PARIS — While the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile questions the legality of Toyota's withdrawal from Formula 1, another participating manufacturer — Renault — is rumored to be wavering in its commitment to the global Grand Prix series.
Toyota confirmed yesterday that it has decided to terminate its participation in F1, ending a nine-year effort.
The FIA, headquartered in Paris, released a statement expressing its concern in light of the fact that Toyota was among the 13 teams to have signed an agreement in August, committing to compete through 2012.
"Urgent clarification is now being sought from the Toyota F1 team as to its legal position in relation to the Championship," the FIA statement read.
Since December, three manufacturers — Honda and BMW preceded Toyota — have abandoned F1, all of them citing economic pressures. Bridgestone, the series' exclusive tire supplier, also announced it would not renew its contract with F1, but did agree to honor its commitment through the end of next season.
Meanwhile, French automaker Renault — one of only three manufacturers left in F1 — is reported to have called an emergency meeting to question its own participation in the wake of Toyota's announcement.
The Financial Times is reporting that while speaking at a press conference near Paris on Thursday to announce the location of Renault's electric car plant, Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said: "We will make an announcement on our participation in Formula One before the end of the year."
Renault appeared to be solid for next season, having signed Robert Kubica to replace Fernando Alonso, who won two championships for the team and is leaving to drive for Ferrari next season.
Renault is operating under a suspended two-year ban from the sport after it admitted guilt on charges of conspiring to fix the outcome of the 2008 Singapore GP, which Alonso won.
Inside Line says: Motor racing carried on through 2009 in spite of dire worldwide economic difficulties, but clearly, the recession is taking its toll on the sport. — David Green, Correspondent
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f23a says:
01:20 PM, 11/06/2009
Maybe a small pocket of fanatics. Most of us don't care about F1 anymore.
zoomzoomn says:
04:48 AM, 11/06/2009
I'm not a fan of F1. The drama and monetary investment that once seemed to make it nearly on par with royalty has simply gotten too dramatic and monetarily over the top! It's a wonder that manufacturers have stuck it out as long as they have, especially in this economic climate. F1's hey-day passed, to me, some twenty plus years ago. While I take nothing away from the technical masterpieces the cars are and the incredibly sharp individuals that drive them, it just gets boring watching cars blur by...mostly one at a time!
clarkma5 says:
11:33 PM, 11/05/2009
F1's great, but you gotta be pretty determined to follow it in the US.
atenza94546 says:
10:26 PM, 11/05/2009
Of Course, Americans don't know how to make turns their cars. So stupid even they will crash while going straight on Freeway. But if Americans don't really care about F1 why the F they joint F1 and wants to compete agianst the rest of the world. Americans????
davesuton says:
08:01 PM, 11/05/2009
Does anyone on America really care about Formula 1?