End of the road for Honda

Team confirm decision to pull out of F1

Last updated: 5th December 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

End of the road for Honda
We have come to the conclusion that we will withdraw from all Formula One activities, making 2008 the last season of participation.

Honda CEO Takeo Fukui.
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Honda have confirmed that they are to pull out of Formula One - although the Japanese company remain hopeful a buyer will be found for the team.

The announcement was due to be made by Honda Motorsport Corporation in Japan, ending the team's nine-year involvement in the sport.

Honda initially supported BAR with engines from 2000 to 2005 prior to becoming a team in their own right in 2006.

However, exactly seven months after withdrawing their financial support of Super Aguri - leading to that team's demise - Honda themselves are being forced to quit F1, citing the global credit crunch as the reason behind the end of their association with the sport.

"We have come to the conclusion that we will withdraw from all Formula One activities, making 2008 the last season of participation," Honda CEO Takeo Fukui said.

"This difficult decision was 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 crises and the sudden contraction of the world economies."

He continued: "The team had done a superb job of getting ready for the 2009 season and I offer my sincere apologies to everyone involved. I also apologize to our loyal fans who have supported us so well over the years in F1."

Despite pulling the team out, Fukui has said Honda would be open to offers from prospective buyers.

Consultation

"We will enter into consultation with the associates of the Honda racing team and its engine supplier Honda Racing Development regarding the future of the two companies," Fukui said.

"This will include offering the team for sale."

It is understood that if no buyer is found over the next few weeks, staff will be placed on three months' notice from January 1, while just nine teams and 18 cars will line up on the grid at the Australian Grand Prix on March 29.

It would also mean that Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello are out of a job after nine and 16 years in F1 respectively, unless there is a late reprieve.

Team principal Ross Brawn and chief executive Nick Fry had informed the other nine marques of Honda Japan's decision at a meeting in London on Thursday of the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA).

That was followed on Thursday evening when the 700 members of staff at the team's headquarters in Brackley, Northamptonshire, were told of the plans.

Earlier this year FIA president Max Mosley made it clear costs in F1 were spiralling out of control, claiming the sport was rapidly becoming "unsustainable."

Mosley has since urged teams to drastically reduce costs in order to survive, but the accelerated global economic downturn has only exacerbated the situation.

With Honda's bombshell certain to send shockwaves throughout the sport, it begs the question as to which other teams might also be on the brink of following in their footsteps.

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Comments (13)

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Tj Jagun says...

but honestly has he had as good a chance as say hamilton or both Ferrari drivers or even the renault drivers but his still got time to prove himself. I just think he is one of the most unlucky drivers in F1 history.

Posted 09:54 16th January 2009

Norman Liddell says...

whats all the fuss about the "great" jenson button? how many starts? over 100, how many wins? ONE!! the guy is just an average joe and will never be a champion just face up to it

Posted 23:40 7th December 2008

Tj Jagun says...

I agree this season was one of the best ive ever seen but honestly i think hamilton was lucky to win the champions ship because felipe massa was unlucky. but yh i feel gutted for the whole honda team after putting all there effort into the 2009 car then having to quit all together, bring back the old days of shumi vs mikka wow them days were great. Worst of all i hate the new rule that bands most arrodynamics on the cars, you might as well have bricks on the tracks but hopefully 2009 will be a great season for everyone watch out for vettel

Posted 14:34 5th December 2008

Mat D says...

I still find it bizarre how Honda continued to pay Jenson Button £20million per season!!

Posted 13:18 5th December 2008

Martyn Baxter says...

Lets face it Jenson should just give up, he is a very average driver. OK so the car was not great but Rubens got 11 points against Jenson's 3 so if anyone deserves to stay in F1 it's Rubens. Jenson had the chance to leave years ago and decided to stay.

Posted 11:29 5th December 2008

Deco Martino says...

Im sad to see honda going, they hadd poured a lot into development and its a pity it hadnt worked out. Rubens will be missed sorly, pity he left ferarai. Thank god jensons gone tho, one of the most over rated drivers in formula one history, he couldn drive his granny to the shop

Posted 10:45 5th December 2008

Chris Conroy-smith says...

This is not a real suprise, F1 has become its own worst enemy, I believe the people in charge have forgotten what F1 should be all about....Racing. For years its been advertised as the pinacle of motorsport, rubbish, the pinnacle of motorsport is clearly WRC, where events are won by seconds after days of competiton and the cars actually ressemble a recognisible car brand and are quick on tarmac, ice, mud and gravel and all that for less than a quarter if that of most F1 teams budgets. Either F1 gets back to basics of close wheel to wheel racing for sensible money or it will cease to exist. The problem as i see it is it has been turned from a sport into a business and because of the arrogant way it has been run for the past few years 700 families in Oxfordshire face potential ruin and if Renault F1 go the same way which I expect the to then thats nearly 1500 highly skilled unemployed people in oxfordshire looking for work that doesnt exist. So thanks to the guys in charge for screwing up a great sport that could of been run as a great business, but instead we have people facing finacial collapse because of their miss management and arrogance.

Posted 10:21 5th December 2008

Gary Riley says...

How frustrating must that be for Jenson Button!! He had a bad season due to the car, and had put all his hopes into next seasons car!! I think he should be given a contract with Maclaren. Jenson and Hamilton all the way :)

Posted 09:39 5th December 2008

Nick Gilbert says...

Please Please somebody give Button a drive - he is arguable one of the best on the grid, and certainly one of few who can give Hamilton and Alonso a run for their money. Ron Dennis - sign Button up as test driver with view to having an all british driver line up for mcClaren for 2010.

Posted 09:31 5th December 2008

Ian Dance says...

im totally gutted firstly for the sport secondly for Jenson.. he is with out doubt the most unlucky driver in the sport!! he is probably the best british talent we have in motorsport yes Lewis is good but could he really produce the kind of drives JB has in what can only be described as a honda civic with spoilers??? I feel devastated for the whole team in Brackley who in Ross Brawns hands were heading for a championship. Guys chin up u can be proud of what u have done and lets hope the rumours of a Ferrari engine and a new owner are just round the corner...How bout a Ferrari ' B ' team?? Mclaren have done it with force India.. Reunite Schui with Rosss Brawn theres no credit crunch in Schuey's house....

Posted 09:24 5th December 2008

Dave Keefe says...

some team must Button a drive give him a decent car he will deliver hes so underated hes lead a bad team for years and bad car and never moaned in public, think he should have left years ago when he had chance to,F1 will be worse off without him all the best Jenson

Posted 08:57 5th December 2008

Adam Smith says...

This looks like a shareholders decision, as I seriously doubt that a massive international company like Honda could not sustain it. I really doubt any of the other teams are going to leave as well. Unfortunately, I think this is the end for Rubens, but I really do hope it is not the last we see of Jenson. He is a possible contender for the drivers championship in the right car and should be offered a drive in one of the top 4 teams next season.

Posted 08:29 5th December 2008

Marc Saxon says...

F1 is rapidly falling apart. Last season was one of the best for a long time but so much overshadowed the events on the track such as Silverstone losing it's place and the Mclaren/Ferrari scandals. Now we have Honda quitting, Alonso and ferrari allegedly wanting to follow suit, disappointment with the new BBC line up and the ugliest cars ever seen. I have followed F1 for 23 years and Ill be gutted if it continues on it's current downward spiral. As F1 is more safer than ever can't we go back to how the cars were in the mid 90's?

Posted 08:14 5th December 2008
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