F1 Toyota Warns of Mass Defections
Toyota have warned that unless the conditional entries submitted by F1 teams for 2010 are agreed, several famous names will look at alternatives to grand prix racing.
The Japanese team has already said that they will quit F1 rather than accept an enforced budget cap and technical restrictions compared to new teams.
F1’s governing body, the FIA, have yet to respond to the teams’ entries but tension is high and peace has not broken out. It will not be known until June 12 exactly which teams have been given the 13 grid spots for next year, but nine of the existing F1 teams have entered on condition that there is no budget cap next season and are now awaiting a response from the FIA.
Mommy, help me, I've fallen and can't get up! - Spanky
“I don’t think, at the moment, that there is any discussion of a budget cap. A number of us feel that unless the actual conditions are satisfied then we have to seriously consider alternatives.”
The teams are demanding that they should sign a new Concorde Agreement, which is their on-going bible of rules, by June 12 as one of their conditions.
Ferrari principal Stefano Domenicali has insisted that his team’s entry after previously threatening to pull out did not indicate a willingness to have a budget cap next season.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “The request to make the 2009 regulations the starting point means there will be no budget cap.”
I cant tell if Toyoata are serious or bluffing. If ever there was an opportunity to get their tit out of the billion dollar wringer they have been in for the last decade this is it. Unlike Honda, Toyota could save the all important face back home by using the budget cap as a way of pulling up stakes.
I wonder what kind of contract they have with Frank Williams for engine supply, it must be a multi year deal, they cant just walk out & leave him without a lump. Maybe this will be the excuse for the proposal I have been yelling for years, Toyota & Williams merging their interests. It will keep Toyota in the sport for a fraction of the cost & will satisfy Frank’s stubbornness on refusing to sell equity in the firm. Williams/Toyota you heard it first from me.
Meanwhile, more back to the future, of F1.
Do we really have to recall the days of Spanky being an F1 owner?
What a dickhead! Just because Fitton owns the name March doesn’t mean squat. As with all of these proposals….”Show me the money”.
Prodrive, Lola & Superfund are the only ones I’m taking seriously. Eskuri has great infrastructure however, they should be taking their factory to one of the new teams with funding, I dont understand their “hook-up” with Windsor & his North Carolina dream.
What! No USGPE!
No faith huh?
No actually, I will believe Windor can get a US team up when I see it. Think about it? Imagine walking around America at the moment trying to find funding. I’ve been wrong in the past, but I notice he has made no comment on partners, sponsors or funding, despite claiming that the project has been in the workes for several years.
I saw a thing by Windsor claiming the team had some kind of prelim mock-up they are working on. Whatever that means.
Oh, and would you believe Brabham coming back?
Not to mention some super-duper secret group of Italians. Or N Technology.
(And a partridge in a pair tree.)
N.Technology are the founders of Formula Master which supports the wTCC, they are also the tender winner for the new GP2 sub-class GP3, dont write them off just yet.
Is a “pair” tree like a twin set of trees?
Is a “pair” tree like a twin set of trees?
Not sure but… my current puzzlement is centered on whether you are Blokeman or Metrosexualman?
It’s gotta be one or the other.
Definitely metrosexual man, he has a pear tree!
Well if you can believe this, Epsilon is funded for four years. Interesting comment that with drivers wages & marketing costs the cap works out at 70-75mil.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/75791