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Honda is widely tipped to be preparing a shock withdrawal from Formula One before the start of the 2009 season, according to sources.

The Japanese giant, which has endured a disastrous 2008 season as it concentrated on designing and developing a 2009 challenger built to the sport’s new regulations, has been forced to look hard at its commitment to F1 in the wake of reduced production at key car plants (including Swindon) and falling US sales.

It cancelled a media lunch planned for ...Read the full article

It's not just in the real world then that governing bodies have to dig out struggling companies then.

Silly question may be but why don't Honda actually go out and look for sponsorship?  Have they not run their own liveried cars for the past year or so, where perfectly good sponsorship logo's could have gone? 

Jenson Button must be gutted, I bet he wishes he had gone to Williams; I hope he gets a drive; RB will be fine (can go to Ferrari); I just hope Jenson can get a drive; maybe with any luck he can get into (if all else fails) red bull re. stand in for duff leg webber. 

I hope they find another buyer, it does not even have to be a car manufacturer, trouble is who has the money; maybe Bernie is thinking of running down the pre-divorce cash clock!

 

TegTypeR:

Silly question may be but why don't Honda actually go out and look for sponsorship?  Have they not run their own liveried cars for the past year or so, where perfectly good sponsorship logo's could have gone? 

Yeah but who is forking out for marketing at the moment ? I reckon they'd be lucky. Honda are on a global expense cutting drive. Like everyone else, they're in deep sh it.

That's it....that volume of advertising is hard to get....and on last years results what would they get anyway.....about £0:50p; maybe middle eastern investment.

I am surprised at Honda though; I just hope Jenson gets a drive, he is a good driver.

On Sky news they are saying Honda are making an annoucement tomorrow and that unless they get a buyer at the end of the month.....that's it.....no more F1 Honda.

What a shame. Anyone with petrol in their veins will be sorry to see Honda exit F1. However, if this is the price that must be paid for Honda's refusal to cut manufacturing jobs then it is worth paying. Perhaps when the economic climate improves they can go back to supplying Williams with engines and recreate a great partnership.

Unfortunately, this is probably not the last team to quit.   Ask yourself this - why did Honda run their own advertising on their cars?   Answer - because they couldn't get sponsorship.   Super Aguri couldn't find any viable sponsors even though they hit above their standing.

Ross B is a major assest, Jenson B not so.   Never really been able to live up to the hype generated about him.   I know there's a lot of Button fans here, and please don't flame me, but if I were the team boss I'd keep Barrichello because of his performance and get a rookie in.   Personally, I'd like to see Button getting some really good results.

Moving on from F1, don't expect the WRC to look the same next year, nor touring cars.   WRC has such a low profile in the UK that as an advertising medium it's invisible - you've got to hunt for it on the Dave channel and the WRC website is terrible.   Touring cars have only had two manufacturers in it for years, would it be viable if even one of those pulled out?

I am a fan of F1, I am not the biggest fan of Jenson's (I have a lot of respect for him); I think he an outstanding driver, he has a great style/smoothness about his work; in a good car he is as fast as anyone; I think he had a raw deal in F1 so far, but he brings something different to the sport, so I hope he gets a drive; he is capable of winning a world title (for sure) he just needs a good car (Renault maybe).

Skipping to Honda, it seems so strange, sorry to mention strategy again, but if you spent all your time building the new 2009 car with all the real money spent in 2008 developing it why would you pull out in 2009; Honda are not shy of a bob or two.....and coudl easily fund a season.......I wonder if the new 2009 car is simply not any good?.....I have not seen really any comparable test times (not sure if anyone else has? i.e. see if it is quick?) and living up to its billing?

 

So Bernie may help eh?  I am sure he can....as for the past 20 years or so he has been taking 60%+  of all of the revenue from the sport.  I am sure he has a few spare quid can use.  Finally some common sense in the asylum!!

Just what is the point of trying to compete if the sponsorship revenue does not give you enough to make a small profit on the whole game?  Unless you are McLaren or have a certain red colour and the FIA's ear why even bother at all?

I wonder if Ross Brawn and possibly Nick Fry will try to cobble something together, maybe as a tie-in with Ferrari who now have new found capacity, and possibly a commercial urge, with Force India moving over to Mercedes engines.

 

 

 there are talks that Bernie eclstone might step in and form a deal with Ross brawn to save them.

By the way honda i'm not a marketing genius but isn't the a big this called a f1 car that goes racing round tracks where you could copy every f1 team for the last 20-30 years and farther back and sell it for sponsorship.

So Honda are the 1^st to realise the economic reality and have made their decision, who will be next ?

 

F1 is in crisis and both Berni and the FIA are battling hard to bring down costs to make it more affordable but at the same time, the costs of actually holding a GP are spiralling ever skywards.

 

I love F1 and am and have been for a very long time a keen follower, but with the way the world economic crisis is and the way that all major motor manufacturers are in the deepening doodoo, how long will it be before the likes of Mercedes, BMW, Toyota and even Ferrari have to pull out?

 

And as for advertising or sponsorship, the current World cash and economic crisis is a fast spiralling and ever tightening curve and hyper-expensive advertising support of F1 teams and their drivers, most especially those which are not in the leading pack, will be the first areas of A&P budgets to be cut back on.