Toyota leaving F1

[dp35]

Its all over the internet, and in the Japanese press:
http://www.f1technical.net/

I wonder if someone will get this team for $1, like Brawn did Honda.  It would be a shame for USF1 to waste their time attempting to build an F1 car from scratch if they could acquire Toyota's instead.  Perhaps that's why USF1 has virtually nothing to show for their efforts thus far?  Unlikely but that would sure be nice. 

Perhaps if USF1 gave Kobiyashi a race seat & employed a significant number of Toyota's F1 staff, they could strike a deal?

Will Toyota supply engines to whoever acquires their team?  Doubtful considering the Williams situation.

[benyeats]

No one saw that coming

Don't see how it can help USF1 as Toyotas resource is all based in Germany which will not fit in with either their Spanish or US bases, although I suppose key staff may be persuaded to relocate from Germany to Spain.  They should have taken a UK base in the first place and they would have won something by now !

[wasp]

Will anyone really notice? It's not like they brought that much to the sport. I really hope that Williams have got it right with the Cosworth choice, it's time a team of their calibre and racing dna was back at the top again. F1 may exist on a global platform but only the European teams have in the main shown the passion to go racing when the Accountants said it was not logical.

[Bruce Fielding]

[quote="benyeats"]
No one saw that coming

Don't see how it can help USF1 as Toyotas resource is all based in Germany which will not fit in with either their Spanish or US bases, although I suppose key staff may be persuaded to relocate from Germany to Spain.  They should have taken a UK base in the first place and they would have won something by now !
[/quote]

We know at least one person who would be happy for the team to relocate away from Koln anyway, don't we Ben?

She's in Oz having spent some time with Schuey in Abu Dhabi. That having been achieved, she can leave F1 happy...

[DFext37 Fielding]

Good, means that Qadbak BMW will be in next year, and Jarno 'Trulli Horrific' might ni be on the grid next year!

[benyeats]

[quote="Bruce Fielding"]
[quote="benyeats"]
No one saw that coming

Don't see how it can help USF1 as Toyotas resource is all based in Germany which will not fit in with either their Spanish or US bases, although I suppose key staff may be persuaded to relocate from Germany to Spain.  They should have taken a UK base in the first place and they would have won something by now !
[/quote]

We know at least one person who would be happy for the team to relocate away from Koln anyway, don't we Ben?

She's in Oz having spent some time with Schuey in Abu Dhabi. That having been achieved, she can leave F1 happy...
[/quote]

I did think of her when I heard the news, glad it has worked out well.

[dp35]

[quote="benyeats"]
Don't see how it can help USF1 as Toyotas resource is all based in Germany which will not fit in with either their Spanish or US bases, although I suppose key staff may be persuaded to relocate from Germany to Spain.  They should have taken a UK base in the first place and they would have won something by now ![/quote]

Hard to disagree with you on that, but since I'm hanging on to the foolish hope that USF1 will find a way to be real and respectable, I'll point out that many of an F1 team's assets are portable and transferable.  Such as all of their computer equipment, including the mega-terrabytes of valuable data stored on the hard drives, and the people that understand all of it. 

If you were starting a new F1 team, it seems foolish to re-invent everything, when you could instead just wait patiently for an existing team to drop out and then acquire their superior stuff.  If you were one of the new teams for 2010, seems like it would be smart to just pretend you're working hard on setting things up & designing your new cars, when in fact you just wait like a Vulture to capitalize on someone else quitting.  For example, if Prodrive is able to take over Toyota, they'll be MILES ahead of USF1, Campos, Lotus, & Manor.  Seems like USF1 has been doing a fine job of pretending thus far, now if only they can capitalize (not holding my breath). 

[dp35]

Looking at this from another angle, its not good for F1 to see Honda, BMW, and now Toyota exit.  IMO these are results of Bernie's "me first" approach, including him steering F1 away from the US and Canada. 

Ultimately Toyota, Honda, BMW and Mercedes need more US exposure, not less.  They sell more cars here than anywhere.  Without F1 in the US or Canada there's less justification for these teams to stay in F1.  Bernie's priority of money first, quality second, is reflected in all the new Tilke F1 circuits, with no passing or personality.  These all have great VIP facilities, but how does that benefit the fans?  It's only the trend sucking hollywood types that get to enjoy that.  Look at Spa, Monza, Paul Ricard, Kyalami, Silverstone, etc.. They all provide exciting racing. Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Shanghai, etc. Yawn.

