Toyota has this morning announced that it is pulling out of F1 with immediate effect.
It cites the global economic downturn as the reason for the withdrawal, after posting the company’s first ever operating loss back in March.
It comes as something of a shock, but not really a surprise, as there had been speculation since that March announcement that the team would not stay in the sport.
Its drivers Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock were both already believed to have found seats with other teams before the announcement.
Although this leaves a large question mark over rookie Kamui Kobayashi, who impressed with his two strong races at the end of the season. Has he done enough to impress other teams? I’d say yes he has.
We got on the blower to BBC Sport’s Martin Brundle to see what he thought about the Toyota situation.
“Toyota leaving F1 in the slipstream of Honda and BMW is very disappointing but not a total surprise. It did seem Toyota had committed to the new lower cost F1, but not signing drivers and switching off customer engine supply gave an indication of their potential exit,” he says.
“I was more shocked by Bridgestone’s announcement to depart after next year, that’s a challenge for F1. Ironically Toyota’s exit clears the way for Sauber to have a 2010 entry and it seems we will have more cars on the grid next year than 2009.”
Maybe Kobayashi will find a drive with the BMW-less Sauber team, given first reserve place on the 2010 grid should another team decide not to turn up.
Following Honda’s withdrawal at the end of last season, there is now no Japanese manufacturer left in F1, but could Renault also be about to follow suit?
The French manufacturer is holding an extraordinary board meeting this afternoon to discuss its future, although it seems more likely than Toyota to stay, having recently signed Robert Kubica as replacement for Fernando Alonso.
However, should it decide to simply supply engines next season – Red Bull has already confirmed it will be sticking with Renault as engine supplier in 2010 – and a buyer for the team already secured, it’s possible Renault could go the way of Toyota and Honda.
If the disgraced Briatore can overturn the FIA’s motorsport ban, maybe Flavio F1 Racing will be on the grid next year? Now that would be a shock.
A real pity that Toyota pulls out, if this goes on there will be no manufacturers left in F1. Toyota made their biggest mistake at the end of 2003 by ousting the late great Ove Andersson and the second biggest mistake was letting go of Mike Gascoyne, the team lost their direction and they started to slip, also a driver like Ralf Schumacher,no talent and no motivation, did not really help them, Ralf was there for the money and nothing else. I do hope that they will pick up Le Mans or even better start ralllying again, they were great at rallying.
I agree with the comment above that they should go rallying again, it’s a much more realistic marketing tool than F1. Bridgestone’s decision is I feel an even bigger one because it’s going to be hard to see another tyre manufacturer want to step in to pump money into the sport. However if 2 or 3 manufacturers came in like Goodyear Michelin and Pirelli then we would have a nice bit of unpredictability.
Toyota would be better off in endurance racing and rallying. It’s sad to see them leave F1 but the company didn’t seem to benefit much from it.
And with the new Toyobaru Celica coming soon, they can get back to their rallying routes in excellent looks. About the tyres… I don’t think it is going to be difficult to find a supplier: tyres are as essential as gravity, so the FIA would have to make all concessions needed for a manufacturer to decide to enter the sport. Concessions such as not requesting a entry fee for the manufacturer, or the direct purchase of tyres at price (not cost), and a long etc.
sad news indeed,
rallying does sound like a very good option, same as enduro’s
but as the above comment said, toyota definately didnt benefit much from F1, and especially nor does renault. not one bit of f1 technology has gone into thier road cars.
Well, Toyota do have their FIA history with rally, been banned, remember? And Le Mans didn’t work out either. Such a proove money can’t buy legacy and succes.
Still blame the 2009 rulechanges for making teams leave. The cars are now to ugly for automotive pictures and can’t hardly be called marketing tools anymore and the Kers was a massive moneyburner.
