Toyota decision made......

Decision about Toyota's F1 future has been made already, announcement imminent
November 3 2009

We hear from good sources that we may not even have to wait for Toyota's withdrawal announcement in the conference of the 8th November. It is a shock even for us that the announcement may even happen in hours, maybe late tomorrow... But it's logical, given the decision period is now over.

We have heard that in fact people from the team have started sending their CV's...

That is because the decision about Toyota's F1 future has been made already. The only question is when it will be announced, and we cannot fully confirm -yet- if it will be -leaked or announced- before or during the press conference of Sunday.

Updates and more detailed info to come very soon!

On a final note, it is very sad that the Hinwil workers (Sauber's factory in Switzerland) are saved by a situation very similar to what happened in from the 29th of July. Hopefully Toyota will re-focus those jobs into other areas such as...Le Mans?

http://www.f1network.net/main/s491/st151273.htm

 

Sad news.

More importantly. Where does this leave USF1 now that their slot is no longer as valuable?

 

Also I have read news that Bridgestone is to quit Formula 1..

 

Wasn't it suggested that it's almost cheaper to run the team than break the Concorde agreement?

Some serious lack of foresight here, but no surprise as this is easily the worst run team on the grid.

Max has GOT to be laughing as he leaves.

 

I don't know about laughing but I visualize him fiddling while F1 burns.

 

Max hated John Howett from Toyota...

So...

Howett: Gone
Flavio: Gone
Ron Dennis: Gone*
Luca: Still there


3 out of 4 ain't bad... of course he eviscerated F1 in the process, but that doesn't likely matter

*Ron Dennis is already back. I am pretty confident Flavio will be back some day. Luca ain't going anywhere, and John Howett will likely land on his feet in F1 in the future or somewhere else.

So in the end, Max won nothing and his legacy is in tatters, just like his dignity after hooker-gate.

 

Sad to see them leave.

Hopefully somebody will pick up KOBAYASHI!

Happy to see Sauber back on the grid for sure now.

And finally: Waiting for another Toyota auction where we can buy cheap bits and pieces. Maybe.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8337284.stm

after 2010. god i miss the bridgestone-michelin tire wars

 

Mike you left out Jean Todt who is back as well.
For better or for worse remains to be seen.

 

While the tire wars were fun, they did severly affect safety by increasing the speeds.

I wonder who will take over from Bridgestone.

 

It will be interesting to see if it is one of the "normal" players (Michelin, Goodyear, Pirelli) or a relatively unknown that sees F1 as a legitimizing of their market standing.

Jeff

 

Exactly. Given how expensive it is to do this, I can only imagine a relative young company doing this as a global marketing exercise. What prestige can a big player gain from a non competitive situation?

 

Is anyone surprised?

 

The non-competitive situation was probably a lot better financially. All the exposure, no benchmark for comparision to the outside world, development at a pace that the company can decide on. From a stress level no hearing different teams complain how a tire doesn't work with their chassis so the tire needs to be different.

Jeff

 

Toyota's decision is 5 years late. I could've saved them money if I ran that place by killing it sooner...

 

I am.

I always thought it was a 50/50 call and the spirited drive from Kobayashi was promising. The car was never better than this year and the economy is getting over the recession, so yes, why not carry on?

 

In one respect being a single supplier has no upside.
When things go well no one credits the tires. They're only noticed when they fail.

 

Any bets that Sauber may not get Toyota's slot, if they don't agree to Cossies?

At the rate F1 is burning its bridges, my guess is that Bridgestone might be replaced by, say, Kelly-Springfield.

 

The upside is name recognition and using F1 as a platform and as your credentials for advertising.

Plus it is cool to say "We're world champions! Again. And again. And will be next year and the year thereafter..."

 

What have the cossies got to do with anyhing?

I take that bet. Sauber will get Toyota's slot and will not use a cossie. I'm still looking for a beer provider in 2011...

 

Why was Toyota in F1? Made no sense from a Brand POV. The only logical answer was to avoid being shown up by Honda. Once Honda left, toyota had no reason to be there...

I'm not the least bit suprised they left.

 

Exposure is of course the biggest pay-off. But it can be a two edged sword.
I find it hard to believe that a tire maker without a competition track record would be allowed to just step into F1.

 

Agreed. Toyota doesn't even make sports cars so it made no sense. The Supra ended production back in Japan in 2002 and there wasn't even a replacement for it (which is planned many years in advance). At least Honda had S2000 during its time in F1.

 

See the article on the typical smoke surrounding the new entrants and N1 Technology's suit against the FIA regarding their alleged (and likely) requirement of the new teams to use Cossie's.

 

Yes, but Sauber inherits Toyota's slot, which is not related to a new team.

Unless you want to look at them entirely as a new team, which is kinda ridiculous. Then again it is the FIA we're dealing with...

I thought the point of the cossies was to give the poor teams a cheap engine solution. Sauber doesn't need that and with Williams on board, Cosworth has now probably enough customers anyway.