F1 is a closed, commercial operation rife with secret contracts. It is a business first and a sport second.
Penalties are used to ensure end of season tie-breakers, because if people switch off early, money is lost. It was obvious before it started this would be Hamiltons year.
So who cares.

James, Sheffield,

This has happened before with Honda, when they started losing in the Superbike series on more than one occasion. The headlines in the biking world was "Honda wins - everything's fine. Honda loses - Honda withdraws". It's not just the credit crunch - it's a Honda trait.

Dominic, Kingston Upon Thames, UK

I'm really disapointed to see Honda pull out. They had invested in 2009 which compromised 2008 performance which makes the departure the more sadder as 2009 was going to be the bounceback year. I hope a buyer is found and the jobs saved. All F1 drivers should reduce their wage demands for 2009

Paul , Ashford, UK

Honda, like the US car makers, are using the current bank crisis as an excuse to weasel their way out of their flawed business models. Honda havent been competitive in F1 since their return. The big 3 US produce outdated models that no one wants. They are all dinosaurs and should go the same way.

Simon Chin, Siem Reap, Cambodia

This is a big smokescreen. Honda have pulled out of Formula 1 because they realised they were rubbish. If the global crisi was the cause nearly all of the teams would have pulled out already. Shame on you Honda. You have ruined the career of a very promising British driver by not delivering.

simon , dorking, england

I would like to see a standard car, for all the drivers and teams to use... then lets see who IS the best driver...
Honda won't be missed by me, bad news for the staff at Honda, but hey..... credit crunch and all that...

maybe they could use tax payers money to help... rather than the banks!

John, London, UK

Errr, sorry Richard, Honda bought BAR when they were competetive & that had been restructured by Dave Richards. Honda then sacked him & plummetted.
As for Jordan, well there wasnt much left after Eddie had bled the company!

Pete, St Albans, England

Honda should have stuck to 2 wheel racing. They had no real background in F1 and buying a 'minor league' team cheaply was a disaster. Not having to provide consistent results to sponsors didn't help either. As a keen follower of F1 I for one won't miss them.

Simon Howells, Macclesfield, England

Completely understandable, the core business and employees are paramount as opposed to Bernies pocket. I suspect the range of issues and decisions that have troubled F1 over the last couple of years and shown F1 to be a circus rather than a grown up and respectable sport influenced the decision.

Matthew, Bucks, UK

It is sad that we are losing Honda and particularly sad for all those losing their jobs , another group facinfg a difficult and anxious future.
Regretably the F1 bubble is as intoxicating and self deluding as any other sector of the world economy and all parties come to an end.

mike, London, UK

Yes, economic downturn. But also:
1. How do constructors and sponsors (and Honda was both itself) make a return when Ecclestone took so much of the value created?
2. How hard was it for Honda to defend its participation in F1 when the sport is led by Mosley?
Sadly, the beginning of the end for F1

Terry, Norwich, UK

A sad but necessary decision. Being second from bottom and having a theme that F1 was somehow good for the environment was giving the game away. I preferred the honest two fag packets approach of BAT.

John, Croydon, uk

""The blow to F1 fans everywhere"' is non existent. Honda did not play a role at all. There is no loss at all, except for Button en Bernie Ecclestone. They are rich enough to weather this "blow""

M van Egdom, Rhenen , Holland

Honda are excellent engineers and engine builders but struggled with design of the race car. They bought a Corporate type F1 team from BAT when they should have bought thorough bred racers like Jordan.Jordan Honda would have been very sucessful and would still be racing today. F1 needs Honda.

Richard O'Driscoll, Northampton, UK