Toyota Withdraws From Formula 1

Hi

Toyota has unfortunately become the latest car manufacturer to withdraw from Formula 1.

Thanks

Rick @ Musicraft

 

A bit of a contrast from the optimism at GM, who seemed to have upset the Germans with their decision to cancel the sale of Opel/Vauxhall.

 

It's hardly surprising that Toyota have gone - The company that canned the Celica and MR2 as part of its drive to have very low CO2 emissions across the range. That never quite sit right with formula 1, and toyota's position with hybrids doesn't really need motorsport support for sales. Basically, the same position honda were in.

As for GM and opel/vauxhall... I'm surprised it has taken them this long. The opel developed cars are rapidly spreading in the US (eg Saturn L300 was the Vectra estate, Saturn Aura and Chevrolet Malibu are both Epsilon platform based, Saturn Astra is exactly that, etc) - They offer a more appropriate fuel economy and practicality for the current economic situation than indigenous models (eg W-body models such as the Chevy Impala and Buick Lacrosse). Many new models are based on opel platforms (eg the Chevy Cruze is based on the Delta II platform, which is the new astra).

 

200 million quid a year pays a lot of salaries and could buy a fair bit of R&D into hybrid tech.
What sells cars right now is eco. Motor racing simply doesn't work for manufacturers as a marketing or branding tool. F1's apparent opulence and wastefulness is a very long way from what consumers are looking for.
I think this is the back story behind the exodus of Japanese marques from motor sport: the market and the world have changed - probably irreversibly - and motor sport just doesn't fit into this "New Normal".
Renault will surely quit just as soon as they can extricate themselves from Bernie's grasp. I would expect them to be looking very closely at how Toyota manages its exit.
I say this sadly, as I grew up with F1and have always loved motor sport. But the world is changing irrevocably, and it's hard to see any kind of a role for F1 - or any other large-scale global motor racing in future.

 

What about fuel economy tech in F1 due to the no refuel rule next season? Those with the lowest fuel needs will run the lightest!

 

That's like giving out speeding tickets at the Indy 500
Longterm, I think token efficiency rules and some cost-cutting will not be enough.
The world has changed, attitudes and ideas about the world are changing. F1 needs to change.

 

Will Renault follow them?

 

Looks like they won't

 

I suspect Renault's lawers to be rather better than Toyota's...