even more dismal year than they did in '07, scoring only 6 points to their 13.

 

This is why part of me is not a fan of the manufacturers of road cars being involved with F1 (and other motorsport). In the end if tough times come (and they are) they will pull out. Race teams on the other hand with tough it out and continue racing because that is what they do.

Thus with the current credit issues causing many stock markets to take dives ... how many other manufacturers will rethink their involvement in F1?
Pete

 

Comfort doesn't pay the bills.

 

i think they're having a similar problem the Scuderia had. they have one base in Germany, and one more in Japan, just like the Scuderia had in the 90s, one in England, and the other in Italy.

they too, have deep pockets like the Scuderia. IMO, if they don't turn things around by 2010, they should pull the plug on the factory works team, and give 100% attention as engine suppliers to Williams.

having said those, i wonder how BMW have become quite successful, with one part of the team in Zurich, and one more in Germany.

 

1) You're joking, right ? Let me know where 'race teams' Tyrrell, Lotus, Ligier/Prost, Brabham, Toleman, ATS, March, Lola, et el went to. When the cost of winning outstrips your budget, you shop for money (Manu support) or you go bankrupt. It happens in every form of racing there is. Ask all the aforementioned F1 teams, Petty Enterprises, Wood Brothers, and a handful of others that are all-but gone.

2) I don't know if I would blame the credit issues as being the sole reason the stock markets are dropping, only two sectors are getting killed, and mainly those with U.S. exposure. I am going to start averaging back in next week, unless I see something come up I don't like.

 

Yes agree, but their business is racing ... manufacturers businesses are selling cars, thus racing is a overhead. Thus different focus and therefore manufacturers chop their racing programs easier. The danger is if we all sit back and only allow manufacturers in, then when they walk away ... which they will ... F1 collapses.

I'm no expert, but credit issues are affecting house owners ... and thus they have less money to spend elsewhere, which surely will eventually affect other sectors. It is definitely starting to affect Australia ... starting to. But the main thing that is affecting Australia is everybody is living via their credit card ... thus interest rates keep going up.

Pete

 

If money for F1 racing is so hard to come by then why has Bernie currently got something like 24 new teams desperate to step up to have a go ? And its my understanding that you have to be willing to post 100 million up front to get into the game, table stakes only in this game.And tell me that the day the first woman driver goes out on track in F1 that she wont have a billion dollars behind her from all the companies desperate to get a piece of the action from the ladies.Oh and as we know this year sees the arrival of the first Indian team how far behind will the Chinese be.I hope Toyota stays and nothing would please me more than to see Lotus and the others back but we live in a world that has almost a 1000 Billionaires in it and the worlds richest man is now putting his $ in the hat (Ask Renaults number 2 driver about that ) so whilst F1 may be more expensive than ever the fact is there are now more people who can afford it than there has ever been.And if you need to ask Toyota where they started going wrong how about the end of their very promising first year when they dropped Mika Sala and Alan Mc Nish. Because loads of money and bringing in two top drivers !!!! certainly wasnt the answer. Hey just my opinion feel free to have a go.

 

Toyota's loss and Ferrari's gain with Mika Salo driving sports cars. Toyota's loss and Audi's gain with Allan driving VERY successfully for them. I wonder what Toyota thinks (not that they give a rip) with both drivers securing championships in various racing venues -> FIA-GT, ALMS (multiple championships for Allan). In conversations with Allan, he seems pleased with a team that places a focus on his family life.

Carol

 

Toyota must feel they've got a rabbit in their hat somewhere between now and '10 otherwise I'm sure they'd stop the bleeding much sooner.

 

It's only been two seasons since 2005 when they were consistently on the podium and looking like they could pull out a win. They shouldn't have made the tire change back in 2006 as the Bridgestone’s for 2007 were totally different from 2006. Basically they had two years where they had the problem of adapting to new tires.

 

I'm shocked that a fiscally responsible company like Toyota have stayed as long as they have. the burn rate in F-1 is huge, - I think the people they have on staff are just there to make money... they dont want to win... thats the first problem, being in Germany is the 2nd... the brits dont want to live in the fatherland, and you dont have a clear cut leader... Toyota folks are not going to give up the Japanease corportate mentality when they are spending $200 million each year... I think they should get out, have Dave Richards run the team, pay him 2 years worth of support money and do engine development... that may get them some results... to be WC, they will need Alonso, or Hamilton caliber folks, which they just dont have.

Ralph and Jarno are WAY past the sell by date... Toyota need to wake up and get SUPER agressive. Banzi!!! Banzi!!!

 

Doesn't that only fund them for 6 months?

 

Its time to stick the fork in Toyota to see if they are done

 

Toyota could never win Lemans after trying for many years.What makes you think they will be any better in F1?

 

They have NASCAR , buy a Ford, Chevy and Mopar engine, copy the best of each and walk up to NASCAR with $$$$ and your in. NASCAR will look the other way as long as they get there $$, Toyota has the money I they have NASCAR in their back pocket.

 

Aren't Munich and Zurich only about 200 miles apart? That's a lot closer than those other two...

 

There is no reason to be concerned about Toyota leaving F1. It is not the beginning of the demise of F1, that started when Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosley came to power. Just because Toyota leaves, because they did an inadequate job, doesn't mean the other manufacturer teams are going to follow suit. BMW seem to be perfectly content in F1 and here to stay, and because of the South Korean GP in 2010, Hyundai is looking for involvement by that team. There will never be a shortage of manufacturer teams in F1.

 

Toyota is finding out like Ford did with Jag. that it's not easy. Ferrari has been doing this forever and they struggled a lot of years.

 

Honda bought the BAR team and Renault bought the Benetton team.

What of Maserati, Peugeot, and Alfa Romeo (GP) ?

 

I take issue with your last sentence... I think if you can have a shortage of teams like now... they manufactures are certainly able to go by the wayside.

I think if we have a severe recession in the USA and Europe, and Oil keeps going north... its going to hit all wallets.... even Toyota and BMW etc...

Mid Level luxury guys like BMW and Mercedes right in the cross hairs for a potential financial disaster.... money can flow just as easy OUT of F-1 as it does flow IN.

 

Dont let MM's discetion's of '07 cloud your judgement of Bernie's input to F1, he is the reason F1 is what it is today.

 

Old Nascar adage;
If you aint cheatin, you aint tryin hard enough.
Toyota probably has the most legal car on the grid.