Another sad day in the debacle that is modern F1. What a shame as F1 was one of only a few motorsport titles Toyota have entered but haven’t won. How can anyone relate to the teams, cars or even drivers when everything is hidden and controlled by faceless corporations or ‘investment arms’ of governments? The return of the once mighty Team Lotus is nothing but a sham. The shameful use of a classic name to disguise the Malaysian govenment and ‘investment company’s’ entry into F1. The days of seeing Mercedes, Alfa, Lotus, Renault, Honda, Maserati and Ferrari entering factory teams in F1 is sadly just consigned to history. GT racing is much more accessible and fans can relate to the cars they can see. You can go to the shop and buy one if you wish!!
It’s a sad day hearing Toyota pulling out of F1.
Isn’t it one of Toyota’s sayings we race we learn you win….
Toyota has raced in more races, in more places, than any other manufacturer… Now pulling out of F1… Very sad
I see it a poor excuse all these companies blaming the global financial crisis to save a few dollars.
RIP the Toyota TF109 F1 car. A sad day indeed for Toyota’s Racing Heritage.
Facts about Toyota racing.
From http://www.trd.com.au
TOYOTA entered the Formula 1 arena in the 2002 season, with team drivers Mika Salo and Allan McNeish.
TOYOTA scored points in its first ever F1 race (Mika Salo, 2002 Australian Grand Prix).
TOYOTA’s most successful Formula 1 season was in 2005, when it achieved 3 podiums and a pole position in finishing 4th in the Wiorld Constructors Championship with 88 points.
Kobayashi for Brawn…….. please.
Yeah Kobayashi for brawn, they are looking for a cheap driver, that would be a great move
After Subaru and Suzuki in WRC, and Honda in Formula 1, Toyota is the 4th. Japanese brand that pulls out of (argueably)the highest level of motorsport.
And for the fourth time in succession, I don’t believe the official reason for their departure.
Would Toyota have left, if they had built this year’s championship runner-up? Would they have split,if they had won one or two races? I don’t think so.
I am convinced the true reason for these four Japanese manufacturers to pull the plug is not the worldwide crisis. The crisis is nothing more than camouflage, a convenient opportunity to leave the sport without losing face too much.
In reality, all four of them could never live up to the high expectations, which were mostly thrown into the world by themselves…
I think it’s great news and, with luck, this might signal that F1 is going back to it’s roots – privateer teams buying in their engines.
Manor, USF1, Campos Racing and now Sauber.
F1 has the brightest future that it’s had for many years.
I just hope that we can see Kamui Kobayashi back in 2010 grid… somehow the guy brought in lost entertainment & excitements momentarily in F1.
Its not just F1 where everyone is pulling out. Many motor sports are losing contenders by the day.
@13: After the Brazilian GP Jenson Button referred to Kamui Koboayashi as ‘Absolutely crazy!’ after their tussle on track but for me, it was one of the most spirited rookie debuts I have seen in quite a few years and it made an average race just that bit more exciting. Again, in Abu Dhabi, Kobayashi was a joy to watch. F1 needs talented and aggressive drivers like Kamui. Here’s hoping for 2010.
Japan has indeed lost their mojo . . . no more F1, no more WRC, only one strong team in MotoGP . . . toyota’s fortune was already written in the wall . . . all those money spent down the drain . . . who’s next . . . F1 is turning back to the 70’s . . .
The new rookie has such a good race i would love to see him stay for another season.
Team are going left right and centre – what happened – they reduced prices.
Hopefully new teams can do as well as brawn in thye coming years
Why will we miss Toyota from F1? I won’t, they showed almost nothing during their 8 years, however they had one of the bests constructor, the most money. It seems they would have hired a competititve driver, too. So I won’t miss this team. This decision is about business, not more. They already have the prestige for their streetcars, which don’t need the F1 technologies. Max several. They try to save their first position in automobile industry.
About tires: I think Michelin won’t come back, they were kicked out from the “circus”, they have the French pride to show up again. In my opinion an American manufacturer will be the new supplier for example Dunlop or Firestone. But I would like to see more tirebrand ni F1 again, because this is all about racing. That’s why I don’t like this cost minimalising process, F1 should be about maximum power, maximum speed, hi-end technologies,, etc, and about compromises.