[benyeats]

[quote="dp35"]
[quote="benyeats"]
Don't see how it can help USF1 as Toyotas resource is all based in Germany which will not fit in with either their Spanish or US bases, although I suppose key staff may be persuaded to relocate from Germany to Spain.  They should have taken a UK base in the first place and they would have won something by now ![/quote]

Hard to disagree with you on that, but since I'm hanging on to the foolish hope that USF1 will find a way to be real and respectable, I'll point out that many of an F1 team's assets are portable and transferable.  Such as all of their computer equipment, including the mega-terrabytes of valuable data stored on the hard drives, and the people that understand all of it. 

If you were starting a new F1 team, it seems foolish to re-invent everything, when you could instead just wait patiently for an existing team to drop out and then acquire their superior stuff.  If you were one of the new teams for 2010, seems like it would be smart to just pretend you're working hard on setting things up & designing your new cars, when in fact you just wait like a Vulture to capitalize on someone else quitting.  For example, if Prodrive is able to take over Toyota, they'll be MILES ahead of USF1, Campos, Lotus, & Manor.  Seems like USF1 has been doing a fine job of pretending thus far, now if only they can capitalize (not holding my breath). 
[/quote]

I think they had to wipe all the useful data from their hard drives when Ferrari got wind they had it

I agree that it would make much more sense for one of the new teams to take over Toyota, seems obvious.  That being the case why didn't one of them rush to take over the BMW team ?

Ben

[Trigger]

Renault appear to going as well now ! We'll only have 4 or 5 teams soon !!!

[dp35]

[quote="benyeats"]
I agree that it would make much more sense for one of the new teams to take over Toyota, seems obvious.  That being the case why didn't one of them rush to take over the BMW team ?[/quote]

Seems like the BMW team was sold quickly to the Qadback group, before the situation became desperate. 

One of the new teams could acquire Toyota's F1 team after they determine that they won't be able to build their own cars from scratch, and once Toyota is faced with laying off most/all of its workers and idling the operation.  The 2nd part of that seems imminent, and USF1 (for example) does not seem to be getting much done on their end.  Seems like a match. 

For anyone other than the 4 new F1 teams (such as Prodrive) to acquire Toyota F1 would not be a good idea, because they'd be unlikely to obtain an entry.  The new teams already have entries, they just need cars & equipment.  What a waste it will be for these 4 teams to develop entire F1 cars, tools, teams, etc, while Toyota will be sending their established & otherwise useless F1 assets (which are far superior to anything the new teams will build in Year 1) to the scrap heap.   

[benyeats]

[quote="dp35"]
[quote="benyeats"]
I agree that it would make much more sense for one of the new teams to take over Toyota, seems obvious.  That being the case why didn't one of them rush to take over the BMW team ?[/quote]

Seems like the BMW team was sold quickly to the Qadback group, before the situation became desperate. 

One of the new teams could acquire Toyota's F1 team after they determine that they won't be able to build their own cars from scratch, and once Toyota is faced with laying off most/all of its workers and idling the operation.  The 2nd part of that seems imminent, and USF1 (for example) does not seem to be getting much done on their end.  Seems like a match. 

For anyone other than the 4 new F1 teams (such as Prodrive) to acquire Toyota F1 would not be a good idea, because they'd be unlikely to obtain an entry.  The new teams already have entries, they just need cars & equipment.  What a waste it will be for these 4 teams to develop entire F1 cars, tools, teams, etc, while Toyota will be sending their established & otherwise useless F1 assets (which are far superior to anything the new teams will build in Year 1) to the scrap heap.   
[/quote]

BMW were not sold that quickly iirc but were more of a going concern.

Someone on PH says his company were in the middle of tooling for next year's Toyota F1 car so they are someway down the road.  The problem is as the Toyota facility came out of their previous motorsport centre where activities such as rallying and Le Mans were carried out and I suspect it will be used for this again.  Suppose the design data for this / next years car could be useful and the staff can be headhunted anyway but I don't think the whole team would be on offer as such.

[Bruce Fielding]

The really expensive stuff isn't easily transportable (e.g. wind tunnel) however, the most important assets are easily transportable by car, plane, train or bus as they have two legs.

[benyeats]

Now Renault are a different story. 

My prediction is they will pull out as a manufacturer but continue as an engine supplier.  Renualts F1 operation is neatly divided between France and the UK with the chassis construction being in the UK and engines in France.  Thus the Renault site will ripe for someone to purchase and move forward with.

Ben

[Bruce Fielding]

...probably a rallying company given the Enstone location...

Or is this just a way of getting a  better deal for next year?

Or are Renault fed up after Piquet's nonsense?