Is that the sound of an economic downturn?
Honda’s F1 team has cancelled its annual post-season media lunch. Boo, hiss.
Around 40 guests were set to dine at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, the Michelin-starred restaurant located in Oxfordshire, about half an hour from Honda’s Brackley HQ.
Honda chief executive Nick Fry is believed to be the Scrooge behind the decision. In an email of apology to all guests, Fry confirmed that “severe economic pressure” was to blame for the change of plans:
“Honda, like others, has been forced to put production on short-time. In light of this we do not think it would be appropriate to continue with our lunch.”
If we had been invited (hint for next year, Mr Honda), we would be hugely disappointed by this news. But we weren’t, so boo-sucks to all of you, with a dollop of schadenfreude on top.
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4 responses so far
1 Keith Collantine // Dec 4, 2008 at 11:29 am
Let’s take a peek at a menu (£116 per head):
“Beetroot terrine;
horseradish and dill cream
Confit of Landais foie gras with rhubarb compote;
toasted sour dough bread
Salad of Cornish crab, curry and mango;
natural yoghurt and caviar
Roasted scallop, avocado, sesame and
scallop tartare; pickled vegetables
Pan-fried sea bass,
smoked mashed potatoes and star anis
Roasted “Anjou” squab and celeriac choucroute; juniper sauce
“Carpaccio” of blood orange with its own sorbet
Tiramisu flavours, cocoa sauce and coffee bean ice-cream
Valrhona “Araguani 72%” chocolate mousse,
lemon butterscotch sauce and almond milk crème glacée”
That crab sounds good…
2 Ollie Irish // Dec 4, 2008 at 11:32 am
Positively orgiastic, Keith. I assume you had a golden ticket then?
3 Cackie Steward // Dec 4, 2008 at 11:34 am
Someone should cancel Nick Fry
4 F1 crisis: Honda puts team up for sale. Who saw that coming? | Gridcrasher - Motor Sports // Dec 5, 2008 at 9:44 am
[…] we told you that Honda had scrapped its annual media lunch. Who knew that the manufacturer had secretly decided to scrap rather more than a seven-course […]