Digo is right.
when i saw the news that toyota had pulled out of f1 my mind was immedietly filled with bannanas & apples (dont ask).
why does f1 have to have 1 tyre manufacturer? cant teams chose? itll be another element of what it takes to win.
when people say ‘toyota gone who’d a known?’ ill reply ‘who’d a cared? no one.’
Digo, Firestone IS Bridgestone.
its not a huge suprise, but its a shame. they seemed far too corporate to ever succeed in f1 to me. formula 1 in my mind should be about teams that exist purely to race, like williams, mclaren, etc. the money and glamour the manufacturers bring adds a lot, but the reason the sport is always so engulfed in controversy is because of this too. the manufacterers have made the sport far too corperate and commercial, it should only be about the best drivers and best teams racing hard and fair against each other.
im really glad the sport is moving towards an era of stand-alone teams, giving it everything, not having to report to head office, that only care about results and the balance sheets. the sport is about racing, entertaining, excitement. cant wait for next season!
Inchy, I didn’t know that, thanks for the info.
Toyota get Kimi and go back to Rally that would be interesting
I am not surprised about Toyota pulling out.
They failed to produce results, after pumping more money into the sprot than Ferrari was.
Toyota has made a few bludners along the way, from signing the wrong Schumacher to blowing a huge budget on a circuit that few loved.
now that Toyota leaves and Timo Glock is left without a ride, for now, will his loss to Hamilton in Brazil 2008 be the “highlight” of his career at Toyota?
Hope one day Honda will be back as an engine supplier. They belong to F1, Toyota doesn’t and never did.
All Motorsport needs to be cheaper and with better rewards.
It would be great to see new manufactures entering the sport, but we’re not going to get that until the costs come down
Kobayashi to Brawn? Red Bull should havegone to Mercedes or Ferrari for their new engine. Te Renault engine stopped Sebastien Vettel from winning the World Title this year
but in fairness it wasn’t the mechanics or drivers fault.most of the drivers were talented.really it was the idiots in tokyo who screwed it up,getting rid of the likes of mike gascoyne
Shame with another manufacturer leaving, I seriously thought Toyota were wanting to stay now, especially with their pretty decent new Japanese driver. Dear god I hope Renault stays, Flavio Racing sounds awfully ominous, next year will be full of crashes…
I would like to see back the opportunity for teams to find their own tyres because, as said by Stig’s Irish cousin, it might bring back some unpredictability we’ve lost because of the ban on refuelling. Then again, with the ban on re-fuelling, Raikkonen might not be set on fire this season.
I can’t believe RBR are staying with Renault engines, this year, what engines have been the most succesful? MERCEDES!, Get a merc engine, for God’s sake.
I drive a Toyota but as good a car as it is it isn’t exciting. F1 is about excitement and speed Toyota never really fit in. As far as the tire thing I for one am happy to see Bridgestone gone the sooner the better. After all what’s the deal with them. They supply two tires for a weekend usually a poor tire and a worse one. I frankly don’t get it. You pick a tire that works and let everyone use it for the entire race. Who will pick up tha slack is anyone’s guess after Michelin was basically thrown out even though they supplied superior tires.
This was just waiting to happen, Toyota F1 has had the heel of the suits pushing on them for results for a few years now with the threat of pulling the plug. The global financial excuse is just that, an excuse, to most likely save face. At least this leaves room for Sauber to get his team back in.
Not too concerned about Bridgestone dropping out after 2010. I’m sure plenty of companies would relish the challenge and the exposure of their brands in F1. My money is on Michelin coming back. It might have been a bit ambitious if Max was still running the show since the twit burnt some bridges with the manufacturer. However, now Jean Todt is in power I think Michelin will be more inclined to start to develop for F1 again.
Damn it!!! A next one, first Honda, BMW, Bridgestone, and now Toyota!! This really sucks donkey gonads!!
Hell yeah, a decent tyre-war, that’s what we need !
Jolly Club, I can see Goodyear making a return.
