Ford Returns to F1 Racing!

[Biggus Dickus]

wasn't ford saying a short time ago that their future was in electric vehicles?
this f1 move seems a curious contradiction to that but if you want to spend the shareholders $$$ on some ego trip then this is how to do it!

Yeah - as a Ford shareholder I question the prudence of this.

Here's a quote from the ultimate corporate car guy Bob Lutz about Mfr involvment in motorsports:

"Today, as a manufacturer, I would no longer spend the money—not on Formula 1 nor any other open-wheel series, the DTM, any sedan series, and most certainly not on NASCAR. I was able to stave off the latter while president of Chrysler in the Nineties, but the door barely slammed behind me before Dodge signed up for a major sponsorship.... The company was on the verge of financial collapse, and yet we were burdened with the enormous expense."​

​

Good luck Ford - I hope you don't piss away a lot of money. Not to mention the timing of the announcement is poor since Ford lost money in 2022

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[AZlb5.0]

Yeah - as a Ford shareholder I question the prudence of this.

Here's a quote from the ultimate corporate car guy Bob Lutz about Mfr involvment in motorsports:

"Today, as a manufacturer, I would no longer spend the money—not on Formula 1 nor any other open-wheel series, the DTM, any sedan series, and most certainly not on NASCAR. I was able to stave off the latter while president of Chrysler in the Nineties, but the door barely slammed behind me before Dodge signed up for a major sponsorship.... The company was on the verge of financial collapse, and yet we were burdened with the enormous expense."​

​

Good luck Ford - I hope you don't piss away a lot of money. Not to mention the timing of the announcement is poor since Ford lost money in 2022

All car makers are losing money at the moment because of the whole COVID shut downs people losing jobs people choosing not to work car prides and interest rates on the rise and so on. With that said GM is also getting in the game apparently with Andretti. I think right now F1 is the best world stage for auto makers but it’s all a gamble anyway you look at it.

 

[Biggus Dickus]

All car makers are losing money at the moment because of the whole COVID shut downs people losing jobs people choosing not to work car prides and interest rates on the rise and so on. With that said GM is also getting in the game apparently with Andretti. I think right now F1 is the best world stage for auto makers but it’s all a gamble anyway you look at it.

I wish them and Cadillac the best. I would love to see the Americans stick it to the Europeans

 

[KingKona]

Poor people are bad customers.....

I can attest to the validity of this statement.

 

[Hack]

All car makers are losing money at the moment because of the whole COVID shut downs people losing jobs people choosing not to work car prides and interest rates on the rise and so on. With that said GM is also getting in the game apparently with Andretti. I think right now F1 is the best world stage for auto makers but it’s all a gamble anyway you look at it.

https://pressroom.toyota.com/tmc-an...s-for-the-fourth-quarter-ended-march-31-2022/

I'm not sure about that.

According to the above, Toyota not only made money but their revenues actually increased last year.

And they made a lot of cars that are affordable for average people. Some people might turn their noses up at that, but I think if you can't make money building cars that ordinary people can afford - you need to look hard at your organization's structure and figure out how to FIX IT.

 

[Biggus Dickus]

https://pressroom.toyota.com/tmc-an...s-for-the-fourth-quarter-ended-march-31-2022/

I'm not sure about that.

According to the above, Toyota not only made money but their revenues actually increased last year.

And they made a lot of cars that are affordable for average people. Some people might turn their noses up at that, but I think if you can't make money building cars that ordinary people can afford - you need to look hard at your organization's structure and figure out how to FIX IT.

Q: How do you make a Toyota executive laugh until he barfs?

A: Tell him your car company is going into Formula 1.

 

[kz]

" In terms of knowledge, the American automaker will contribute to development of the 2026 car’s battery and hybrid system. "

LOL.

Hopefully no one here thought that Ford will all in a sudden provide a drop in engine replacement for the current RB's Honda....

They're paying for having their sticker on the car. It will be just as much of a Ford as Alfa or Aston currently is.

 

[Inthehighdesert]

You guys realize the Redbull team was purchased as Jaguar which was owned by Ford at the time. Not exactly there first rodeo to any of this. Racing is a very good marketing tool. Considering the popularity of F1 currently this is a good endeavor by Ford.

" In terms of knowledge, the American automaker will contribute to development of the 2026 car’s battery and hybrid system. "

LOL.

Hopefully no one here thought that Ford will all in a sudden provide a drop in engine replacement for the current RB's Honda....

They're paying for having their sticker on the car. It will be just as much of a Ford as Alfa or Aston currently is.

 

[kz]

You guys realize the Redbull team was purchased as Jaguar which was owned by Ford at the time. Not exactly there first rodeo to any of this. Racing is a very good marketing tool. Considering the popularity of F1 currently this is a good endeavor by Ford.

That's exactly what I've said - it's purely marketing. Guys here act like Ford will build them engines here once GT500s are done....

Good or bad - hard to measure marketing (I'm sure there are way that marketing industry does it), I'd say probably positive but also would be nice if they are making something that looks "motorsporty" - bunch of lousy SUVs isn't it.

 

[AZlb5.0]

You guys realize the Redbull team was purchased as Jaguar which was owned by Ford at the time. Not exactly there first rodeo to any of this. Racing is a very good marketing tool. Considering the popularity of F1 currently this is a good endeavor by Ford.

What you said is what I am trying to convey. They are in it to give themselves an even broader outreach. With as popular as the series Drive to Survive has become and literally turned a new generation into F1 fans, it definitely will put their name out there.

 

[POJ 1]

its real easy spending other people's money!

 

[AZlb5.0]

There was just an article about Ford extending the life of the V8s because of the research in biofuels that will be coming out of F1. Think that’s going to be pretty awesome if they can do that as well.

 

[Hack]

That's exactly what I've said - it's purely marketing. Guys here act like Ford will build them engines here once GT500s are done....

Good or bad - hard to measure marketing (I'm sure there are way that marketing industry does it), I'd say probably positive but also would be nice if they are making something that looks "motorsporty" - bunch of lousy SUVs isn't it.

The Mustang is pretty "motorsporty".

I really wish NASCAR would go back to stock bodies and engines. And Ford would have no problem building a competitive car.

 

[AZlb5.0]

The Mustang is pretty "motorsporty".

I really wish NASCAR would go back to stock bodies and engines. And Ford would have no problem building a competitive car.

Agreed but where do you think they would get more visibility? Paying to race in NASCAR or paying to badge a car in F1? It’s all about marketing dollars when it comes down to it and there’s no bigger stage the. The one that F1 provides.
The average cost, to run a NASCAR team, is about 400K a week. That’s not taking into account car development, building a wind tule for racing purposes, wind tunnel time, and everything else that it takes to get the car ready, to introduce it to the circuit. When it comes to terms of dollar and cents, it makes more sense to “badge” a car with 0 responsibility of a team or a car then owning one.

 

[Hack]

Agreed but where do you think they would get more visibility? Paying to race in NASCAR or paying to badge a car in F1? It’s all about marketing dollars when it comes down to it and there’s no bigger stage the. The one that F1 provides.
The average cost, to run a NASCAR team, is about 400K a week. That’s not taking into account car development, building a wind tule for racing purposes, wind tunnel time, and everything else that it takes to get the car ready, to introduce it to the circuit. When it comes to terms of dollar and cents, it makes more sense to “badge” a car with 0 responsibility of a team or a car then owning one.

I think more Americans probably watch NASCAR, but I have no idea. I don't watch either F1 or NASCAR.

I just know that Ford is already in NASCAR, so I didn't think I was talking about an increase in their marketing spend.

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