The Flav @ 66ème Festival du Cinéma de Venise (photo credit: nicogenin)

Flavio Briatore, the alleged mastermind behind the Renault race fixing scandal, has been cleared to return to F1 as his lifetime ban was overturned by a French court.  Briatore’s supposed next step is legal action against Nelson Piquet Jr., who ratted out Flavio for ordering Piquet to intentionally crash his Renault at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix thereby affecting the outcome of the race in favor of teammate Fernando Alonso. 

Being an eighth french I have to share my utter disgust with this ruling.  If this was any other sport besides F1, I would say there is no way any team would bring him on.  However, with the political circus that is F1 it probably makes him even more desirable.  Hopefully I’m wrong.

Word came out of Tokyo on November 4th that confirmed what many were expected.  Toyota will be withdrawing from Formula 1 competition.  The Toyota news release cited “… the current severe economic realities” as the reason for their exit from the pinnacle of open wheel motorsports.

Photo Credit: Sumisso

As far as the Japanese automakers future the release also reads, “In motor sports, it will not only race in various categories, but will also actively contribute to further development of motor sports by supporting grassroots races and planning events in which it is easy for people to participate.”  I found this quote very interesting.  To me it basically says that they’re pulling out of the most high profile and expensive form of motorsport world wide but we’re going to stay involved in other series and at the very bottom of the motorsports food chain, grassroots racing.  What an excellent kick to the Formula 1 snobs out there!

The world’s largest automaker is saying it’s going to focus on other series (i.e. NASCAR, Grand Am, NHRA, etc.) and what I consider the heart and soul of motorsports, johnny weekend racer.  They would rather spend their diminishing racing budgets in those places then at the “pinnacle” of motorsport.  That is saying a lot and I think it’s saying exactly the right thing.

Formula 1 is awesome, there is no question about that.  But is it about selling cars?  In the end to an automaker motorsports are about 3 things; marketing to your consumer, beating your competitors, and developing new technologies that can be used in passenger cars in the future.  So, lets break this down.

Marketing:

Are Toyota drivers really in the F1 demographic?  Yes, but it’s more likely Lexus drivers.

Does F1 get much attention in the US?  Not nearly as much as the tin tops.

Beat your competitors:

Was Toyota beating their competitors?  This year they finished 5th in the points having bested BMW Sauber, William – Toyota (not much help), Renault,  Force Inda – Mercedes, and Torro Rosso – Ferrari.  Renault is a competitor in some markets but not one I believe Toyota fears and BMW is a competitor of note for Lexus.  Ok, so a little help here but is spending as much as an estimated $445 Million a year to run a Formula 1 team?  Hello NO!  Hop up a Camry or an IS F10 and go at it with BWM in ALMS GT2.  That would save you, oh I don’t know about $444.5 Million!

 Were they even racing against competitors?  For argument sake lets say they won the constructor’s championship this season.  In addition to the teams above who would they have beaten?  Mercedes, Renault, and Ferrari.  If they were called Panasonic Lexus Racing instead of Toyota I could see Mercedes, but they just aren’t competing with these guys for car sales.

Developing New Technologies

Were new technologies culled from their 8 seasons in F1?  I dunno.  Probably, but couldn’t you do the same thing in ALMS?  If you were running in GT2 you’d even have a chassis that was similar to a production car.  Hell, if it was Koni Challenge you could actual make money by selling race ready cars to teams.  Imagine that?  Whatever they learned must not have been worth the extra cost.

Thanks for humoring me as I ran through that.  I never like to see any OEM pull out of any racing series, but if they truly focus more on grass roots racing (ala Mazda) then I think this is great news for the motorsports community.  If a company the size of Toyota put its might behind a plan to build a ladder system similar to what Mazda has done this could open up doors to many wanna be drivers that never existed before.  You have to appreciate that.

Now, I know I referred to “Formula 1 snobs” earlier in the post.  I want F1 to do well, but I really want them to just get over themselves.  Yep, they race in some of the coolest places in the world (less and less now) and they have some of the premier manufacturers participating, that is all true.  But, the races are high speed parades, the budgets are out of control, and now that Toyota has withdrawn only 1 of the Top 10 automakers (by 2008 production) participated in the series, Fiat (Ferrari).

Seriously?  How can you be the premiere series if the 9 biggest auto makers don’t participate?  Major changes need to be made to preserve the good name and future of F1.  I hope they do it and soon.

You can read Toyota’s full press release here: 

http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/toyota-to-withdraw-from-f1-112039.aspx?ncid=12036

Oh wait, the Managing Director just quit after their ex-driver alleged that the former asked him to CRASH ON PURPOSE!   Why would a multi-national financial institution have issues with that?

The official release from ING stated that they made their decision, “in light of the verdict of the World Motor Sport Council of 21 September 2009 concerning the events that occurred at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix”.  They also stated that they were “disappointed”.

Earlier today Mutua Madrilena a Spanish Insurance backer also ended their sponsorship relationship with the team.  Two high level folks are out, marquee sponsors are gone, seems like this story might be about over.

Hey ING!  Your logo prettys up a car real nice.  You have any interest in winning a few races?  I know just the guy you should talk to. 

So at the time of this posting first practice for the Singapore GP is in just under 6 hours.  What are the cars and crew for Renault F1 going to look like tomorrow?  They just going to wear Dickies work shirts?  Dig up some old Mild Seven garb?  (I think SpeedGear still has some of that stuff on clearance).

Well I’m signing off and setting my alarm for bright and early so I can see first hand.  If you Renault guys are reading this I vote for plane white unis that say “Crew” and a plane white car that says “Chassis”.  Just a thought.