Honda announces retirement from F1

[HyperTek]

I know some of you guys dont care about f1 since theres no jdm drifting invovled, but whatever :drama:

Formula One news: Honda announce retirement from F1 - GPUpdate.net Formula One (http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2008/12/05/honda-announce-retirement-from-f1/)

Japanese car manufacturer Honda made an official announcement on Friday that the company will withdrawal from Formula One. At a press conference in Tokyo Honda president Takeo Fukui announced the team has to withdrawal due to the difficult economic circumstances.

At the press conference in Tokyo Fukui said: "We, Honda Motor Co., Ltd., have come to the conclusion that we will withdraw from all Formula One activities, making 2008 the last season of participation.

"This difficult decision has been made in light of the quickly deteriorating operating environment facing the global auto industry, brought on by the sub-prime problem in the United States, the deepening credit crisis and the sudden contraction of the world economies.

"Honda must protect its core business activities and secure the long term as widespread uncertainties in the economies around the globe continue to mount. A recovery is expected to take some time.

"We will enter into consultation with the associates of Honda Racing F1 Team and its engine supplier Honda Racing Development regarding the future of the two companies. This will include offering the team for sale."|

Restored 1965 Honda RA272, the first Japanese car ever to win in Formula One. The car is painted in the racing colors of Japan.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/2006_SAG_-_F1_Honda_RA272_1965_-01.JPG/800px-2006_SAG_-_F1_Honda_RA272_1965_-01.JPG

Jenson Button driving the Honda RA108 at the 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Jenson_Button_2008_Malaysia_3.jpg/800px-Jenson_Button_2008_Malaysia_3.jpg

Honda was racing from 64 to 68. Then pulled out.
THey where an engine manufacturer during 83-92. then returned as a constructor in 06.

As a constructor
Grand Prix wins
* 1965 Mexican Grand Prix (Richie Ginther)
* 1967 Italian Grand Prix (John Surtees)
* 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix (Jenson Button)

Pole Positions
* 1968 Italian Grand Prix (John Surtees)
* 2006 Australian Grand Prix (Jenson Button)

Honda F1 trackday at Twinring motegi 2003
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John Surtees in Honda F1 1967
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Senna driving the 87 Lotus 99T Honda around Monaco *twin turbo 1500cc v6*
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Hondas first F1 win
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Honda RA272
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Honda RA301 testing
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McLaren HONDA MP4/5 Strip
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[bloodie73]

First Super Aguri, now this... I wonder what's gonna happen to Button.

[SimpleS14]

wow....I find this to be a shock. Does this mean Toyota will soon follow suit?

[SexPanda]

Damn... That sucks balls. Honda had one hellova racing team.

[blueshark123]

Damn i pissed they pulled out of f1 wtf

[brndck]

I know some of you guys dont care about f1 since theres no jdm drifting invovled, but whatever :drama:


lol waaaaaay off the mark there buddy!

ill laugh my ass off if they take their f1 budget and follow toyotas footsteps and enter nascar.

[Brian]

god I sure hated the 07 and 08 livery.

my earth fart.

[Taniguchi_Is_#1]

what a waste of ross brawn's talent.......


also, jenson button to NASCAR? lol.

[ManoNegra]

Damn... That sucks balls. Honda had one hellova racing team.

I don't know what racing you been following but
they were attrocious - going from bad to worse -
to point of being embarrassed by their under financed
junior team (Super Aguri) in their recent F1 venture.

F1 history? I would agree with that.

[ManoNegra]

what a waste of ross brawn's talent.......


also, jenson button to NASCAR? lol.

Wouldn't be suprised - lot of talent and hype early on
only to underachieve pretty badly the last few years.

[HyperTek]

nascar wouldnt be a bad move lol.. it pays the bills and you can do it for years til you retire lmao

Honda apologise to Button
05 December 2008

Honda motor company CEO Takeo Fukui has apologised to Jenson Button after announcing the car manufacturer's decision to pull out of F1 immediately.

