Will Gray

Manufacturer exodus all part of the cycle

Fri Nov 06 09:36AM

Ferrari may have made a theatrical statement about their views on Formula One's manufacturer exodus - but motorsport history shows this re-privatisation of the sport was always on the cards.

Toyota's decision to quit the sport immediately, followed by Renault's admission that they cannot rule out doing the same, has sent more shockwaves through Formula One. In a period of less than a year the sport has lost Honda, BMW and Toyota, leaving Renault and Ferrari as the only manufacturer teams remaining.

The constant bickering seen this season between the manufacturers and the governing body over the future regulations and different budget-cutting solutions have certainly unsettled the sport, but Ferrari's almost childish suggestions that the manufacturers have been ‘bullied' out of the sport are surely farcical.

In reality, the manufacturer-filled grids of two years ago were never healthy for the sport - which is why the FIA battled so hard to make life easier for the independents and ensure not only that those in the sport were able to survive but also that the doors could easily be opened to others who wanted to come in and fill the space when the manufacturers walked away.

Many different series have experienced some sort of manufacturer yo-yo effect, but the British Touring Car Championship in the 1990s followed a fascinatingly similar path to current day Formula One.

The series always had a steady set of manufacturers but a strong media package and a new simple set of rules drew manufacturers in, leading to greater race attendances, larger television audiences around the world and increasing hype. In just two seasons the field grew from two works teams to eight and a few years later, at its height, ten different car manufacturers were on the grid.

But as competitiveness amongst the frontrunners increased, a lack of budget-trimming regulations saw the costs spiral and those who were not at the front had to face serious questions from their board members as to why. Certain teams dominated for a while, so rule changes such as one-shot qualifying were brought in to spice things up - but messing with the formula failed to achieve success.

Soon enough, the first few manufacturers began to pull out and others used the opportunity to do the same. As the amount of manufacturers reduced, the value offered from the series in terms of promotion for the other manufacturers (for there were fewer rivals to beat) also reduced and by 2000 there were just three left, each running three cars to make up the numbers and increase the quality of a field now filled with privateers.

Sound familiar?

If Renault do decide to follow the rest out the door, Ferrari will be the only manufacturer team (unless newcomers Lotus count, which I suppose by definition they should) - and whether or not they will need to run more cars to make up the numbers will only be clear as we head through the winter...