Very very sad news from toyota.
what about Kobayashi? he had a great f1 start and took overrated WDC jesnsen butthole
I got a way of stopping teams pulling out.If they pull out the parent company gets a £150 million fine.So it would be cheaper to keep going.
This is awful! I love Toyota, I think of them as the team that will surprise us. First and second qualifications… podiums… epic fails… Just like Top Gear!
And now Renault could be on their way out. This is too much! Renault is one of THE F1 teams of the 21st century. They can’t pull out. I’m sad now.
ooh this flips things on its head,kobayashi,trulli and glock all free next year so maybe we wont plenty of new drivers next year,
Now Toyota are out this should spice up the driver market. Here’s my 2010 predictions:
Brawn GP:
1. Button
2. Rosberg
Red Bull Racing:
3. Vettel
4. Webber
McLaren:
5. Hamilton
6. Raikkonen
Ferrari:
7. Massa
8. Alonso
Williams:
9. Barrichello
10: Hulkenburg
Renault:
11. Kubica
12. Glock
Force India:
14. Sutil
15. Kovalainen
Toro Rosso:
16. Buemi
17. Alguersuari
Manor GP:
18. Davidson
19. Carroll
Campos Meta Racing:
20. Bruno Senna
21. Nelson Piquet Jr.
USF1:
22. Klien
23. Bourdais
Lotus:
24. Trulli
25. Kobayashi
Sauber:
26. Heidfeld
27. Fisichella
This seems quite accurate, although rumors suggest that Renault will also be leaving Formula One & it will leave Kubica searching for a new contract. Possible return to Sauber & GLock to Lotus.
I think it’s the perfect time for car manufacturers to leave F1. All they think is car-sales.
I have more respect for teams like Williams, McLaren and even Ferrari for that matter. Teams which have been in F1 for ages, and continue fighting and hoping for better days even if they haven’t had any success for years.
Rather see 6 real teams racing three cars each,than 10 manufacturer teams each running two.
This is really sad that Toyota is leaving f1, personally i quite liked the Toyota team and enjoyed watching them race and when they were on form they were pretty damn good i have to say! I really wanna see Trulli and Glock get into teams next season because it would be a shame to see them go with Toyota but I would also like to see Kobayashi find a placement, hes a nutter and apart from bein good at racing hes got good entertainment value.
@Jolly Club – I cant see where Ferrari and McLaren havnt had any success for years, lets not forget the 2008 season which Lewis won and even though this season wasnt good for both teams, they are usualy found fighting at the top most years!
@41 Fisi won’t be driving for Sauber, he has a test driver contract with Ferrari.
Indeed a sad day for F1. It probably hurt Kobayashi and Kovalainen the most. I, for one, saw them driving for Toyota next year. I’m seeing Kovalainen in Lotus now. Hard to say for Kobayashi though.
To the person that said Toyota was great at rallying, it’s not too hard to be good when you are cheating.
I am a big Toyota fan, and at that time I think there was a lot of cheating going on, but I just thought your comment was funny. (They also won without cheating too!)
@43 irep_mclaren; don’t know your age, but being 38, I was looking a few years back!
Before the Schumacher-era, Ferrari was more or less unsuccessfull for about 20-years. After Senna’s departure (and later Hakkinen’s) McLaren has experienced quite some years without real prizes.
The same can be said about Williams, which was the team to beat in large part of the nineties. Haven’t seen them since, but they’re still around.
This type of team live and breathe the true fighting spirit of Formula 1. Trying hard to build better cars, hire better drivers, get better engines. They work bloody hard to improve their game, hoping and praying to get back to the top of the podium.
Toyota was one of many teams (like Honda&BMW) who promised to fight for race-wins in two years, and titles in three. Nothing more than cold business goals, which were initiated by the marketing department at head-office, rather than on the shop-floor of the motorsport division. Despite putting in large amounts of money, they never succeeded.
Since car-sales are declining steadily the one and only reason for these companies to participate in F1 (which is selling MORE cars) is down the drain. And therefore they split as easy as they came…
@Rubis Hamichello, interesting predictions, it would be so amazing if Trulli and Kobayashi raced at Lotus. Kobayashi was amazing and entertaining to watch, I do hope he gets a seat in 2010.
