Let Them Eat (Chocolate) Cake

Comedienne Jo Brand once said that she did not eat fruit "because there's no chocolate in it." You can't argue with that, can you?

The plump Jo was speaking of food as sensuous pleasure rather than as a necessity for the maintenance of life, and I'm with her.

The things we desire are not usually necessary, and there is always a sniveling pack of killjoy "experts" to tell us they are probably bad for us. Nonsense, say I, we are genetically programmed to zero in on salt, sugar, and fat, and it is not for me to challenge millennia of evolution.

F1 is like chocolate. It's not necessary, but millions of people enjoy it.

Now (and as I have predicted on Bleacher) - Honda have quit F1. Quite right too, there's no chocolate in a Honda.

It cannot be doubted that Honda make very good road cars. Well designed and made, and with a tremendous reputation for reliability, they are a thoroughly sensible purchase.

But I don't want one.

Honda have the sex appeal of a carrot, the wanton desirability of cabbage. They just did not belong in F1, not being a glamorous or aspirational brand. They were such a bland and tasteless ingredient that the flavour of the sport will not be affected.

Ferrari are very glamorous. Mercedes and BMW are aspirational. Who ever aspired to a Honda?

When Honda took full control of the team in 2004 it was second in the constructors championship to Ferrari, with Dave Richards as Team Principal. The chocolate-free corporate suits replaced Richards with Nick Fry, who I am sure is a fine human being.

But did Fry ever win a world rally championship as co-driver to Ari Vatanen? Has he ever crashed a helicopter? No, he's just not that sort of character. And did Honda F1 prosper under his brilliant leadership? Not exactly.

Dave Richards is one of motor racing's great characters, and has been very successful in just about every area of it. He now seems to be the front-runner to take over the disconsolate Brackley-based team, and no doubt to wreak hideous revenge on his former protege Nick Fry.

Re-badged as Prodrive, and with a proven winner at the helm, the only way is up. The Cosworth engine deal will both power them and reduce their costs, and I hope this is the start of F1 slipping away from the car makers and into the hands of real racing people.

I confidently predict that Toyota will quit F1, and just as confidently say they will be no loss. The FIA have been turning away would-be F1 entrants, there is absolutely no danger of the grid running out of cars.

Sure there's a recession, even George Bush says so. Banks are failing, factories are closing, we are beset with doom and gloom. But that's all the more reason to carry on enjoying chocolate cake and F1.

We need some pleasure, don't we?