Honda to leave F1?

[marina 0]

:? :? :?

By July 2004 Honda will decide whether they stay on in F1 or leave. It all depends on the results up until GBritain Gp on July the 7th.

This cannot be very good news.

[nojvnof1 0]

goodbye and good riddance to Honda if they do leave. They've provided nothing but very heavy and unreliable time bombs, unlike their previous shots at F1 with McLaren and Williams. That's what you get when a marketing division is head of racing department I guess. Just a thought, what with BAR do with Sato if Honda do leave??

shaun

[webber 0]

and what engines will BAR use

[Senna 0]

"Goodbye and good riddance to Honda if they do leave. They've provided nothing but very heavy and unreliable time bombs, unlike their previous shots at F1 with McLaren and Williams. That's what you get when a marketing division is head of racing department I guess. Just a thought, what with BAR do with Sato if Honda do leave??"

Excellent post. Honda also force pathetic drivers on teams, see Sato for Jordan in 2002 and BAR in 2004 when both teams had agreements with Honda, further more they aren’t particularly powerful either. No one will miss Honda. My prediction is that if Sato performs as he did in 2002 for the 2004 season he will be sacked.

[Thor 0]

They don't leave.,they buy BAR

[nichosnz 0]

Honda buy BAR, thats is quite funny.

[Taku 0]

i don't think honda will leave, especially now that toyota are in f1, jv's out and sato's in, and some of their engineers are properly integrated in the team and not just rotating.

the decision will still need to be made on that date, but i think they will stay.

and you people are way too harsh! sato is more than capable, and is in the early stages of his f1 career. i don't think he was anymore volatile than massa or kimi in their debut seasons, and he was driving the jordan against fisi, who could make a schumacher look ordinary. gary anderson also said recently that something like not even half of the crashes were his fault at jordan.

i grant you his future would be shaky if honda pulled out tho, but so would a lot of drivers without manufacturer backing.

[Senna 0]

Kimi Raikkonen’s debut was against Heidfeld – A person who McLaren rate highly. Kimi performed very well in his debut season and showed great promise – hence McLaren signed him. Sato on the other hand was paired against Fisichella who is also a good driver but your comment does amuse me, “fisi, who could make a schumacher look ordinary”. Ralf is a poor driver – he is incapable of overtaking and cannot race his brother, his teammates generally beat him and Montoya has demolished him. Why Ralf Schumacher is rated so highly by some baffles me. I think they simply hear the word `Schumacher` and assume that Ralf is as good as his brother – which of course he isn’t. Then there is also the fact that Sato did crash a lot! Twice, I do believe, into his teammate! You cannot compare Kimi, a very good driver, to Sato, who is someone who shouldn’t be in F1.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Alistair I think you should give him some chance though, at least, to see what he does in 2004. He won't be great, but might stick himself into the midfield for a few years with the occasional points.

But he can't be compared to Kimi. While Ralf can't be compared to Sato. Ralf is a good driver, he was Damon Hill-equal in 1998 and I don't think Montoya has demolished him at all. Ralf was significantly faster than Juan often during 2003, so as long as his salary demands don't become silly, I think he will stay at Williams and at the top.

[webber 0]

i don't think honda will leave, especially now that toyota are in f1, jv's out and sato's in, and some of their engineers are properly integrated in the team and not just rotating.

the decision will still need to be made on that date, but i think they will stay.

and you people are way too harsh!  sato is more than capable, and is in the early stages of his f1 career.  i don't think he was anymore volatile than massa or kimi in their debut seasons, and he was driving the jordan against fisi, who could make a schumacher look ordinary.  gary anderson also said recently that something like not even half of the crashes were his fault at jordan.

i grant you his future would be shaky if honda pulled out tho, but so would a lot of drivers without manufacturer backing.

yea massa was and still is s##t house

[Senna 0]

(2003)

JPM = 82 points

Ralf = 58 points

Did you see Suzuka? JPM passes Barichello then builds up a huge lead in a few laps then retires while on course for ten more points. Ralf is at the back of the grid and spins multiple times trying to work his way up the field.

[marina 0]

Higgins has now changed his attitude towards Honda leaving F1, now he said that they wont leave until they are successfull in F1.

Otmar Szafnauer said there are no plans to leave F1 and they will probably get a 2 year extension with Bar.

Good news.

[Taku 0]

Kimi Raikkonen

[Taku 0]

While Ralf can't be compared to Sato. Ralf is a good driver, he was Damon Hill-equal in 1998 and I don't think Montoya has demolished him at all. Ralf was significantly faster than Juan often during 2003, so as long as his salary demands don't become silly, I think he will stay at Williams and at the top.

i wasn't saying sato is as good as ralf, just that his rookie seasn was all the more difficult because he was fisi's teammate, who also managed to make ralf, a race-winner, look ordinary. and i agree with your assessment of rallf completely, when on his game, he can match and beat jpm. eg quali 02 vs 03

my main point: sato has a future in f1, and don't let rookie mistakes cloud the bigger picture. all good drivers have had them.