Comments1 - 22 of 22

Ferrari should rebrand themselves Machiavelli F1 they were the first to scream and shout that cost cutting was not an option and the first to promote the idea of a breakaway series, if they had just shut up and listened to Mad Max Honda, BMW and Toyota would still be in F1.
Lotus should do the proper thing and rebrand its self Proton Megavalve F1 before it starts seriously devaluing the worth of the Lotus Brand
From arttidesco on Fri Nov 06 10:27AM
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NEW BBC TOP GEAR SERIES 14 STARTS 9PM SUNDAY 15TH ON BBC2 THATS 9PM TELL YOUR MATES!
From marshalljames98 on Fri Nov 06 10:37AM
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Thanks for that Marshall. So what will this new series bring then. Same as always?? 4 or 5 original very well put together, very funny programmes and then 10 or 12 programmes of repeats made up of hashed up bits from the first 4 or 5 programmes mixed in with some filler from the last two series?? The BBC did a fantastic job with their F1 coverage but come to programmes where they actually have to have some input themselves and they completely fu*k it up. Sort it out beeb!!
From n3on_skys on Fri Nov 06 10:54AM
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By definition, the manufacturers remaining in F1 are Ferrari and Renault. they are the only ones from my point of view who completely control and manufacture all facits of the produce. They may purchase certain small items from common suppliers, but otherwise they make everything. One might well ask why Mercedes are not a manufacturer, the answer is that they may own a goodly portion of the McLaren stock, they do not, as a corporate entity control McLaren, they only provide powerplant, driveline components. Mercedes pulling out of F1 would not mean the loss of McLaren like the loss of Toyota means that Toyota are gone from F1.
All of the new teams and those remaining from FOTA, except for Renault, manufacture all but the drive-line / power-plant modules so they are not full manufacturers, by the previous definition.
These remaining teams, plus Ferrari should be what comprises F1 and certain changes should be made to the Concorde to insure that the make-up of the teams never reverts to manufacturer control again. Max and Bernie loved manufacturers in F1 because they brought money that mostly ended up in Bernie's wallet. That is not, and never was a good thing. I am glad that day is gone.
Manufacturere should be encouraged to participate in F1 as providers of certain specified such as engines, etc; but they must be limited to minority partnership / silent partnership roles.
From larsonrc41 on Fri Nov 06 11:23AM
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I cannot bleieve how many people on here are claiming to have supporters of the cost cutting measures Mosley proposed.
The posts I remember reading were 90% critical, and basically read that he had no idea what he was doing.
Now that teams a re pulling out a lot of people here claim to have supported this from the beginning.
~shakes head~
From thevillageidiot_01 on Fri Nov 06 11:27AM
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NEW SERIES 14. TOP GEAR STARTS SUNDAY THE 15TH NOVEMBER ON BBC2 AT 9PM THATS 9PM TELL YOUR MATES!
From marshalljames98 on Fri Nov 06 11:48AM
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Everybody knew the perils of a series dominated by the big manufacturers. Bernie even voiced his worries time and again. No manufacturer should be allowed to own more that 25% of a team and no manufacturer shold be allowed to invest in more than two teams. If they want the prestige of being in F1 they should be restricted to providing the engine/gearbox assembly.
From jupiter19502000 on Fri Nov 06 12:06PM
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Change is good, they will all be back again one day.
From kitemares on Fri Nov 06 12:34PM
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The only constants with F1 over the last 40 odd years ar Ferrari and McLaren. Everybody else comes and goes. F1 survives and evolves, end of.
From grahamnpotter on Fri Nov 06 01:01PM
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Lotus?? Sorry its definately not Lotus by definition or craft. Lotus running a Cosworth engine with a hint of Proton hidden somewhere within? The lines are certainly blurry with that lot but Lotus it definately not. I would not be surprise to see them backing up the rest of the grid.
From ldpeanuts on Fri Nov 06 01:57PM
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mclaren are a manufacturer even without mercedes, a good journalist would know this
From paulhancock1123 on Fri Nov 06 04:03PM
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We need competition in this sport, so don't cut back on cost, spend spend and more spending.
From steve686e on Fri Nov 06 05:18PM
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paulhancock1123. In this instance Will Gray is defining manufacturer as a maker of road cars. A good reader would know that.
From grahamnpotter on Fri Nov 06 06:19PM
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He and the rest of us are talking Volume Manufacturers, not specialist limited edition sports cars. How many McLaren F1 or McLaren Merc SLs have you seen on the road.
From jupiter19502000 on Fri Nov 06 07:25PM
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max was an ogre in f1 just like the man he replaced,and bernie well bernie is just greedy! if he had given the teams their fair share of tv money none of the teams would be leaving.The manufacturers bring technology to f1 rather dumb it down which max has done with his incesant tinkering.Bring back turbos,active suspension,ground effect,traction control etc etc and make f1 what it should be the high tech formula for real fans.
From p.read180 on Fri Nov 06 08:00PM
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The idea that the FIA has made it easier, or tried to make it easier for independents, would not find much appaulse in the Mclaren pits, as a neutral I think they have had a hard time !
From voiture.classique on Fri Nov 06 09:36PM
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grahamnpotter ,mclaren are a maunufacturer, end of. A specialist non manufacturer F1 team would be williams, Force india, redbull etc,. mclaren are just as much a constructor now as ferrari, maybe not a couple of years ago ,but they are now
From paulhancock1123 on Fri Nov 06 09:37PM
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Will Grey is right. This is all part of the cycle. You can look at McLaren and Williams as examples of teams that have been through the thick and thin. The manufacturers will come and go, this is inevitable. I think that cost cutting measures will only hurt the sports development aspect, which is fairly unique in motorsport these days. The smart team principals will police themselves as far as budget goes, and continue to run their teams as a business by making sound decisions. At the end of the day, guys like Frank Williams, Ron Denis, Stefano Domenicali, Ross Brawn are racers and racing is their business. The others just come and go as it is fashionable. As far as I am concerned they can go.
From petergabrich on Sat Nov 07 04:20AM
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grahamnpotter perhaps you should do some reading as you clearly forget the Macl;aren F1 and also the fact that Maclaren automotive are making a new road going car but then a person who follows F1 as a sport rather than just following one car would know that too
From darren.shepperd on Sat Nov 07 11:36PM
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HAMILTONS F1 RECORDS= MOST POINTS IN DEBUT SEASON-109
MOST WINS IN DEBUT SEAON-4
MOST POLES IN DEBUT SEASON-6
YOUNGEST F1 CHAMPION.
MR BUMFLUFF BUTTON 7 RACE WINS, 6 WINS WITH A CHEATING REAR DEFUSER
MR POTTER ASUN THICK AS A SHITT
From brorybreaker on Sun Nov 08 01:17AM
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interesting problem for F1 but thats because an F1 winner is 66% car-33% driver, unlike motorcycling, which is 66% rider, 33% bike. We need more skill back in F1 as it used to be.
From heavymessing on Sun Nov 08 12:39PM
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I think car manufacturers are a good thing for F1, anyway. They give exposure for F1. Anyway, I think e.g. Toyota didn't have passion for F1, like Mercedes have. That's why they didn't have success. I think privateers aren't any better thing for F1, especially if they are in F1 for exposure but not for passion for motorsports. However, also privateers like Williams must be able to race in F1.
From k.august90 on Mon Nov 09 07:10PM
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