Honda commits to remaining motorsport programs after F1 pull out
Click on the Highcroft Acura for a high res gallery from the Detroit Sports Car Challenge
The current economic climate has only just started to wreak havoc in the motorsports world, with last week's announcements that Honda is pulling out of F1 and Audi is leaving the American LeMans Series. Things are likely to get worse before they get better as other automakers, including those based in Detroit, will almost certainly cut racing programs and budgets.
What won't be affected – at least for now – are Honda's non-F1 endeavors, including its motorcycle programs, the Indy Racing League and the American Le Mans Series. The ALMS and IRL programs are both operated by Honda Performance Development out of Torrance, CA. Unlike the F1 program, the IRL engine program generates revenue from the teams that lease these engines. The Acura ALMS program will definitely continue in 2009 as the team moves up from the LMP2 to the LMP1 class. The big bummer is that Acura won't have any competition from the Audi R10, which is leaving the ALMS next year.
Gallery: Detroit Sports Car Challenge 08
Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: F1-Live]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Stingers 7:11PM (12/08/2008)
I must say, the Acura LMPs are incredible looking cars.
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JDMlover 7:20PM (12/08/2008)
Huh ?
To me almost all these cars look alike.....the Aucra does not look that much different are that great to be frank.
The Ferrari, GT40, Viper, Aston all look much cooler.
Hope they dont incorporate put the "Shield Grill" on them LOL
Stingers 9:30PM (12/08/2008)
I think it's the Patron paint scheme but I find them a lot more visually interesting than the Porsche Spyders. The whole package just appeals to me.
That said, the GT's are the coolest race cars I've seen in recent memory.
vu 7:12PM (12/08/2008)
Well, Honda sucked eggs in F1 anyway. Total money pit for them.
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MachinaDC5 12:34AM (12/09/2008)
Well, early on Honda decided to put the '08 season on the backburner and spend its time and money in preparation for '09, letting itself go in '08 because there was no point. It really just makes it even more painful that they are dropping out before the season that they'd actually be doing well.
dc11 7:52PM (12/08/2008)
just about every team has had a bad dry spell. but F1 isnt worth competing in anymore, not with all the retarded spec rules now.
i do wish they had a better series with touring cars.. im tired of seeing the corvette dominating their own class, and the porsches killing everyone in their own class as well. or maybe im just looking for a better marketed racing league with touring cars... im just not a fan of watching speed channel, aside from the fact the channel is buried somewhere in the 300-400s with my cable provider.
I do miss watching the old school DTM/BTCC cars race... so much action..
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Mobius_1 8:25PM (12/08/2008)
IMO, F1 has too much hype nowadays, the real great racing is in Le Mans and other sports car races. Heck, they allow more variations and innovations than F1 does and it's nice to see some resemblence between those on track and those on them roads. And if the pictures of next year's BMW F1 is anything to go by, it is quite an eyesore.
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cFoo 8:43PM (12/08/2008)
What more does Bernie and Mad Max need?
No F1 in North America. No Honduh.
Soon no Toyota too.
I'm glad Honda is sticking around in North America. It makes sense for their business and it keeps racing in North America competitive.
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Schwag of Tulsa 9:23PM (12/08/2008)
ALMS without Audi? F1 without Honda? So what?
Audi has nothing left to prove in ALMS. Honda has too much to prove in F1.
The real tragedy is the suddeness of the decisions. Drivers, mechanics, truckies and the rest are all left scrambling for work. They've had the rug pulled out from under them with little or no warning when nearly all of next year's contracts have been signed.
I hope they land on their feet.
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Nick 2:27AM (12/09/2008)
Guess you don't know too much about F1 then.
1988 McLaren-Honda team won 15 out of 16 races. No Ferrari powered car has ever won that many races in one season.
Chase 9:16PM (12/08/2008)
Honda has the right idea. Endurance racing is where its at.... Now lets see an NSX racer!
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Cameron 10:32PM (12/08/2008)
Here's hoping for a David Richards / Prodrive takeover.
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Travis Rassat 11:09AM (12/09/2008)
I agree, Cameron - I think that's about the best option left to keep 20 cars on the grid. If anything, I think it would be a good thing. I did see a comment from David Richards about Honda's F1 program had too much redundancy, but if the price is right...
I'm glad that Honda is sticking with their IndyCar and ALMS programs. I'm a fan of IndyCars, and I'm becoming more of an ALMS fan - it's the most promising series out there for a motorsports technology junkie like me. My only gripes are that for a new fan, having 4 classes on the track at once is a bit overwhelming, and the TV/Web coverage isn't the best. I am hoping to do an ALMS/IndyCar event next summer - that would be fun!
Don One 1:32PM (12/09/2008)
Good to see Honda sticking around in the states with their racing program. There's more money to make here anyway than in F1 which is an endless expense trap with boring races, except for the standing starts or when it rains. ALMS is a very exiciting series, too bad Acura won't be challenging those Audis this year. It should be a great showdown in Sebring against the TDI R15 and possibly the Peguot HDi. Travis, hang in there, this is one of the best motorsport racing out there. I was like you at first when I began watching in 2006 but in 2007, I became more familiar with the teams and classes. Wow! what an exciting series. Better than F1 for sure.
P.S. - NBC's coverage is the worst and I don't know why IMSA keeps selling them a date.
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rick 9:07PM (12/09/2008)
That is great that HPD and Wirth Research will continue with non-spec racecars.
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