& I was looking forward to seeing more of Kamui Kobayashi too 🙁

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80003

yeah it's a shame. Especially as he can't afford another drive

Yeah, that was my first thought too – looked like he could be potentially a fairly decent driver.

Woo – they may jump back into WRC and go back to making decent homologation cars again!

And Bridgestone not renewing tyre contract after next year, F1 is really in the mire at the moment.

coffeeking – Member

Woo – they may jump back into WRC and go back to making decent homologation cars again!

Unlikely, AFAIK they have pulled out of all motorsport – with Subaru pulling out of rallying, Honda and Toyota now out of F1, Toyota aren't hosting the Japanese GP any more, and Bridgestone pulling out of F1 at the end of next year, there won't be any Japanese involvement in F1 at all

votchy – beat me to it!

F1 is really in the mire at the moment.

Not in my eyes – '09 has been one of the best seasons in ages and there are 4 new teams for next year (well hopefully!)

The sooner F1 gets back to being a constructor + engine supplier format again the better (with a little rules relaxation to allow for innovation). The manufacturers just ramped up costs massively for no improvement in the racing on the track.

Yes, Kobayashi did provide some entertainment but two good races don't make a superstar.

I said 'fairly decent' not 'superstar'

Hopefully one of the teams that replaces Toyota will bring some excitement and a bit more drive to succeed.

I wasn't refering to you specifically Clubber, more to the way he's being hyped up by the press.

I find it quite sad that so many idiots get seats for race after race, season after season. Gobsmacked. Money talks sadly.

Marc Gene? Was one. Pedro De La Rosa may get a race seat again. Plus- Ferrari- huge team couldnt put anyone else in the spare seat this season. WTF.

Who was the Japanese fellow who jumped out of his beached car then was promptly run over by the tractor that had come to save him? He was hilarious!

Yes, Kobayashi did provide some entertainment but two good races don't make a superstar.

but compared against another newbie like Grosjean, he did really well. I know the car has its part to play, but he wasn't spinning right left and centre like Grsojean!

Well at the moment, it's just likely to be Sauber who'll take their place since they're 'first reserve'.

On the plus side, so long as this Qadbac lot don't turn out to be too shady, Sauber-Ferrari will be back on the grid next season.

On the plus side, so long as this Qadbac lot don't turn out to be too shady, Sauber-Ferrari will be back on the grid next season.

That's not a formality – if someone buys the Toyota team then they would leapfrog Sauber due to the fact that Toyota had signed the Concorde Agreement and BMW Sauber hadn't. Not that a buyer is likely in the current market!

I find it quite sad that so many idiots get seats for race after race, season after season. Gobsmacked. Money talks sadly.

But F1 isn't like a sport like cycling for example where if someone is good they will succeed on whatever material they are on. If you put the best driver in the world in a crap car they are going nowhere.

Roter Stern whereas you put Kovalinen in a good car and he will also go nowhere!

Sadly money does matter. I used to work for a race team in the 90's and we had two cars. One driven by a talented driver with no money, the other had loads of money but no talent. It was the money that paid for the cars and wages, not the talent.

Unlikely, AFAIK they have pulled out of all motorsport

but Toyota claim:

Toyota added that it would continue to use its F1 experience in "developing exciting production vehicles" and that it would remain involved in motor racing, albeit at a lower level.

"In motorsports, [Toyota] will not only race in various categories, but will also actively contribute to further development of motorsports by supporting grassroots races and planning events in which it is easy for people to participate."

While obviously no mentino of WRC, WRC is significantly lower budget than F1 and much more closely related to real cars and grass-roots motorsport.

Here is one of the biggest wastes of F1 seats!:

Although… in 2006 Yuji Ide had his superlicence revoked after 4 starts.