Oh well…Just go back into Dakar and Rally. Take it away from Citroen, Mitsubishi, VW, Subaru and the rest. This sucks.
Business first = car manufacturer
Racing first = Race teams
No surprise that Toyota pulled the plug. They were doomed to be successful fast , which never happened despite the largest budget. The japanese company culture is great to build high quality flawless cars, but its not permitting the craziness, agility, creativity which is needed to be successful in F1.
Now in time of crisis there is no marketing budget for this kind of activities. Toyota didn´t have a choice. Anyway – sad to see the vendors leave. I hope Renault stays, I guess Mercedes will.
I think Top Gear should do a segment on how the future of motorsports is looking bad… more and more bleak than the supercars.
*sigh*
Why would Renault stay alone now that the only manufacturer team left?
mansell@44 Ferrari though might like to see Fisi in Ferrari powered car with the number 27 on it.
I think this is kinda sad. Hopefully, Kamui ‘Kamikaze’ Kobayashi and Timo Glock will be able to secure a job with another team for next year. I bet that if they don’t, they will be pretty livid. But i reckon i know what is behind Toyota pulling out because of the money.
Their cars aren’t interesting enough.(i know i’m stating the obvious, but bear with me.) The iQ is the only thing that’s exciting, because it’s Smart-car size but fits 4 people.(apparently, anyway) Name me one Toyota on sale today in Britain that isn’t dull, bar the iQ. Come to think of it, name one rear-wheel drive Toyota on sale today, let alone a fun one. And Lexuses don’t count. Pretty bare, isn’t it?
This is my point. It should have gave some F1 tech to it’s road cars to make them interesting to push sales to keep themselves in F1.(breathe again) And while they would have been (because it hasn’t happened) at it, they could give some of it’s older, rear-wheel drive cars a new lease of life, like Fiat did with the 500. A new Supra, but with it’s own identity (because i know the Japanese copy cars.) and some kind of KERS for an affordable amount of money? (Not at a loss to Toyota, but not a rip-off) That would be interesting. Or bring the MR2 back, with more F1-related tech? That would be good as well. Now they have pulled out of F1, they should be concentrating on doing this. And at comment 46: i know car sales are going down the bog but it’s just what i think.
(My fingers will start to get raw typing this over again, because i noticed SOME PEOPLE don’t like some drivers in F1.) To all the haters out there, IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT, LEAVE IT, AND KEEP YOUR WHINGEING, BLABBING BACKSIDES OUT OF IT! Honestly, there are thirteen year-olds that are more mature than you lot. And I should damn well know this. Why?
Because I am one. And on that bombshell…
F1 – Ferrari and mclaren are in F1 as well, renault are not the only manufacturer!
this is mad! Ive never known of a season where so few drivers are signed up to teams at the end of a season (well that we know of) and with so many teams pulling out.
Also, i hope Renault wont quit because i think they have spend a bit of time on their 2010 car already, plus they have Kubica on board
Oh yeah, and i reckon that a manufacturer in F1 has to not aim at becoming constructors/drivers championship in a few years, they have to aim in having a proper heart for the sport. If they’re only in it for money or press, they shouldn’t bother. If they are in it because they really want it, then go in, but beware that if the tide goes against you, you will probably drown.
I feel bad for Kamui, but if I was him I’d be okay even if I had to go back to cooking. For two races I got 9th and 6th. (With 3rd as highest position in race).
How many us normal people with normal jobs can hang those results on their wall?
Why would Campos hire Bruno over Kobayashi? Shesh
More private teams, less manufacturer teams. SAD, very very sad. Makes F1 look rather second-rated these days…
This is what happened to the British Touring Car Championship:
In the mid 1990s Alfa Romeo, Audi, BMW, Ford, Honda, Nissan, Peogeot, Renault, Toyota, Vauxhall & Volvo all pumped huge amounts of money into their teams & it became extremely popular.
