Fuji's very brief return to F1

[Sureboss]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8137626.stm

The future of the Japanese Grand Prix has been thrown into doubt by Fuji Speedway's decision not to host the race in 2010.

Toyota, the track's owner, has blamed cost-cutting needs amid the global economic downturn for its decision.

Fuji had hosted the race for the last two years but was next due to host it in 2010 after starting a swap deal with Honda-owned Suzuka, its previous home.

Suzuka has not said whether it would be prepared to host the race every year.

Toyota, the world's largest car company, suffered a record £2.8bn loss in the year to March 2009 and is expecting its finances to be worse this year.

"It has become extremely difficult for us to host the F1 Grand Prix as we face the deteriorating economic environment and see few signs showing a swift economic recovery," Fuji Speedway said in a statement.

Could we see Toyota pull of F1 completely?

 

[Tired Tyres]

This is more likely to be down to FOM's ludicrous 30 million a year to host a race deal. That's what's causing tracks to drop off the calendar and that is the real threat to the future of F1 rather than the budgets of the teams.

 

[Sureboss]

They'll still make a nice profit on a race weekend, so I don't believe it is that.

 

[yeti]

They'll still make a nice profit on a race weekend, so I don't believe it is that.

Can't see the Turkish GP making a profit with it's 5 spectators?!

C.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

They'll still make a nice profit on a race weekend, so I don't believe it is that.

Yeah, but they don't, because all the track signage goes to Allsport (owned by Paddy McNally and B Ecclestone), and half the gate goes to FOM as well as all of the programme sales. So the circuit's ability to earn from F1 is limited. Of course, the government-owned circuits don't care about this, but the private circuits do.

I wonder if Toyota withdrawing the bankrolling for "their" GP could be heralding another pull-out?

As for Fuji, I'm not sad to see it go. It's charmless in comparison with Suzuka, and the Tilke twiddles at the end are rubbish to watch and (on GT4/GT5 anyway) awful to drive.

 

[Jordan]

It's charmless in comparison with Suzuka, and the Tilke twiddles at the end are rubbish to watch and (on GT4/GT5 anyway) awful to drive.

Glad I'm not the only one who feels that way about those last few turns. I cringe ever time I make my way through them.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

It's a bit of a shame to see the circuit disappear from F1 so soon, after two exciting races. Apart from the upgrades to Coca-Cola, 100R and the following hairpin, I think the upgrades were great. I really enjoy the modified turn 1, in GT4 I always found it a bit more challenging than the pre-2005 turn 1 and it's proven to be a little difficult to get right in GT5: Prologue. The final twisty section was a bit tight, but I've enjoyed my virtual drives through there.

At least motorsport is fairly big in Japan, so the circuit will still get some use and the upgrades wont be a complete waste. Couldn't quite say the same if Istanbul Park or Sakhir were to be dropped.

 

[Peter]

Fuji is the track of understeer, but I love it. Not a big loss though, because I love Suzuka more

 

[Tired Tyres]

Suzuka is much more technical and satisfying when you put a good lap together in GT5P but I personally really like the last few corners at the new Fuji. The only bit I don't like is the chicane.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

I hope Suzuka can do the GP every year. I like it much better, since it has a more natural feel. Fuji has a formulaic almost robotic feel to it.

 

[yeti]

Fuji is the track of understeer, but I love it. Not a big loss though, because I love Suzuka more

I dislike the new Fuji - it never feels hooked up in the last few bends...

The old Fuji was far nicer to drive - albeit a lot easier too.

C.

 

[TheCracker]

It makes you wonder what Toyota (likewise Honda with Suzuka) actually gets from hosting a GP at 'their' circuit. It's unlikely that they make any money from the event and quite likely that they actually loose millions. And it's not like they'll get some payback through positive publicity from it either, 99.9% of viewers won't even know that Toyota own Fuji, likewise again with Honda/Suzuka.

 

[Ardius]

It makes you wonder what Toyota (likewise Honda with Suzuka) actually gets from hosting a GP at 'their' circuit. It's unlikely that they make any money from the event and quite likely that they actually loose millions. And it's not like they'll get some payback through positive publicity from it either, 99.9% of viewers won't even know that Toyota own Fuji, likewise again with Honda/Suzuka.

Other than (at Fuji at least anyway) they plaster their logos everywhere and at one point Fuji even tried to essentially ban all flags and banners for any other team but Toyota

I see this as a way for Toyota to save money the same as Honda did, but rather than pull out of funding an F1 team, they've pulled the plug on their circuit, the opposite to Honda (sort of, Honda are still funding Brawn though).

 

[Pupik]

It makes you wonder what Toyota (likewise Honda with Suzuka) actually gets from hosting a GP at 'their' circuit. It's unlikely that they make any money from the event and quite likely that they actually loose millions. And it's not like they'll get some payback through positive publicity from it either, 99.9% of viewers won't even know that Toyota own Fuji, likewise again with Honda/Suzuka.

Ego.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

It makes you wonder what Toyota (likewise Honda with Suzuka) actually gets from hosting a GP at 'their' circuit. It's unlikely that they make any money from the event and quite likely that they actually loose millions. And it's not like they'll get some payback through positive publicity from it either, 99.9% of viewers won't even know that Toyota own Fuji, likewise again with Honda/Suzuka.

Do you really think so? I'd be surprised if less than 20% of non-domestic F1 viewers did not know or find out at some point during a GP weekend. And I would imagine that the number of domestic viewers who knew would be much higher.