Toyota has confirmed that it is pulling out of Formula 1 - The world’s largest car manufacturer will concentrate on its core business. The team failed to win any of the 139 races it entered after making its F1 debut in 2002 but was fifth in the 2009 constructors’ championship… this despite having one of the biggest budgets in the premier class. Toyota’s withdrawal leaves the sport with no Japanese team after Honda left F1 at the start of the 2009 season. They become the third manufacturer to quit the sport in the last 11 months after BMW announced it was leaving in July. Honda were of course replaced by BrawnGP, who went on to win this year’s drivers’ championship with Jenson Button and the constructors’ championship… again congratulations to all the team in Brackley, UK – an amazing ‘fairy tale’ happy ending.

Maybe this is ‘back to the future’ for F1 – more independent teams and less ‘manufacturers’ – with Lotus (where Trulli may be headed??), Manor, USGP and Campos racing to make the 2010 grid… who will be next to join the fray? Maybe F1 is beginning a new era.