Toyota to Pull Out Fuji Speedway from F1 Calendar

Following rumors that Toyota will likely decide not to lodge an F1 entry later today – yet to be confirmed, though – Fuji Speedway will reportedly renounce its right to host Formula One races from now on.

Although a Toyota spokesperson revealed, in an interview for AFP, that “Fuji Speedway is making preparations to host F1 next year”, a local newspaper revealed that the Japanese car maker has decided to pull the plug on the aforementioned venue (which falls under its ownership).

This year's Japanese Grand Prix will be hosted by Suzuka, as the International Automobile Federation (FIA) decided to alternate circuits on the F1 calendar. What triggered that measure from the ruling body was the poor ticket sales at Fuji Speedway during the 2007 and 2008 events, as well as the bad weather that kept affecting the F1 action.

As part of the alternating scheme, Fuji was to return to F1 action in 2010. However, as reported by The Asahi Shimbun publication, Toyota want to scrap the circuit from the F1 schedule in an effort to reduce costs for the upcoming years. Also, the 2010 season might not see them into F1 anyway, so there would be no point in staging an interest-lacking grand prix.

Earlier this year, it surfaced that Hungary will also consider renouncing their Formula One spot from 2012 onwards, as governmental funds will no longer be available to support the race. However, just as in Fuji's case, this is simply a speculation, as no official statement was released on the matter.