Do We Want to Outwit the Wallets in Motorsport?

I love motorsports. I also love me some Toyota, owning old school SR5s in both 2W and 4WD configurations, an FX16 Corolla and an MA70 Supra over the years. I’m all about TRD (classic, not contemporary), TTE and Tom’s, AAR in IMSA GTU and GTP, Ivan “Ironman” Stewart owning Baja, WRC Corollas, GT500 Supras, the LMGTP GT-One and as of late the Nurburgring LF-As. So you can imagine my unfettered joy at Toyota’s 2002 F1 plunge followed by years of anguish as they sank to the middle of the charts. This year Toyota is on a rollercoaster of a ride that currently sees the team in third place in the F1 standings following last weekend’s round at Istanbul. However this year is anything but a typical F1 season and next year should be even more different. It seems these challenges facing Formula One are common to all of motorsports. Hit the jump to read more.

<img src=”http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_images/3/3361/2581/33401290020_large.jpg” alt=”TF109 2009 Toyota Formula One Car” />

This season the Formula One pecking order has been seriously shuffled. Up is down and down is up, at least in terms of the standings. Perennial frontrunners McLaren and Ferrari are occupying the same real estate normally reserved for Toyota, Red Bull Racing and Honda F1, AKA Brawn GP. Aside from Toyota – which still can’t get it’s ish together on a consistent basis this season – Brawn and RBR make up for a lack of big budgets with the big brains of Messrs. Brawn and Newey. These teams prove that money can’t buy everything and you still can outwit a wallet in motorsport. However even the Brawn’s of the F1 world may not be able to craft their magic as the FIA has proposed draconian regulation changes that threaten to cap budgets – currently topping at 600 million dollars – to around 70 million in 2010. Teams and drivers are threatening a split from F1 and while Brabham and Lotus are waiting in the wings Superfund and Campos are hardly Ferrari and McLaren. Teams and drivers defecting from a major series never goes well, just look at US open wheel racing, sport compact drag racing or drifting. And if costs run rampant you run the risk of a depleted grid or a lack of close competition. But constrict costs too much and you could end up with a spec series – common engines, chassis, etc. Bleh! So, what say you, are you for or against budget caps in motorsports?

<img src=”http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_images/3/3361/2581/33401290021_large.jpg” alt=”McLaren MP4-24 F1 2009 Formula One Car” />