But by the end of the decade most manufacturers had pulled out and Vauxhall dominated.
I hope this won’t mean a return to a Ferrari/McLaren dominated series.
With any luck Brawn & Red Bull keep it competitive.
@1 Toyota’s biggest mistake is they’re Toyota and don’t know jack squat about producing their own technology. They’ve ridden on the coat tails of all the other manufactures all along. They then act all big and cocky and spent billions and couldn’t even win a race.
It’s a bit sad really, especially now that things are kind of looking up for them and with no holds barred Kamui Kobayashi at the wheel he just might give Toyota and the Japanese people something very positive to aspire for.. which sadly now is all just a dream.
They could go back to rallying and inject some good competition between the 2 Euro brands back in the WRC ( although I still remember the very frustrating 1998 rallye of England with then Carlos Sainz/Luis Moya incident.. ) or push the Lexus brand in FIA GT class.
today everything is unpredictable. formula one has never been consistent. its all the money. the passion was lost many years ago.
As the Toyota supporter I’m absolutely shocked to see their departure, so the Abu Dhabi race would be the last Formula 1 race I’ll ever watch unless Toyota make a return
F1 is going to become like commercial CART or NASCAR.
Spec racing with Mercedes engines and soda companies. . .
Ferrari states the governing body (read FIA) made mistakes which made these teams leave. They are right! After 2008 there was no need for change, Kers and the ugly aero did their work and killed F1.
Stop the new teams (doubt them anyway) and allow the current ones to start with three cars. And bring the bloody wing dims back to normal proportions. The 2009 cars look ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!!
All respect for Ecclestone btw, the new tracks like Singapore and Abu Dhabi are great! Hope he keeps Silverstone and Spa in the calendar and Paul Ricard would be great for France! What a platforms to promote a brand! Hope Jean Todt will bring the change to the Fia attitude and the cars, make them 2005 or 2006 like and F1 will become booming again and will make this teams regret they ever quitted!
Disagreen with Mika (post 69), the new tracks may look nice but they are absolute bollocks otherwise. if bernie actually cared about the sport he would not ask for ridiculous amounts of money for the races to be hosted. coem one whats he going to do with the money. hes got mayb 10 years ahead of him and he is already gonzo rich.
As if Magny Cours or Imola (eversince messing the Tamburello corner) were any better. Admit Kuala Lumpur and Shanghai are bit boring but Sin and Auh were staggering! F1 is about business, it ain’t charity!
I agree with Nexis regarding the new tracks. Yeah sure nice surroundings, but the actual tracks are very boring. For example, Valencia and Singapore have absolutely no true overtaking possibilities. Seeing how few overtakings took place in Abu Dhabi, pretty much the same can be said about that track as well. Full throttle – full brakes – full throttle – full brakes……
that’s a damn shame…for ALL the people who work(ed) there….
#70, name me a track that gives better overtaking.
Remember 08 Sin? Rosberg overtaking Trulli twice?
Sparks flying high, loved it!
The diffusers made the ugly aero useless, that is why overtaking is still difficult. Wings back to 08 proportions and a ban on diffusers=cool cars and better racing!!
btw love your nickname: Mansell, he was the king of overtaking! Watch youtube, Silverstone 1987, Mexico 1990, Barcelona 1991
Enjoy !
@Mika: Spa, Monza, Nurburgring, Hockenheim, to name a few.
Indeed, Mansell was one of the best during his haydays. However, the short comeback to McLaren probably hurt his reputation a bit. Gotta love the moustache though (too bad he gave it up).
My 8yr. old son builds Scalextric-tracks which are more exciting than Tilke’s ‘circuits’ all over the world!
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE give Kobayashi a drive for 2010!
The overtake on butthole was amazing.
@Mansell, agree on Spa and Monza! Hockenheim was superb before they rebuild and messed it and the old Nordschleife is great but the Nurburgring is only nice when it rains.
Mansell was drama indeed, also lots of bad luck, that ´95 McLaren was a dreadfull machine, but damn he was a racer!
