Honda selling the F1 team?
Discussion
Very interesting reports here:
http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns21016.html
and then..
http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns21017.html
http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns21016.html
and then..
http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns21017.html
In their total motoring history Honda have never failed to make a yearly profit, I don't think they will jump ship, probably under the guidance of Ross Brawn they are just removing unnecessary positions and people to streamline the development. Making it more efficient with fewer people interfering in the classic Japanese way of management by meetings. They have already got rid of the ex-technical director (bike man) Nakamoto - http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72308
Scuffers said:
where this leaves Toyota and the others who knows?
That's what I was thinking - if Honda leave, we'll almost certainly see some kind of cascade effect. I would have thought BMW, Merc and Fezza will stay put for the time being since they are 'premium performance brands'. Renault and Toyota though, who knows?!Scuffers said:
scary is true, but you can understand it, they have achived nothing (actually they have made themselves look bad), sales are way down, money is tight...
Average car sales across the board are down by 36%...not just at Honda.All manufacturers are going to be in the same position re their F1 teams.
Interesting. You've got to say that the recession is 90% the fuel for this decision and not Honda's current situation in F1. I wouldn;t expect them to give up when a massive shake-up in the rules has a good chance of leveling the playing field, and that they have some good proven technical acquisitions yet to make their full impact.
If the might of Honda pull out. Who's next?
If the might of Honda pull out. Who's next?
Get Karter said:
All manufacturers are going to be in the same position re their F1 teams.
Not necessarily true - brands like BMW with their M Department, Merc with AMG and Ferrari with their entire road car range have a much more easily exploitable link with motor racing than Honda, Toyota and Renault.FourWheelDrift said:
In their total motoring history Honda have never failed to make a yearly profit, I don't think they will jump ship, probably under the guidance of Ross Brawn they are just removing unnecessary positions and people to streamline the development. Making it more efficient with fewer people interfering in the classic Japanese way of management by meetings. They have already got rid of the ex-technical director (bike man) Nakamoto - http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72308
You reckon? Well in the last 1/2 hour the whole team - 750 of them - have been gathered and told they are funded for 3 months, with restricted development and no spending.If no buyer then a further 3 months notice and they're all out of work.
DSM2 said:
You reckon? Well in the last 1/2 hour the whole team - 750 of them - have been gathered and told they are funded for 3 months, with restricted development and no spending.
If no buyer then a further 3 months notice and they're all out of work.
Source at the factory I assume? Any more info you can get for us?If no buyer then a further 3 months notice and they're all out of work.
MrKipling43 said:
DSM2 said:
You reckon? Well in the last 1/2 hour the whole team - 750 of them - have been gathered and told they are funded for 3 months, with restricted development and no spending.
If no buyer then a further 3 months notice and they're all out of work.
Source at the factory I assume? Any more info you can get for us?If no buyer then a further 3 months notice and they're all out of work.
What else? Tunnel 1 stops straight away. Night shifts stop, move to early/late day shifts. No RM purchases. 2 cars to be got ready for first tests.
DSM2 said:
Correct.
What else? Tunnel 1 stops straight away. Night shifts stop, move to early/late day shifts. No RM purchases. 2 cars to be got ready for first tests.
Woah. Cheers for doing a bit of digging.What else? Tunnel 1 stops straight away. Night shifts stop, move to early/late day shifts. No RM purchases. 2 cars to be got ready for first tests.
My sympathies to anyone on here who works for them. I know how much it sucks to lose your dream job thanks to the fact that a load of bankers couldn't stop waving their dicks around.
You were my team too! I'm gutted.
MrKipling43 said:
Get Karter said:
All manufacturers are going to be in the same position re their F1 teams.
Not necessarily true - brands like BMW with their M Department, Merc with AMG and Ferrari with their entire road car range have a much more easily exploitable link with motor racing than Honda, Toyota and Renault.They need to find a heck of a lot of cost savings in very short order to save their businesses.
F1 teams are a huge cost that has tenuous value to the core business, except for Ferrari (possibly).
But even they aren't going to let their F1 activities lead them into receivership.
Get Karter said:
But even they aren't going to let their F1 activities lead them into receivership.
No, of course not, I just meant that teams like them might be a bit keener to hang on due to the 'halo' effect of F1 being more effective for cars like the AMG Black range, the M3 etc and the entire Ferrari range than a Renault Megane CC, Toyota Prius or Honda Jazz!It's easier to justify the costs as marketing when you have sporting pretentions for your road range.
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