Lexus considering F1??
#1
Speaks French in Russian
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Lexus considering F1??
Lexus F1? Easier than you might think
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/06/l...u-might-think/
According to the latest reports, we may see the Lexus emblem on Formula One cars in the near future. Parent company Toyota, of course, is already in F1 with its own team, which won't be re-branding as Lexus. Nor would a Lexus team be established to compete with Toyota's, which, with budgets in the tens of millions of dollars, would be sheer lunacy. The possibility grows out of Toyota's client engine supplier deal with Williams.F1.
When BMW bought the Sauber team, Williams lost its engine partner and switched to Cosworth. But for the next season and beyond, Williams will be using Toyota power. Some of the suits in Tokyo see this as a ripe opportunity to promote Lexus, rather than double Toyota's brand presence on the grid. Considering that Lexus, once focused almost entirely on the American market, has recently been expanding globally, and that their products have been getting sportier (especially with the anticipated arrival of the LFA), such an arrangement could work out perfectly. However, Toyota F1 bosses John Howett and Tsutomu Tomita reportedly aren't sold on the idea, so don't expect to see Sir Frank being driven around in an LS460 just yet.
Whether the Williams-Lexus deal ends up taking shape or not, it lends to speculation over similar arrangements with other teams. Could Nissan's reported entry into F1 be a simple re-branding exercise on Renault's new deal with Red Bull? Could Scuderia Toro Rosso or Spyker be labeled with Fiat, Alfa Romeo or Maserati power? Whether they know it or not, Toyota may be blazing a trail for a new branding trend that would see more marques represented in F1 then ever before anticipated, all with minimal investment.
When BMW bought the Sauber team, Williams lost its engine partner and switched to Cosworth. But for the next season and beyond, Williams will be using Toyota power. Some of the suits in Tokyo see this as a ripe opportunity to promote Lexus, rather than double Toyota's brand presence on the grid. Considering that Lexus, once focused almost entirely on the American market, has recently been expanding globally, and that their products have been getting sportier (especially with the anticipated arrival of the LFA), such an arrangement could work out perfectly. However, Toyota F1 bosses John Howett and Tsutomu Tomita reportedly aren't sold on the idea, so don't expect to see Sir Frank being driven around in an LS460 just yet.
Whether the Williams-Lexus deal ends up taking shape or not, it lends to speculation over similar arrangements with other teams. Could Nissan's reported entry into F1 be a simple re-branding exercise on Renault's new deal with Red Bull? Could Scuderia Toro Rosso or Spyker be labeled with Fiat, Alfa Romeo or Maserati power? Whether they know it or not, Toyota may be blazing a trail for a new branding trend that would see more marques represented in F1 then ever before anticipated, all with minimal investment.
#2
Lexus Test Driver
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This type of deal needs a lot of research. Someone on the F1 forums mentioned if this was a legitimate way to get around the 3 year engine freeze rule. I think the discussion came out inconclusive. Nobody really knows how the FIA will treat matters like this. For example, will the Lexus branded engine be considered a new manufacturer entry and thus have an advantage over the other teams who will be stuck using last years (Last 3 or so races) engine specs? Can Toyota, or Honda continue to develop these engines, then enter next year, or the year after under the Lexus and Acura brand with much better engines than the competition? Or, will the FIA recognize the parent company and forced them to retain the engine specs of the current Toyota? Hard to say what will happen.
That said, if this was indeed a way to skirt around the engine freeze rule, I can imagine Honda wanting to throw in developed Acura engines in the Super Agurai cars as well
That said, if this was indeed a way to skirt around the engine freeze rule, I can imagine Honda wanting to throw in developed Acura engines in the Super Agurai cars as well
#4
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it would be hard to portray the "Reliable" image that Lexus has been carrying for so long on an F1 car
i think only Ferrari and Renault can pull it off with the amount of experience they have
i have mixed feelings about this news
btw there was already a thread about Lexus thinking of joining F1
i think only Ferrari and Renault can pull it off with the amount of experience they have
i have mixed feelings about this news
btw there was already a thread about Lexus thinking of joining F1
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#9
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Well something's gotta happen to bring the excitement back to F1 for next season... With a freeze on engine development, strictly regulated tire compound from a single source, F1 has lost much of it's essence. So many variables have been eliminated from the sport for next season that it's looking more and more like Nascar or IRL than F1. Oh well, I'm still looking forward to next season, maybe my worries will be all for not. We shall see.
#10
Lexus Connoisseur
This was a rumor that has been floating since earlier this year. My direct Lexus Motorsports contact told me it's a rumor.
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