Renault may yet withdraw from F1 as a constructor

[fat jez]

Rumours continue to persist that Renault may withdraw from F1 as a constructor and remain only as an engine manufacturer, despite signing Kubica for next season.

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/091022133719.shtml

 

[Brogan]

I suggested this may happen after the Singapore race fixing issue was finally over.

No doubt Renault threatened to leave which is why the penalty was non existent so lenient and yet they may still do so.
If they do it will serve the FIA right for allowing themselves to be held to ransom.

 

[teabagyokel]

Please allow me to shed a tear. Oh wait, none coming! Qadback ftw!

 

[RickD]

There have been rumours that Renault will leave for about as long as they've been back in the sport..

 

[Speshal]

Could it be also the scrapping for the $50million bond that may have helped?

 

[fedupwithuserids]

Why do you think they didn't get a penalty for race fixing, it was to try to encourage them to stay in F1 as a team.

When Mclaren where up for spying, the FIA said that the actions of one team member would result in punishment for the whole team. This cobbled together rule was soon forgotten to benefit the F1 money train and Renault.

Renault engines haven't exactly been that great this year, so I don't think the new teams will be knocking at the door waving open cheque books!

Off thread but : - Oh and where McLaren not awarded the engine management system contract for F1 in the same year thus negateing their fine. I could have got the facts wrong, just something I picked up on.

 

[GeoffP]

It's a shame that the farce that was the treatment of McLaren must keep getting called to account as a result of the new transient nature of F1.

It is unfortunate that when all the fans can draw parallels between punishments the establishment cannot, if there had been a financial aspect of the renault punishment that was triggered in the even that they did not succesfully complete the suspended term ...

 

[fat jez]

Rats, this way off the sinking ship

Renault have just held an emergency board meeting to discuss their long term future in F1.

Renault have held an emergency board meeting in Paris to discuss pulling out of Formula 1 with immediate effect.

The French car company was considering whether to remain in the sport with its own team, switch to simply being an engine supplier or quit altogether.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8343221.stm

 

[cider_and_toast]

And down comes the house of cards.

 

[fat jez]

Aye, leaving only Ferrari and Mercedes as being the only car manufacturers still in F1. Bernie and Max, what have you done?

 

[fedupwithuserids]

fat_jez said:

Aye, leaving only Ferrari and Mercedes as being the only car manufacturers still in F1. Bernie and Max, what have you done?

Max did say he wanted to leave a legacy - not sure he meant this thou.

 

[fat jez]

Max did say he wanted to leave a legacy - not sure he meant this thou.

Well, I don't blame Max for all of this mess - he did want the budget caps after all. I point the finger more at Bernie's attempts to squeeze every last ounce of profit out of the sport for his benefit and not the good of the sport.

 

[fedupwithuserids]

fat_jez said :

I point the finger more at Bernie's attempts to squeeze every last ounce of profit out of the sport for his benefit and not the good of the sport.

I agree.

All Bernie's decisions are about profit for himself and the CVC, F1 as a sport is secondary.

It sucks really, its us the fans that suffer and recently with Honda, BMW, Donnington, Bridgestone, Toyota them as well. Without the tracks, teams and suppliers you ain't left with much.

Max's problem is he ran the FIA as a dictatorship, he thought of an idea and tried to force it upon the teams, again and again. So no FOTA member would trust him. Far better to drop a few hints, whisper in a few ears, so FOTA would have come up with the budget cuts by themselves - problem solved.

 

[Brogan]

If Renault do withdraw, what are the odds of Briatore buying the team?

 

[bogaTYR]

renault is holding an extraordinary meeting to discuss its f1 future. first signs are not too promising.

 

[bogaTYR]

official statement from renault:

http://www.renault-f1.fr/Jean-Francois- ... re-3eme-en

short translation: we will stay in F1, our goal is to be the third team. we confirm robert kubica but have dioubts about grosjean.

 

[GeoffP]

official statement from renault:

http://www.renault-f1.fr/Jean-Francois- ... re-3eme-en

short translation: we will stay in F1, our goal is to be the third team. we confirm robert kubica but have dioubts about grosjean.

Looks positive, and I'll bet there's an ex-Toyota driver out there who's young, enthusiastic and cheap and just discovered he's lost his drive for next year, thats worth getting on the books.

I would say it would be a perfect opportunity for Kobayashi, and there's a guy who's going to be somewhere on a lot of shopping lists - with Renault, he might be one who would be happy to take a 12 month contract

 

[fat jez]

Still not confirmed that Renault will stay. The official word from Renault HQ is that they'll make a decision by the end of the year.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80031

 

[Brogan]

That must be troubling for Red Bull.

From that article:

Renault is the only manufacturer team left in Formula 1 following the exits of Honda, BMW and Toyota in the last 12 months.

Err, what's Ferrari then?

 

[fat jez]

That must be troubling for Red Bull.

Err, what's Ferrari then?

Honestly Brogan, don't you know that Ferrari consider themselves an independent?*





*When it suits them