Scoobie (doo) where are you?

[f1m]

Subaru has pulled out of the WRC - http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72492" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Eric

[generationx]

As has (my old employer) Suzuki:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72482" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I feel the WRC is, sadly, on its knees.

[CBartholomew4677]

I'm very sad .............Three major players leaving their respective series :
Honda, Subaru, Audi
I know, I know, Honda was always pulling up the end of the train, but they're still Honda. Now my personal cars have no racing link, they're just road cars again....

I can understand the decisions of their management, it's more important to protect the company's future in what could be lightly be termed as a "difficult" automotive industry these days.

[rollover]

I am hoping that there is a bright side to the econimic situation hitting all of motorsport.

It would be nice to see them all go to a scaled down way of operating. Maybe less high tech and more inovation. Smaller sponsor/customer extranaganzas to make things more visible and aprochable.

I guess its just wishful thinking on my part, but I'd like to see it return to the atmospere of the 70's. But alas those days are too far gone.

Just an old man dreaming here!

[taliesen]

Pardon my ignorance, but did Audi pull out of all racing, or just ALMS?

Honestly, although it makes me sad to say it, I'm afraid the future could be very very dismal for motorsport. Once we get out of the current fiscal situation, we'll still have the pressure of preserving the environment and limiting pollution - and as more and more governments begin to pass environmental protection policy, it will become more and more expensive and/or difficult to stage races. Unless someone can come up with a Tesla Roadster World Cup??

Sorry, feeling very pessimistic today . . . .