I wish I could read the new Concorde agreement. When the current one was signed, I recall reading that the penalties for not fielding 2 cars in the championship were something like $50M to be paid EACH TEAM (IIRC). Perhaps the teams are allowed to sell the assets and walk away without breaking the contract. This is what Peter Sauber did when he sold to BMW. I suspect the penalty is to prevent a constructor from pulling away too late for a replacement team to field cars, thus robbing the sport of 2 cars battling with the field. If this theory does hold out, then it will be very interesting to see how the Former Toyota grid slots are dealt with compared to the Sauber team. On the face of it, Toyota "signed on", so should get priority access to the grid if they sell off the team. It would appear that BMW's management screwed up by not signing the Concorde Agrmt. At least they screwed things up for Sauber.
So let's see... Toyota sells the team for $1. The new team starts work on the 2010 car but by February doesn't find sufficient sponsorship to continue. In March they declare bankrupcy and go out of business. Toyota is off the hook, and Bernie gets nothing from a team that is broke.... It could easily happen that way and Toyota doesn't spend $50m per year. No problem.
Some of the harsh comments about Toyota here really befuddles me. Did you all feel the same way about Honda and BMW when they chose to leave F1 ? So what if Toyota had the biggest budget ? Since when has big budget ever equals success in F1 racing ? If that was the case, there is no reason for Brawn and Red Bull to be leading the charge this year then. While the Toyota F1 management may have been mis-guided, the effort of trying to win was well in place. Throughout F1 history, teams have came and gone, some with success and some with little to show for, and that includes the mighty Germany company named Porsche too.
I have a copy of the one that was leaked (part of the Arrows/Tom Walkinshaw lawsuit) it's over 100 pages long and the most confusing, hard to read legal document I have ever read.... I can send it if anyone is really that bored. Kevin
Anthony, your kidding if your comparing the largest Automaker in the world Toyota to a car company Porsche that makes under 100,000 cars a year and has just been taken over by Toyota. Porsche did have success as an engine Manufacturer at McLaren (Tag), and failed as an engine supplier for Arrows. I wouldn't call Porsche mighty as a company in the scope of a huge company like Toyota or Renault. The handling of the drivers and designers by Toyota has been a well known joke in F1.
Big + 1 Toyota-Never has so little been achieved with so much ($)..... At least toyota gave us Kobayashi. Love his attitude, and no fear of mixing it up with the big boys. if sauber can get some japanese sponsorship they would do well to sign him, or any team for that matter.
In the current economic climate that's doubtful but let's hope it happens. I can't see him not being picked up by somebody.
Tony, just because an automaker is the largest in the world does not guarantee that it will be sucessful on the race track. If that were the case, GM and Ford would have cleaned up in every single series they have entered for the past 30 years. Regarding Porsche, this topic has been discussed many times already. You have been following F1 for at least as long as I have and we both know that it is completely different when it comes to participating in F1 just as an engine supplier vs. actually running a complete F1 team. Which is also why Ferrari stands out so much among the other legendary F1 teams and is also why that personally, I don't put much stock in the achievements made as an engine supplier. For the record, as a team, Porsche had won only ONE race in F1. Toyota is not the only one that had trouble managing the team. With the exception of the 1990 season, Ferrari of the late 80's and the early 90's was just as painful to watch as any of the team that recently pulled out of F1. How many years did they go without winning either a WDC or a WCC until Todt-Brawn-Byrne-Schumacher's arrival ? Were they short on budget during any of those Alesi years ? What about the post-Senna McLaren team ? were they short on budget as well ? What about Williams, how great are they doing these days ? Let's remember that Toyota went F1 racing from the scratch. They didn't buy anyone out nor did they inherited any existing team. IIRC, in 2002, other than Ferrari, they were the only other team on the grid that was a complete team ( I do not count Renault because they took over Bennetton and did not have to start from ground zero ). To do what they did took a lot of dedication, optimism and courage, not to mention an enormous amount of money. Before the budget cap in F1 was in place, how many other manufactures or teams can you think of recently, that had as much guts to do what Toyota tried to do ? Unlike you, I respect Toyota for what they tried to do and am sorry to see them leave F1.
First I have to see what his helmet design at Ferrari will be like. Then I'll have to get another helmet custom painted accordingly. Using my connections, I'm sure I'll get it signed. Sorry for the hijack.
Fair Response Anthony, I just felt the Toyota Management seemed to change Design teams on a whim, and mismanaged the drivers pairings since they started.
It's kinda sad to see Toyota leave. I mean, Honda was crap, so when they left, there wen't anything to miss from them. However, Toyota improved steadily, and this season, they really improved, IMO. They really should have kicked Trulli out earlier, and went for younger blood. The Glock-Koby pairing could have been a really good one. Bear in mind, it was rumoured that Toyota had the least powerful engine this year, hence Williams' slump too. I really think the FIA should go back to the drawing board to ensure no more big name exit the sport and blame the economic situation. I think it's more like the constant fiddling, the constant change of rules and the way the sport has been, is actually driving the manufacturers away.
I agree Tony. With the initial budget they had, they failed to get the proper drivers, and proper management. Heck, they even signed the wrong Schumacher for one helluva big paycheck...
Does anyone one else feel that USF1 should be buying up all of Toyota's equipment? To me it only makes sense that it would save them large sums of money to buy and evolve the equipment rather than start from scratch. Or is it too late for anything?
Why do we assume it's for sale? There was talk in the press release of a management buy out. Who'se to say Sauber doesn't "merge" with ToyotaF1? Or ProDrive buy them, etc?
Looks like it is - and below fire sale prices.. I almost want to buy some of it .. 100 euro for uprights 200 for CF rotors, 3500 for what looks like a a whole body with floor and rear wing.. http://www.toyota-f1-shop.com/# click enter and then F1 parts..