"It's a real shame for Jenson and I feel deeply sorry for him," Fukui said. "But we had no other choice in the current economic conditions."

Meanwhile Honda says it hasn't heard a reaction from Button who now faces up to potentially not racing in F1 next season.

Honda MD Hiroshi Oshima told Reuters, "I haven't spoken to Jenson so I don't know what his reaction is."

[HyperTek]

Formula One news: Honda boss confident of team sale - GPUpdate.net Formula One (http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2008/12/05/honda-boss-confident-of-team-sale/)

Honda boss confident of team sale
05 December 2008

Honda F1 CEO Nick Fry says he has three potential buyers for his outfit waiting in the wings after the Japanese company announced it was immediately pulling out of F1.

"In the last twelve house we've had three serious people come and suggest they'd like to buy the team," Fry told the BBC. "We're one of the best-funded teams and have the best assets and resources in the pit lane - we'd be quite a desirable asset for someone."

Reports suggest that Honda would be happy to sell the team to someone for no real price, just to get the outfit off its hands.

[HalveBlue]

Doesn't surprise me. F1 teams are money hogs.

If a company decides to field an F1 team you're looking at a few hundred million dollars to be competitive.

The rewards can be handsome for a successful team, but a company like Honda doesn't really need an F1 team.

Honda, with the exception of the NSX, never really produced an astounding sport cars. Their core focus has always been on efficient, naturally aspirated commuter/economy cars.

That not to say Honda hasn't brought out some fun, sporty cars. But in the end all the Type R's, were nothing more than ultra engineered versions of their regular passenger vehicles.

At this point in time, Honda made the right decision in pulling out of F1. A grand prix would have done nothing for Honda, which rests on the efficiency and reliability of their vehicles, not speed and power.

Honda was wise to eliminate such an expensive and unnecessary endeavor in the current economic climate.

[HyperTek]

you got a point imo. Honda doesnt souly produce high performance cars. But they do reflect that experience into their engine development.


The FIA announced on Friday that it believes it is now even more important to cut costs in Formula 1. 'The announcement of Honda's intended withdrawal from Formula One has confirmed the FIA's longstanding concern that the cost of competing in the World Championship is unsustainable,' a FIA statement said. In order to do so the FIA granted Cosworth the exclusive right to build a standard engine for Formula 1.

[ManoNegra]

wonder if it was really an economic decision that prompted this development
or whether it had to do with the fact that they weren't any good
and had a long and hard time ahead of them to become competitive?

[twotoes]

smart buisness decision, im sure if and when times get better we will see some sort of comeback.

[SexPanda]

I don't know what racing you been following but
they were attrocious - going from bad to worse -
to point of being embarrassed by their under financed
junior team (Super Aguri) in their recent F1 venture.

F1 history? I would agree with that.

lol let me explain my logic.

I hate the Patriots, the Yankees, and any other winning team. Its no fun to root for the winners...
I love the Detroit Lions (0-12 ftw), the Honda F1 team (they were good a while back), the Phillies, and the Arizona Cardinals. Oh and the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Theyre not doing horrible this year... But they're my team.

Then its that much sweeter when they DO win.

[neverrain]

wonder if it was really an economic decision that prompted this development
or whether it had to do with the fact that they weren't any good
and had a long and hard time ahead of them to become competitive?

This is likely more the reason. Auto sales in the US are down roughly 40% across the board, including Honda (and Nissan). 40% of car sales in the US is a lot of money.

[beeracing s14]

good... since this kills every honda ricer dreams of being the fastest.

[OptionZero]

Failing to upgrade the NSX or create a replacement before axing it + letting the S2k stagnate were huge blows to the sporting street cred of Honda.

Kinda pointless to have F1 expenses if you aren't gonna build sports cars.

[mRclARK1]

I heard just yesterday that they're selling the team or dissolving it. Either way, Honda is done with F1.

[Touge_Monster]

I like F1. I like Hondas. Bummer:wtc: