Formula One Features — March 2000

All big companies which enter Formula 1 think that they know how best to run their operations. They have been successful in other forms of motorsport and they think they know what they are doing. Sooner or later they all discover that F1 is harder than they think. Mercedes-Benz built a factory for Sauber in Switzerland before realizing that it was a waste of time and money. Ferrari has spent 20 years trying to win the World Championship. The Ligier team was never a big success.

Formula 1 has become a "franchise" sport. Following Toyota's decision to pay a $48m deposit to become the sport's 12 team in 2002, anyone wanting to become involved has to buy an existing F1 organization.