Formula One is going through a huge change in the lineup of teams in the sport. The latest to announce its withdrawal is the hugely funded Toyota team. The question for many is what this will mean for the sport.
The last fifteen years have seen the conversion of Formula One from a privateer team lineup to one that was dominated by manufacturers. While Ferrari was a constant, companies like Honda, BMW, Toyota and Renault went all in with teams and budgets in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The arrival of the "big boys" gave the sport a shot of adrenaline, but made funding a real problem for many of the privateers who started to fall out of the sport left and right.
No team exemplified this change more than Toyota. The company announced it would be entering F1 in 2000 with an actual launch date set for 2002. The team has a stunning debate by finishing in the points [6th] place in its very first race. Given the huge budget of a reported five hundred million dollars, the future looked incredibly bright. Many touted Toyota for a host of championships and a position in the upper echelon of Formula One with Ferrari.
Alas, things didn't work out so well. Arguably, the 6th place finish in its first race was the highlight of the Toyota F1 effort. While the team did grab some top 3 finishes, it never did win a race in seven years on the circuit. The problems ranged from poor car designs to baffling driver selections. Combined, the team was an annual disappointment and often derided in the pits and on broadcasts. Given this, the surprise isn't that Toyota is pulling out, but that it took them so long.
So, what does this mean for Formula One moving forward? The answer is it doesn't mean much of anything. Toyota was a middle field team at best. It's loss will have no real impact on either the driver or constructor championships. Toyota rarely fails at anything, but it will be licking its wounds from Formula One for some time.
Dirk Gibson writes for DCJAutoParts.com - your online clearing house for low prices on quality aftermarket car parts and accessories.
