How is it stupid? Redbull has a problem and they cry about the world collapsing, then they say many F1 teams are thinking about leaving F1 < That is stupid. I truly don't believe F1 is in danger. A few F1 teams that are considered "small" are feeling a real pinch but I seriously doubt a major F1 team is thinking about leaving F1. Why did you ask me how I would feel if a major team left and all the small ones remained? That doesn't make sense. I would imagine a small team would be the first to leave followed by more small teams. As for "what's going on in the business world" yes, everyday companies fail, people lose their jobs, their homes and I'm sure suicides are on the rise but this is F1, if something can survive a huge economic downturn, surely Formula One can. I think people are blowing this waaayyyy too far out of proportion. I bet Napolis and Wolfgang5150 a hundred bucks each that this "F1 situation" will blow over without a huge loss of teams and no major team will drop out. I could be wrong but they didn't take the bet, maybe they didn't see my post or maybe they don't think they should take the bet.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/motorsport/2009/02/26/jenson-button-s-f1-career-saved-as-honda-agree-new-deal-115875-21153786/ Again, where's the trouble?
wow! I never saw the $100 bet post! I wouldn't bet $100 on the sport I love, but I still don't think were out of the woods yet. F1 will survive, but could look radically different in a few years Good news for button & honda Kevin
I also took a $200 bet that Michael Schumacher wouldn't be back to race, not because I didn't want to see it but the facts pointed me in that direction, judt like they did this time too.
I'll tell you what, I'll do the same bet I did for the couple of guys here for the Michael Schumacher bet. If Ferrari, McLaren or BMW drop out of F1 I'll send you a $100 bill. If they don't drop out, you take a deep breathe and relax. How's that for a bet? Or if 3 small teams drop out I'll still give you the $100.
If Ferrari or McLaren drops out I'll be far too depressed to care about $100. If BMW drops out I'll be massively concerned. Take your $100 and buy a nice bottle of tequila if any of them drop out. Kevin
Well if any of the big names drop out maybe Kia and Suzuki will takeover the teams and we'll be right back on top!
I would rather see more teams, than less teams. Competition is exciting and healthy, but fewer teams being represented sends a wrong signal - that their drivers and cars may be faster, but their budget isn't up to showing us. Does anyone want to bet a crisp one hundred dollar bill that a well-driven boring Honda won't win the Indy 500 this year?
Wouldn't it be great if through all this financial downturn the following happened: - Le Mans returned to racing actual road cars, thus we would have F430's versus the latest Porsche road car and NO prototypes. - F1 returned to er, racing instead of mobile adverts. Real drivers returned to F1 because they well heck wanted to race, not just shag the pit girls and make too much money ... this will mean passing will return because these drivers will have balls for the track not just for the other thing I mentioned. - NASCAR returned to racing actual production cars that you can buy NOW, instead of these race cars supposedly based around stock blocks. - Aussie V8 Supercars did the same as NASCAR, thus like it used to be you could buy a car on Thursday, add a rollcage on Friday and race it on Saturday. - Rallying did the same as NASCAR ... rally fncken road cars instead of these specials. Driver talent to the fore and costs just about disappear. Wouldn't it just be fncken awesome ... racing would become a sport again. Here's hoping ... Pete
A couple of days ago RBS announced a major cut in its sponsorship budget, including pulling out of sponsoring F1 altogether at the end of the season. That will leave Williams in a very difficult position. In the current economic climate getting a sponsor to put in the sort of money RBS does will be very difficult and Williams might find it impossible to run a team in 2010. I'd be sorry to see that happen, Williams has been a good team over the years.
What a bunch of nonsense: Honda hasn't left F1. They're in it. Hello! Toyota is currently testing and they are doing very well because they opted not to use KERS, which as it turns out is not gonna bring the benefits the other teams were hoping for. So far no F1 team has quit and it is very unlikely anyone will do. The last team of the roster (Force India) just finished and tested its cars. PS: I'm so tired of all the doomsday people. One year from now nobody will even remember that there was a recession.
Well, we will remember that there was a recession because our stock markets will still be in recovery. But the economy in the US will be expanding again. Not so sure about Europe though: They might be in for their very own subprime crisis with mortgages made to Easter Europe. That would have a knock on effect on the England based F1 teams. We'll see. However the title of this thread is totally bogus: No team has dropped out and none is going to drop out this year. In fact quite the opposite is going to happen: For once the FIA and FOTA have realized fast enough (faster than the European governments) that there is a crisis and done something about it with the regulation changes. F1 is already 30% less costly this year and more even next year. That is attracting new teams as is the fact that "garagistes" can participate again with an off the shelf engine. Next year we might even see a renaissance of the golden Cosworth era of the seventies. I wouldn't mind it one bit.
