Sink or Swim: Toyota could follow Honda out of F1 if the wins don't come
Click above to view the Toyota TF109 in high resolution
Toyota has a reputation around the Formula One paddock for having the biggest budget with the least results. But that's all going to change, and change drastically, if the team doesn't start winning races, according to some new reports.
Although outgoing Toyota president Katsuaki Watanabe was reported to have rubber-stamped the company's continued participation in F1 following a recent review, his successor and founding family scion, Akio Toyoda, may feel otherwise. Toyoda will be taking the reigns at the company following the first year of decline in its history, and will likely be looking to curb expenditures. In good times, some companies can justify the enormous financial cost of competing in F1 for the positive image it attaches to their company. But that's only if they're out there winning races, or at least coming close. If Toyota can't score its first race win this year, the bean counters might have no choice but to follow fellow Japanese automaker Honda and pull out of the sport altogether. Click below for an updated gallery of the Toyota TF109, and follow the jump for a video.
Gallery: Toyota TF109
[Source: F1-Live]
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg "2011 Audi A8: Live from Miami")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mazda FTW! 7:35PM (1/24/2009)
They might as well. No one looks at Toyota as a company with any sporting intentions (save for the IS-F).
Reply
seanleeforever 11:47PM (1/24/2009)
don't underestimate IS350.
hell, even its ES 350 can get from 0-60 in under 6 seconds. i know acceleration is not everything, but it is everything you need for a daily ride.
JDMlover 12:08AM (1/25/2009)
Most stupid comment i ever heard.
Thanks but no thanks.
Affalterbach 12:42AM (1/25/2009)
@seanlee
Sure those Camrys are nice, but how about steering feedback, responsive brakes, throttle?
thats what real car guys care about.
SimbaDogg 2:41AM (1/25/2009)
@jdm forever
i'm with you man, seriously...sean lee, stupidest comment i've ever heard. you're gonna say that a vehicle that does 0-60 in sub 6 seconds is "sporty" i hope you dont consider the tundra sport as well, cuz that will do 0-60 in around the same time. as the first poster said, save for the isf...as far as sports or ever SPORTY cars, toyota is one of the worst. boring bean counters that care more about making money hand over fist than making cars that "stir the soul" run the ship @ toyota.
Afflalterbach 7:50PM (1/24/2009)
Cheesiest commercial ever.
Plus, it would be a smart decision by Akio Toyoda to move out of F1, no matter win or not.
They could spend all this money on a AE86/Celica GT4/Supra replacement.
Reply
tifosiotaku 10:03PM (1/24/2009)
I came here to post that! Thanks.
JDMlover 12:09AM (1/25/2009)
+ 1
If they can remake those cars and win some races. Best of both.
Geekengineer 8:03PM (1/24/2009)
Is that a construction grader?
Reply
ken_aisin 8:12PM (1/24/2009)
Instead of owning a F1 race team, Toyota should have entered F1 as an engine supplier. Spending so much money to become the laughing stalk of F1 is definitely a very poor business decision.
Reply
wvuquentin 4:53PM (1/25/2009)
Laughing stalk? Is that some sort of crop-growing humor? Laughing stock is what you are looking for.
It takes time and commitment to build an F1 team when you are facing the likes of Ferrari and McLaren. I also hate seeing any team drop out because you'll be left with a situation that WRC is seeing with little to no factory backed teams.
pmiddle5 10:07PM (1/24/2009)
They were on quite an upswing this past year. Toyota's whole F1 problem is management plain and simple. Management is what makes a great F1 team.
But they have Panasonic as a main sponsor til 2011, they would have to pay concessions breaking that contract if exiting sooner.
I will agree they should have atleast started as an engine supplier paired to an Independent Aka BAR Honda or MercedesMcLaren
Reply
hyundaifans.com 11:30PM (1/24/2009)
They should have pulled out from this upcoming season. Their team is disgraceful.
Reply
hashiryu 5:53AM (1/25/2009)
So maybe RBR/STR, Williams, Force India et al should pull out too?
They are fighting to win and not given up, that in and of itself deserves some respect. They have done well at somepoints in the past and they are getting better and more consistent now.
Honda F1, now, THAT is disgraceful.....well, was.....
DEJAL 9:47AM (1/25/2009)
hashiryu:
"Honda F1, now, THAT is disgraceful.....well, was....."
Their money, their decision.
But, it's nice that you know how to spend their money better than them.
Maybe you ought to send a resume to them and help them out.
hashiryu 1:58PM (1/25/2009)
Of course it was their decision to pull out. I'm not criticizing that, not one bit. I'm talking about their racing results being disgraceful.