Automobile News

The Formula One season is barely over and here comes the news that Honda Motor Company Ltd no longer wants to be a part of the championship next year. The news is quite stunning as it has created uncertainty over the future of company’s Formula One team, especially its young bunch of drivers who may have to sit out next year, unless of course some one comes forward and resurrects their career.

Honda Motor’s, who proclaimed its decision with immediate effect, has put its Formula One team for sale, but there is also a bounding clause which states that if no buyer is found for the Northants-based team by March, then they will stay away from the competition in the 2009 season.

A cloud of uncertainty therefore looms above the entire team, which is more pronounced in the case of Ross Brawn who only last year made a move from Ferrari to Honda. The same is the case with the other two drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello who might find themselves without a team to compete for in 2009, consequently making it a low point of their career.

Meanwhile, Honda has clarified that the recent financial crisis is the reason behind the company’s strategic decision, as the company is finding it increasingly difficult to come to terms with dwindling unit sales. As a result it looks like we might unfortunately not get to see Honda in next year’s Formula One Championship Edition on the PS3. Add to that the not so inspiring display by Honda F1, and it is quite logical of the company to take the intelligent step. Takeo Fukui, president Honda Motors, emphasized that keeping in view the current crisis it is imperative of the company to protect its core business and secure long term objectives. He also accepted the reality that it will take some time before the company makes a turn around.

Bringing an end to month long speculations about which venue will be entrusted with the responsibility of hosting the 2009 Renault World Series, Renault has recently announced that Silverstone will take up the remaining slot to effectively seal the race calendar for the 2009 Formula Renault UK. For those who are new to the World Series, it is both like and unlike conventional Formula One racing, as it combines the nuances of on-track racing and Formula One demonstrations coupled with off-track activities.

Just two weeks prior to the British Grand Prix, the Northamptonshire circuit is slated to host the first leg of the competition by Renault on 4th and 5th July 2009.

Formula Renault UK, Michelin Championship and 2009 ELF Renault Clio Cup, each have two races at World Series by Renault. The remaining 18 rounds are contested by both one-make championships alongside the British Touring Car Championship at circuits across the UK that takes off on 4th and 5th April 2009.

A major sporting event in the British calendar, the event has been generating a lot of eye balls in recent times. If attendance figures are to be taken as a criteria to measure an event’s popularity, the World Series by Renault would rank second best only to the British GP with six-figure attendance figures in 2007 and 2008. The highlight of this ‘free for all’ event happens to be the demonstrations by ING Renault F1 Team.

Speaking on the sidelines after announcing the selection of Silverstone Grand Prix circuit as the venue for World Series by Renault in 2009, Renault UK Director of Press and PR Tim Jackson said that the team is happy to come back to the prestigious venue again in 2009, especially after witnessing a remarkable success story in 2008, when a record 110,000 spectators witnessed the spectacle.

These have been event filled times for Red Bull Racing: First, David Coulthard announced he was resigning at the end of the season, then the contract extension with Mark Webber was official confirmed. So it’s still open who Mark Webber’s team mate will be – and now the speculation can start.

Because if Red Bull Racing wanted to, they could get Sebastian Vettel in an instant, who is actually under contract with Red Bull, not Toro Rosso, and can be easily switched between both teams. But: “We are in no hurry to announce the second driver. There is a lot of speculation regarding Sebastian Vettel, but nothing has been finalized” explains the team leader Christian Horner.

The logic behind this decision is simple: Vettel isn’t going anywhere anyway because of his contractual obligations, that way the racing team can comfortably take a look at the transfer market and see if they can’t pick up a superstar. Especially because many people think Fernando Alonso, who isn’t happy at Renault, won’t return to McLaren-Mercedes and might not find a spot at Ferrari.

Horner says: “We want to have the two best available drivers. If this is Sebastian, then great, but we can afford to wait over the summer. We are going to see what else happens on the driver market.” A candidate from Red Bull’s own racing organizations, like Vettel, is of course ideal, but on the other side the “Young Bulls”, such as Sebastian Buemi or Ben Hanley, aren’t quite ripe enough for Formula 1.

Furthermore, Horner explains that Coulthard only informed them of his resignation at the last podium in Canada, not at the beginning of the season: “David made his decision before the race in Montreal, but we waited till Silverstone to announce it. It was his decision. We respect it. And we have more or less been in agreement with Mark since Monaco.”

As the then freshly crowned world champion Fernando Alonso switched from Renault to McLaren-Mercedes at the end of 2006, he also brought the Spanish bank “Santander” with him as a main sponsor. The only problem was that Alonso left the team after one season, and the doors for the Spanish sponsors were closed at Renault which Alonso rejoined. At Renault the Dutch ING bank apparently holds the monopoly on sponsoring.

However, the Alonso/Santander team could pair up again in 2010, but this time at Ferrari. According to reports, the Spanish sponsors are eyeing a possible partnership with Ferrari.

It’s no giant secret that Alonso fancies a partnership with Ferrari, and the possible deal between the Spanish Bank and the Italians has only helped to further rumours, even if Santander spokespeople are remaining quiet. “We won’t comment”, the Santader spokesperson was quoted as saying. “We have a contract with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes that runs until the end of 2009.”

Alonso’s contract with Renault lasts just as long, although it also contains an early exit clause. Of course Ferrari is not at all the only possible destination for the Spaniard. The BMW Sauber F1 Team, as well as Honda or Red Bull, would all also like to vie for the Spaniard’s services.