Renault to Quit F1?

[JAG]

Renault are apparently close to entering the WRC which would probably mean the end of the F1 team, at least as anything more than an engine maker.

It has been reported renault would only fund one world cahmpionship program.

Autosport also reported, earlier this season, that the Renault management had given the team 2 years to win the WC before pulling the plug on the team.

So what do you think will happen.

First Jaguar, now potentially Renault, who's next?

IMO, manufactuers should stick to supplying engines.

[Knowlesy]

Well, that's a terribly short amount of time for a team to win a title.....this can't be right, surely?

[Red]

It won't happen. They're not going to quit F1, that would be extremely stupid. They can enter WRC if they want, but that definitelly doesn't mean to quit F1 programme, especially since they bought a team of their own.

Not now, they can do it if they win a championship, but no sooner. That'll be a advertising disaster.

[Bononi]

I don't believe a major carmaker will have a short program in F1, this is non sense.

[Kicking-back]

Where did you hear this, JAG?

[pole2pole]

I guess at the end of the day its down to money and what they are getting in return. With Citroen and Peugeot doing well in the world rally championship I can understand why Renault want to get in there. If they do quit f1 it will set alarm bells ringing in the world of f1.

[Red]

Lemme take a wild guess..... Autosport?

[pole2pole]

I just seen it on sky sports text.....very interesting.

[Red]

Pole2pole, sorry, but I strongly disagree. Beating Peugeot in WRC is of course not bad at all, but staying in F1, something that Peugeot kinda failed to do, is much better. So, if Renault enters WRC, they'd definitelly won't quit F1. Unless they're idiots, but my nose tells me that idiots are they not..

[pole2pole]

I hope they remain in f1 they have made a massive commitment in the sport which is a clear sign that they are here for while. Its one big business I wonder what sells more cars racing in F1 or rallying

[Red]

F1. Obviously. Cynical point of view, I agree, but only this and Renault are in F1 for a little longer.

[topwelshman]

here here!

[grumpy1]

First I've heard of it.Flav would have heart failure.I do know that Renualt want to compete in the WRC as they are loosing sales to Peugeot and Citroen but to sacrifice the F1 team I don't think so.From what I have heard is Renault want to compete in some WRC rounds as early as next year on a test basis.My understanding is if this happens the cars would be able to run but would be unclassified and not officially timed.(similar to Citroens first year and Skodas return).I do know that part of the Renault F1 design team have worked on this project to assist in the preperation of a prototype for testing at Michelins test facility in Spain.

The Grumpy1

[Kicking-back]

It's not on Autosport, as has been implied here.

It's not true.

[f1manoz]

I doubt Renault will be pulling out in the short-term. They want F1 success.

[touringlegend]

Not in a million years (well, maybe...)

Renault don't go to all the bother they have to simply pull the plug after 4/5 years as an outright team.

Like KB said - that article on Autosport never mentioned withdrawing from F1 - I still can't see why people think car manufacturers can't compete on two world stages..

[GTRMagic]

What did they do the last time, launched in 1981, gone by 1985....

[Dan Fielden]

If Ferrari can run in G.T F1 and designated Ferrari championships why is this a problem for Renault. Toyota didn't leave G.T and Rally to do f1 ( Did They)??

[JAG]

The statement about the management giving the team 2 years to win the WC was in Autosport around March, April time.

I do not follow F1 closely these days, so was pretty shocked when I read this. As I say, the same article said any WRC program would mean the end of the F1 program, at least as a chassis constructor.

Peugeot dropped its F1 program for the WRC, so its hardly imporbable.

Even Mosely himself has stated on many times that F1 cannot sustain the number of manufactuers that are currently competing. Jaguars reputation has taken a beating, and is considered a bit of a joke these days, which should never have been allowed to happen by the Ford management.

Renaults main competitors are Peugeot and Citroen, plus of course the likes of Ford.

The difference between now and the past is that F1 budgets have increased 100-200%+ so manufactuers cannot justify the expense of an F1 program without winning, regularly.

F1 budgets do afterall come out of the marketingbudget. What would the bean counters prefer, £40-£50m to compete in the WRC against your biggest rivals, plus the various one make series etc. or £100m+ for an F1 team that, at best wins a couple of races a year.

IMO, it would be much better if Renault, and Ford etc, supplied engines to the likes of Jordan, Sauber etc. rather than driving out the privateers.

[JAG]

Originally posted by Dan Fielden
If Ferrari can run in G.T F1 and designated Ferrari championships why is this a problem for Renault. Toyota didn't leave G.T and Rally to do f1 ( Did They)??

Ferraris GT program is a profit making customer service, supplying cars to customers after demand from them.

Only the Maserati program is a true works program, and that is, obviously, to promote Maserati.

The main point is that for an F1 budget you could enter every major motor racing series.

BTW Toyota did leave Le Mans and the WRC to enter F1.

[swatty]

Originally posted by GTRMagic

What did they do the last time, launched in 1981, gone by 1985....

In the 80's Renauly entered F1 to sell turbocharged road cars, once they had prooved the superiority of the forced induction engines they reduced their F1 spending but continued to supply Williams and others with engines.

They entered F1 this time to push the technology, not sure they will do that until they can make significant inroads onf the constructors title, once they have done that then maybe they will leave, but that depends on the amount of Euros they have to spend

[alesi95]

Originally posted by GTRMagic
What did they do the last time, launched in 1981, gone by 1985....

lauched in 1977 gone in 85 (as team continued til 86 as engine supplier to Lotus) back in 89.

[JAG]

This is from the Autosport article:-

From Patrick Faure,

'Any time there are changes and there are rumours'. But I can promise you that Renault will be here next year and the year after'.

Autosport said:-

Renault has been linked with a possible entry into the World Rally Championship, where it would take on rival French manufactuers Peugeot and Ctroen. It is unlikely that Renault would simultaniously bankroll F1 and the WRC programmes.

The new Renault President Carlos Ghosn is apparently not an F1 fan.

[Poddy]

Originally posted by JAG
Renaults main competitors are Peugeot and Citroen, plus of course the likes of Ford.

Yeah, that makes perfect sense - a Megane WRC car would almost certainly look better going head-to-head with the likes of the Xsara, Focus, 307, etc (well, provided it was winning, of course).

What that could then do is free up the company's F1 operation to be run under a different mantel - with Toyota and Honda now heavily investing in F1, it may be better for Renault to run the F1 team under the banner of Nissan so it can compete with its core competitors just like Renault Vs. Citroen Vs. Ford Vs. Pugeot in the WRC.

[avsfan733]

I can see the reasoning behind a WRC bid but I just don't thin kit will happen Renault is seen as one of the most succesful teams in F1 right now which has a lot more marketing power than WRC