Japanese car manufacturer Toyota, which quit Formula 1 at the end of last year, has no intention whatsoever of returning to the series that is described as the “pinnacle of motorsport”.
In an article published in Automotive News, Toyotas’s Senior Managing Director Tadashi Yamashina said Formula 1 is simply out of touch with the carmaker’s customer base.
A spectator at the 24 Hours of the Nurburging, Yamashina said F1 remains the pinnacle of auto racing, but its image grew too “elitist”.
“President Akio Toyoda’s stance on motorsports is geared more toward the customer,” Yamashina said.
“There is a big gap between Formula One and Toyota’s actual car users.”
So, Toyota’s new priority is more grassroots racing that allows closer connection with the fans, such as NASCAR in the United States and endurance races.
At races such as Nurburgring, Yamashina said, fans can get right into pit lane and mingle with the teams and touch the cars. They can soak up the atmosphere and feel a part of the event. By contrast, average fans have no hope of strolling the paddock at a Formula One race, he added.
“For the fortunate few who can afford to do that, it’s fine,” Yamashina said. “I think the best kind of races are those in which people can get in close to the race.”
In an article published in Automotive News, Toyotas’s Senior Managing Director Tadashi Yamashina said Formula 1 is simply out of touch with the carmaker’s customer base.
A spectator at the 24 Hours of the Nurburging, Yamashina said F1 remains the pinnacle of auto racing, but its image grew too “elitist”.
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| Toyota will now focus on racing cars that have a direct connection with their customers. (Photo: Lexus) |
“President Akio Toyoda’s stance on motorsports is geared more toward the customer,” Yamashina said.
“There is a big gap between Formula One and Toyota’s actual car users.”
So, Toyota’s new priority is more grassroots racing that allows closer connection with the fans, such as NASCAR in the United States and endurance races.
At races such as Nurburgring, Yamashina said, fans can get right into pit lane and mingle with the teams and touch the cars. They can soak up the atmosphere and feel a part of the event. By contrast, average fans have no hope of strolling the paddock at a Formula One race, he added.
“For the fortunate few who can afford to do that, it’s fine,” Yamashina said. “I think the best kind of races are those in which people can get in close to the race.”
