What will happen if the title of this entry becomes a reality?

In light of the upcoming Great Depression 2.0, companies around the world are desperately cutting operation and management costs within their organizations. Companies who have been dubbed “unstoppables” or “uncrushables” or “solid like gold” seemed to be vulnerable this time around.

The Honda RA108. History from 2009 onwards.

And Honda is one of them. Citing the global financial crisis, they have decided to exit the highest profile motor racing event in the world – Formula 1.

I can understand how painful this decision could be.

Ayrton Senna : Lived and Died alongside Honda.

Firstly, Formula 1 racing has always been a very thick cultural heritage for Honda, riding the roller coster of success and despair over the 34 years of involvement in this sport, partnered with the best teams ever in Formula 1 before, namely McLaren-Honda as well as BAR, and having been associated with perhaps the most legendary F1 driver of all time – Ayrton Senna. So to let all this go so suddenly, well, it must have been very unfair to the fans and the engineering team who have dedicated their whole lives for the well being of the Honda team.

But the most painful reason, and perhaps one that makes this decision to withdraw from this sport even more easier for Takeo Fukui (CEO of Honda), is the price they need to pay to maintain the team. Honda pays USD542 million a year to maintain this racing team, and on top of that spends an even bigger chunk of cash on Indycar and Motorcycle racing.

And he’s leading the cost cutting strategy by example.

Then.

Now.

Seriously, I think this Formula 1 sport is already too over rated. It’s so freaking expensive today that only conglomerates can afford to sponsor such a cause. The true spirit of the sport has eroded.

Even spectators like us will have to pay RM50 just to freaking sit on the grass at Sepang F1 Circuit under the hot sun! And who are the guys making the big bucks? Media Moguls, and the sakai-looking Bernie Ecclestone himself (owner of Formula 1) I guess.

If Lisa thinks that she looks like a sakai, try beating this look!

The true Sakai. Billionaire Sakai.

If one can imagine Formula 1 without Honda, try imagining Formula 1 without Ferrari. I was just pondering briefly on this and I predict that the following might happen if Ferrari quits F1 :

1. FIA will be so depressed because Ferrari has always been synonymous with Racing, they will launch a worldwide marketing campaign to change the perceptions of racing companies, lowering fees, media expenditures and requirements. And they will do it all in Red color to beckon Ferrari to come back to F1. I believe their advertising campaign will look like this :

The FIA will have to learn from Tony Fernandes on this one.

2. Because of Ferrari’s departure, people around the world will get sick of the sport and decide to watch Horse Racing instead. The same will go to the sponsors like Hugo Boss, Marlboro, Tag Heuer, and Vodafone, who will prefer to sponsor the horses and the jockeys instead when their audience switch interests. It’s cheaper too!

I mean, how much grass can a horse eat compared to the gallons and gallons of expensive fossil fuel consumed by F1 cars right?

It’s more environmentally friendly as well and will be endorsed by WWF, as the by-product are feces which can be used as fertilizers for plants instead of carbon monoxides which pollutes our air.

Cheaper. And Greener too.

3. FIA will decide to rev up another global marketing campaign to plead ex-F1 fans back to support the sport, so they will to talk to all the venue hosts around the world and allocate erm… free seats. Like Air Asia. But you’ll have to book online.

Now everyone can afford F1 tickets too! No Fuel Surcharge perhaps???

4. With the requirements lowered and participation fees brought down, many smaller car manufacturers around the world will slowly join the bandwagon and participate in F1 racing. One such manufacturer will come from Boleh-land, where else none other than Malaysia, where Proton will join Formula 1 racing!

Malaysia Boleh F1!

However, due to limited funds and technical expertise, Proton will only join F1 with their not-so-impressive debut car, the MMB-2020 model (Malaysia Masih Boleh 2020)! It will be at least 30 years behind in terms of technology, but heck, everyone has to start somewhere right?

Don't laugh. I mean, everyone has to start somewhere right?

How many of you will agree that F1 is too overrated and requirements (especially in terms of monetary commitments) should be brought down so that the true spirit of the sport can once again be revived?

Comments welcomed.