Filed under: Motorsports, BMW, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Earnings/Financials, Ferrari, Renault
F1 budgets off the chart, $4.3 million per point
Ever wonder how expensive it is for a manufacturer to compete in Formula 1 racing? Not surprisingly, it ain't cheap. Each of the successful teams spend hundreds of millions of dollars on their programs, but success is not necessarily tied in to how much dough was spent. For instance, Ferrari, winners of this year's constructor's championship with 172 total points, spent about $2.4 million per point in 2008. McLaren and BMW, numbers two and three respectively, spent a bit more than that figure, but still under a cool $3 mil. Honda and Toyota, though, had budgets nearly as large as the top-tier manufacturers yet scored significantly fewer points. In fact, Honda's meager 14 points cost the automaker over 28 million buckaroos a piece, making theirs the most expensive points of all. On average, teams spent about $4.3 million per point. No wonder the sport is looking to cut its budget as soon as possible. Thanks for the tip, Keith!
[Source: F1 Fanatic]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Franz 6:07PM (11/10/2008)
Poor Honda. I've always been a supporter of the Honda F1 team and was glad to see them back in F1 after their dominance with McLaren back in the day. They looked very strong when they just came back too while under the leadership of BAR & David Richards, but these last two seasons have been appalling.
I know they were suffering from some incorrect wind tunnel calibration, and the Ross Brawn effect has yet to take hold but I really want to see them back at the front of the grid challenging for podiums & wins. Let's hope they can do better next season. I'd be sad if they were to leave F1 again so soon, & I doubt Honda brass will keep pouring money into the team if it remains uncompetitive.
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Cameron 6:18PM (11/10/2008)
+1
It still baffles me that Honda can go from Button scoring more points than anyone else in the last 6 races of 2006 to the simply awful cars of 2007 and 2008.
Some people talk of an atmosphere of corporate conformity at Honda F1, where people are more concerned with keeping their jobs than challenging for podiums. Just what I've heard though, can't vouch for it. I hope Brawn can get people motivated to push the boundaries of the technical regs in 2009.
MachinaDC5 10:57PM (11/10/2008)
Part of the issue is that they realized they had a flawed car and decided to discontinue putting funds toward it, building their car for next season DURING this season. Why polish a turd when you can prepare for the next race with a new car? Forward thinking should help them one to three seasons down the road.
tankd0g 6:16PM (11/10/2008)
I told you, those green stripes on the tires were just too damn expensive.
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Mobius_1 6:21PM (11/10/2008)
But mathematically speaking, Force India and Super Aguri spent infinte dollars per point...
But that must hurt for Honda, spending 14 times Ferrari for the same point.
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Henry 9:00PM (11/10/2008)
I don't think it's the teams that are looking to cut budgets it's Max Mosely and the FIA. I haven't heard of instances where the teams are looking to cut budgets at all. Apart from Force India/Spyker/Midland/Jordan and the former Super Aguri team I can't think of any sponsorship problems. Granted I'd like to see a return to a full grid but I don't think some of the measures Mosely is undertaking are going to effectuate that, they're efforts to making the racing more equal. Call a spade a spade and say we want the second tier teams to have a shot too.
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Galley 10:15PM (11/10/2008)
Didn't Honda finish 3rd in the constructor's points just a few years ago?
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wrussi 10:31PM (11/10/2008)
thats because honda's F1 car still FWD and the vtec is not kicking hard enough.. lol
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hyundaifans.com 11:35PM (11/10/2008)
Honda will be competitive next season. I have faith in Ross Brawn. He has had enough time. He will deliver.
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Harry Ariola 11:51PM (11/10/2008)
What we have here is a direct correlation of the size of the manufacturers' ego to their pocket book. Given the number of people who are avid F1 fans (compared to soccer fans in Europe, for example), it's not like the manufacturers are getting their investment back as viewed as an advertising and promotion expense.
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