Honda F1 team for sale, no buyer means no 2009 season
According to several reports, Honda has put its F1 team up for sale and if the automaker doesn't find a suitor before the start of the season in March, it won't be campaigning in 2009.
An unnamed source told Reuters that Honda team bosses Ross Brawn and Nick Fry said, "They have a month to find a buyer, otherwise they are closing the team." Autocar reports that a media lunch was cancelled this week and that a staff meeting at Honda Team HQ in Brackley was called this evening and an official statement will follow tomorrow morning from Japan.
The reason for the decision is due to the current economic climate and the cost of developing a competitive car that abides by the 2009 rules. Finding someone to back the team during these tumultuous times is going to prove difficult and there's already talk that Bernie Ecclestone may step in to attempt to work out a deal to keep Honda around.
More information should follow tomorrow. Thanks to all who tipped in.
[Sources: Reuters, Autocar, ITV | Image: Clive Mason/Getty]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
sylvesterscott 5:52PM (12/04/2008)
Honda... no money to back up team?
i thought they 'were' very successfully making cars better than most.....
hmmmmmm
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Corey L 5:59PM (12/04/2008)
Agreed, all manufacturers who are successful at making cars are required to spend millions on an F1 team.
Adam 6:33PM (12/04/2008)
I'd rather they spend money making the CR-Z a good car than seeing Honda struggle to make the podium in F1.
Aki 6:40PM (12/04/2008)
There's a difference between not having any money (GM), and not wanting to spend the extra money to spend on F1.
pmiddle5 10:31PM (12/04/2008)
I would imagine Honda simply does not see its investment as worthwhile. The engine regulations, aero regulations, etc.. are all so limiting that how is it an exercise for the engineers? Yeah its hard but creativity is so limited.
Especially when they are not in North America, are barely in South America, and are abandoning a lot of Europe.
oi. F1 is so blowin it recently.
Honda needs to hang out in touring car more and possibly get some sort of auto into ALMS GT2. Raced out s2000?
IRL also needs to pick up the ball like whoa and expand majorly into Canada.
Swede 6:02PM (12/04/2008)
Time for F1 to go into hibernation perhaps?
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Franz 7:41PM (12/04/2008)
I was hoping it wouldn't happen, but predicted it probably would months ago. Honda brass was reluctant to get back into F1 in the first place, and only acquired the team from BAR & Prodrive when it was third in the field & winning races. These past two dismal seasons could not have gone down well back in Japan.
For me, the best solution would be everything going full circle and David Richards & Prodrive taking over again... especially since Prodrive has been looking to get back into the sport. They'd probably do better as well... they were doing just fine until Honda took over 100%.
rsfourever 6:07PM (12/04/2008)
this might be a good thing. frankly, i'm seriously disappointed at the direction F1 has taken, with the homologizing of everything (including engines!!!), and I hope that this shows Mosley and Ecclestone that they need to shape up or ship out. Another top Formula will arise out of the ashes if F1 fails, and they'll have all the big competitors present. This might be the first step....
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timurjonchik 6:07PM (12/04/2008)
Honda take a rest for a year
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Pensador Axadrezado 6:17PM (12/04/2008)
that would mean jenson button should look for other teams/championship...
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pmiddle5 6:49PM (12/04/2008)
So he can lose in those as well?
exkart 6:46PM (12/04/2008)
wow and I thought they were sticking it out.
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Kattleox 7:02PM (12/04/2008)
Do you guys have a link to the craigslist ad? Cos I might buy it. Iv'e got a coupe hundred expendable dollars, and an F1 team could be interesting.
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Mobius_1 9:13PM (12/04/2008)
Can I get a car off you for 100 bucks? And I'll take some extra tires and brake discs and a couple of extra engines and transmissions. Say another 50 dollars?
;)
Driver X 7:10PM (12/04/2008)
Who is going to sponsor NASCAR next year?
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Serge K. 7:26PM (12/04/2008)
Who the f&^% cares about NASCAR? And why do you even bring it up here?
AndreK 8:12PM (12/04/2008)
I hope that whoever picks up Honda will give Bruno Senna a chance.
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Paul P. 8:27PM (12/04/2008)
I guess we need to bail out Honda Racing as well?
Who is going to start the collection on this one?
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AndyMF 8:29PM (12/04/2008)
"...and the cost of developing a competitive car that abides by the 2009 rules."
HA! The irony. I thought the 2009 rules were meant to be cost-cutting...
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FamilyGuy 9:54PM (12/04/2008)
Shocked but not surprised. Honda has been on a roll lately to "greenify" their image. I am not shocked. Besides having seen their results for the past few years doesn't help the cause back home in Japan. Also, its not like tickets to F1 races are cheap. All that greed by Bernie is going to catch up to him and the FIA. No worries though, I am sure Ferrari/Benz/BMW will duke it out. Maybe Toyota, Red Bull and Force India F1 are next?
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