The Formula 1 circus at the moment is busy trying to figure out which team will be using which engines in 2010 and the word is that Williams wants a change. The Toyota engines are not bad but the importance of fuel efficiency will increase next year as there will be no refuelling allowed and we hear that the team is looking at alternative options. The first choice is probably Mercedes-Benz but with a deal expected to be announced soon between Mercedes and Red Bull Racing, Renault has engines up for grabs. Mercedes is restricted to four supplies (although there are questions about whether such a restriction can be applied allowing for European competition law) and with deals in place with McLaren, Brawn GP, Red Bull Racing and Force India, there would not be room for a Williams deal. However, Force India needs to start paying its bills if it wants the relationship to continue. If that does not happen then the second year of the contract could be cancelled and the fourth engine supply might be available.
If the BMW Sauber team does survive it is expected to use Ferrari engines, while potential newcomers Epsilon Euskadi is also expected to run Ferrari engines if it gets an entry.
This would leave Toyota without any customers but there is always the possibility that one of the new teams might buy its way out of the Cosworth deals because of performance-related fears in 2010 and Toyota would be a good place to land.
joeblogsf1 
Im nervous about the Cosworth nest season, just because they have been out of F1 for the last 3 seasons and i wonder if they will have the pace, and fuel efficiency to stay with the rest of the pack. Toyota would not be a bad option for newcoming teams, however USF1, Manor, and Campos have all made deposits for Cosworth engines.
I hope that there are no more than 4 Mercedes Engines next season. If they all turn out to be great and better then most of the other suppliers, then you lose the aspect of the open formula and competition between brands, and everyone, (excluding Ferrari, Renault, and Toyota) will want one. I hope Cosworth has what it takes to keep up.
Joe, I heard that Epsilon Euskadi would use Renault engine if they made to F1 several weeks ago. Will they use Ferrari instead? By the way, what’s the source of them?
Thanks.
The current version of the 2010 FIA Sporting Regulations only allow for two teams per major manufacturer. If Mercedes attempts to hold onto Brawn, let alone expand into a fourth team, I can see the FIA objecting irrespective of what the teams have agreed between themselves.
Red Bull-Renault first, Williams-Renault next… how many customer teams does Renault want to get beaten by?
I think you mean Red Bull-Mercedes…
So its true 🙂
Thx Joe, keep up the best work I ever seen !!! 🙂
The 2010 sporting regulations say “A major car manufacturer may not directly or indirectly supply engines for more than two teams of two cars each without the consent of the FIA.” I’m pretty sure this is unchanged from 2009 (my archive of regulations is on another computer); how can MB be sure they are permitted to supply 4, but forbidden to supply 5?
Apparently the rules have been changed to make it four.
Viewed from out here in the cold Toyota is a real puzzler. It probably has oodles of cash but its Joe Public sales don’t seem to be a whole lot better than anyone else’s. It has two pretty fair country drivers who manage to knock off a spectacular lap every once in a while but don’t get podium very often much less races, and points so few that no one cares. And its cross-town rival is gone with very little face saved, and nothing further to gain there.
So what’s it up to? Is it corporate bureaucratic inertia that keeps it in the game, or a CEO who prefers the wisdom of tea leaves to handwriting on the wall, or something else? I.e., isn’t tried-and-true tv advertising with a pretty girl in a Corolla a whole lot cheaper?
Anyway, if I were a Toyota F1 motor customer (I wish) I would be wondering if a long-term commitment is all that wise.
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