Still remember watch him do his pole lap on Silverstone 1990 with the Ferrari, wow!!!
Toyota’s problems began when they paid millions of $’s year after year to a crap driver who just happened to have the right surname! It’s a shame to see them go but it proves that money doesn’t always buy you success. As for Bridgestone going I can’t wait as hopefully it will make the FIA see sense and scrap the two-compound rule – one tank of fuel and one set of tyres to last the race – Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill et al seemed to manage ok! And it will achieve what the FIA have been trying to do for years – slow the cars down. The compound will have to be much harder which will decrease the amount of mechanical grip and therefore the cars will be slower – am I right or am I right?
I agree with everyone who says Kobayashi should be given a race seat somewhere. Anywhere. Provided some excellent entertainment in terms of manoeuvres and drives. Scored points as well didn’t he? My only worry is that all Japanese drivers do that initially then end up being dull… Nakajima for example. I think the only one who consistently performed and performed some brilliant overtaking moves was Takuma Sato. He needs to be given a race seat.
ON other matters, I’d like to see 3 different tyre manufacturers. Procide some much needed tyre war spice and competition. Like when Ferrari were on Goodyear and Maclaren on Bridgestone, then Ferrari on Bridgestone and Maclaren on Michelin. I’d like to see Continental, Dunlop and Firestone.
And Bernie needs to sort out the manufacturer problem. I do want to see BMWPower and Honda. I also WANT to see Toyota, I’d also like to see Porsche, Audi, Lamborghini, Ford, Jaguar, the real Lotus, Alfa Romeo etc in Formula 1 racing against each other…. Not USF1 vs Force India, this isn’t A1GP, this is F1!
I noticed toyota isn’t leaving nascar. That says a lot.
As for Toyota leaving FI, Renault is next mark my words, they will remain only as a motorsupplier and nothing else. Signing Kubica does not mean a thing, Renault will also leave Fi. Then the problem is the “private teams”they will not be able to deliver anything centainly not for the first year and I sincerely doubt that all of them will race in 2010. Lotus is only the name Lotus and the others well I think that they will be rubbish.
@79 – I totally agree with your comment about F1 turning into A1GP with teams representing countries instead of car brands: USF1 , Lotus(Malaysia), Force India, Campos(Spain) etc.
KUBICA FANTASTIC F1 DRIVER YES?????
HAMILTON AND BUTTON STUPID!!!!!
Iam not suprised at this lets hope no other teams follow.
For f–k’s sake. Everyone stop bitching about the drivers. If you have been p—-d off by some of the drivers, keep your anger to yourself, because i just cannot be a—d any more. It’s the cars that are the problem. Some are slow and some are fast. Put it this way. If all the fast drivers you see today were in something like Force Indias, and vice-versa, no-one would be saying f–k all about the slow cars with the fast drivers in them. Read my other comments, #53 and #56. They say it all.
And at the end of #53. I actually AM 13. No bulls–t.
Teams will have to start with 3cars otherwise the grid will be empty! Thanks FIA for the ugly wings, they did their work!! Not more overtaking but teams on the leave, can’t blame them. Even Indycars or GP2 look way better and cooler than current F1 cars with the snowplow front wing and the bookcase backwing.
UNBELIEVABLE START FROM Kobayashi!
His first two F1 races and he finishes 9th and 6th! It’s unbelievable that Toyota will leave one of the best Japanese talents without a drive next season.
he isn’t Kamakze Kobayashi hes calm consistent point scoring Kobayashi!
kamile kobyashi is da best young driver eva
kobyashi is yes, a great driver, but also not a safe driver. Watch the brazilian gp. He swerved out to block off a driver coming through, which resulted in a crash. He attempted some dangerous takes, whicis fine in GP2 but when your in an f1 car theres no time to be pissing about, he needs to get the rule book, and realise this, before he causes anymore crashes…
@Nitroguy
For f–k’s sake. Everyone stop bitching about the drivers. If you have been p—-d off by some of the drivers, keep your anger to yourself, because i just cannot be a—d any more.
