First Honda, Then Who Else?
Although it is premature to editorialize based on speculation, the newswires were alight today with reports that Honda is preparing to exit F1 either by selling its team or shutting down the operation entirely. If the reports are true, it really should not come as a complete surprise. Unlike the USA automakers, Honda is probably not planning on a government bailout or bankruptcy as part of its strategic plan. The global economy is in shambles, and automakers across the world are experiencing considerable sales declines.
When Max Mosley started down the path of the standardized engine for F1, just about everyone saw this as being yet another Mad Max Meltdown. How dare Mosley commit blasphemy on our sacred sport by trying to turn it into a glorified version of IndyCar! Yet, there was little thought given to the possibility that this proposal might actually have some basis in reality.
I doubt that Honda is making a political power play in response to a possible spec engine. If they are truly considering leaving F1, the overriding reason is financial. As we have seen with mortgage companies, financial institutions, and the automotive industry, no business is immune from a recession. Smart companies will plan ahead so that the organization can survive now and be set to thrive in the future when the market improves. Manufacturer participation in racing is mostly an elective activity and is always one of the first areas to face massive budget cuts when times are really tough.
Prior to the turbo era of the ’80s and after the rear-engined revolution of the late ‘50 and early ’60s, independent teams flourished in F1. And there were many seasons where the Cosworth V8 powerplant was used by a vast majority of teams. To see virtually the entire F1 field populated by manufacturer-supported teams is a relatively recent occurrence. If all the manufacturers except Ferrari were to leave F1 today, the situation would not be much different from the state of affairs in the mid-’70s. For example, when the 1975 season opened in Argentina, of the 23 cars that qualified, 20 of them were powered by the same engine, the legendary Cosworth DFV.
I am firmly against Max Mosley and the FIA ramming a spec engine down everyone’s throats. However, I am certainly not against the presence of a common engine in the series. While the term “constructor” in F1 has now become analogous to the word “manufacturer,” the vast history of the sport reveals that constructors build their machines using whatever powerplants are available to them at the time. If this means that tomorrow their choice is limited to an Illmor-built engine, then so be it. Yet, instead of mandating that all teams use a chosen engine, the FIA should let natural selection play itself out. Manufacturers will always come and go as times change. But racers will always be around to compete.
The FIA should support an engine development program because the writing is on the wall. The days of big spending are coming to an end. But that does not mean we throw it all away in the name of cost savings. I am certain that even in the worst-case scenario at least three manufacturers will be present in F1. And these companies should be welcomed with open arms and encouraged to build their own engines. But to keep F1 healthy, there will need to be a freely-available, more affordable way to compete in F1. And this is where the “spec” engine comes into play. I sincerely hope this is the true intention of Mosley’s concept.