[Seasmillets]

I've been obviously following the exit of Honda with detail, and reading 'expert' analysis and also reading around the message boards, and seem to see a huge blame laid on Bernie and Max for ruining everything and being cause of putting F1 in a state where Honda have pulled out.

Personally, I cannot understand this “its Bernie and Max’s fault” idea everyone is giving.

From my perspective, its 95% the manufacturers faults. They entered F1 during a boom in the global economy, they were able to walk into F1, and pour what was to them relatively small amounts of cash, and be best funded team on the grid. As more and more manufacturers joined, the cost escalated. The manufacturers have been responsible for bringing the costs up by such a huge amount.

I remember Max and Bernie saying years ago when manufacturers were pouring into F1 that it was unsustainable for Formula 1 to relay heavily on them, as manufacturers see F1 as a business opportunity, nothing else. Max has been active and upfront about the need to cut costs, but obviously with manufacturers having biggest budgets, they have dragged their heals in doing this, as it would give independent competitors a more equal playing field.

In many ways, its highly ironic that one of the first victims of the credit crunch is one of the main culprits to making F1 economically unsustainable in the first place.

I’m a realist, so I’m not going to say Bernie and Max are cleaner than white, both, in particular Max, have messed up. With the rule changes, intended to decrease costs have in reality brought up costs, and introduction of KERS etc, its clearly not best timing.

But their line of thought has been correct. With Bernie, many have a go at him for hogging all the money F1 makes. Well I’m afraid he fully entitled to do that. CVC own 70% of Formula 1, Bernie only owns 10%, but is spokesman for CVC. CVC and their shareholders paid billions of pounds for F1, its Bernie job to make sure the shareholders get a good return on their investment. Why should CVC pay billions for F1, only for the profits to be given to someone else?

All the teams currently in F1 entered Formula 1 knowing the financial set up, now we’re hitting tough times, they want to be bailed out by more profits from F1. I just don’t think its right. At best, it would only be a short term solution, it wouldn’t be a good incentive to reduce costs if they’re bailed out, I say leave them struggle, they’ll be forced to cut costs, and it will be better for F1 in the long term.

I just don't see how people can lay the blame primarily at Max and Bernie, surely the blame should be laid towards the manufacturers, who have purposely and knowingly brought the budgets up to current levels, compared to lets say Max, who has fought for years and years to bring the costs down, however, in instances has by mistake brought costs up slightly.

So I was just wondering, how do people justify it being primarily Max and Bernie faults for high costs of F1 which has led to exit of Honda?

I'm not saying your all wrong, maybe I've forgotten about certain parts, I just want to understand the majority view.