….
First you tell us how mature you are at 13 yrs, and then you start typing this nonsense ??
Don’t forget to take your Ritalin mate!
after many years away from grand prix i wactched closely at the last race in abu dhabi, it was poor, the cars including the track looked like it came straight out of some space age movie, long gone are the days of cars sliding out of corners and arguments down the pit lane , its all about keeping up with the jone’s next door and how much money is on the table for even more hyped up unrealistic and to be fair.. “ugly” cars!,
i think that the future of any car is common sense and most comapnys should pull out and spend their money trying to improve the crap they sell us on a yearly basis, instead of wasting it on something people call a sport .. the sprt went out of it when the computer controled the handling, dynamics, fuel, tyres, etc etc,,, GET BACK TO BASICS!! then we can call it a sport.
I love F1, never missed a race but I think there have been to many changes. Back to slicks and back to ban on fuel stops is good.
If only the front wing and the back wing would go back to 2008 proportions it would bring back a smile because the 2009 cars are the uggliest ever produced by far indeed.
I don’t think I care much about, I’m glad, they were doing nothing interesting, I’d much prefer to talk about Rod Stewart’s leopard print pants.
P.S. The next TG reasonably priced car is a Chevrolet Cruze.
We shouldn’t be surprised that this has happened…
Yes, they did get some good results when they’re on the ball, but those days were few and far between…
To stop all this, A1GP and F1 should merge. They both seem to be in trouble financially after making giant leaps during a Global Financial Crisis. So joining them would increase the audience numbers and get more money, from each other and from sponsors.
Sheikh Haikal and Jean Todt, do you hear me?
@ JollyClub: I know, maybe that last post was a bit ‘radical’, but i’d had a bad day and that was the last thing i needed. So naturally, I was a bit annoyed. Sometimes, doing what i did can get the point across.
2010 driver and team list
BRAWN GP
1. BUTTON
2. ROSBERG
RED BULL
3. VETTEL
4. WEBBER
MCLAREN
5. HAMILTN
6. RAIKKONEN
FERRARI
7. MASSA
8. ALONSO
WILLIAMS
9. BARICHELLO
10. HULKENBERG
RENAULT
11. KUBICA
12. KOVALINEN
FORCE INDIA
14. SUTIL
15. GLOCK
TORO ROSSO
16. BUEMI
17. ALGUESUARI
MANOR GRAND PRIX
18. DAVIDSON
19. PETROV
CAMPOS META RCING
20. PIQUET JR.
21. SENNA
USF1
22. BOURDAIS
23. SPEED
LOTUS F1 TEAM
24. TRULLI
25. KOBAYASHI
SAUBER QADBAK
26. HEIDFELD
27. FISICHELLA
Ferrari announced that Fisichella could be loaned out to another team if he is offered a race seat.
QAUDBAK INVEMENTS AL READY BOUGHT THE BMW SAUBER TEAM AND ARE NOT SURE THAT THE SAUBER QADBAK TEAM MIGHT BE COMPETE IN NEXT YEAR’S CHAMPIONSHIP. AND THE TEAM WANT TO USE A FERRAI ENGINE.
RAIKKONEN MIGHT RETURN TO MCLAREN OR RETIRE FROM THE SPORT.
I HOPE MORE MANUFACTERS SUCH AS CITROEN, PUEGOET, NISSAN, VOLKSWAGAN, OR AUDI WOULD ENTER IN A FORMULA ONE CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE NEAR FUTRE SO FORMULA ONE WOULD HAVE MORE CAR COMPANIES RATHER THAN REGULAR RACING TEAMS.
Can we have less of the capitals Matthew?? :] anyway i read today Lotus have already signed thier first driver but they are keeping quiet. This quite clearly tells us that he is a terrible driver and they are ashamed or they have poached one of the top drivers. Somehow I can see the first one being the most likely with Trulli being the man in question
Toyota pulling out is a disapointment to me i hope that they will come back when the economy gets back to sum what normal again.
Well that’s no surprise, when did they last win anything anyway!!