The shockwaves on this occasion have been far less severe, perhaps because Formula One is slowly becoming more immune.

Toyota Motor Corp's decision to close their F1 operation is still a surprise, even if it had been speculated upon since Honda stunned the motor sport world by announcing their withdrawal 11 months ago.

In March, with the world reeling from the global economic crisis, the planet's largest car manufacturer announced the biggest losses in their history, running into billions of pounds.

It appeared only a matter of time the team with a reported annual budget of £300million would wind up on F1's scrapheap, and so it has sadly transpired.

The main reason it has raised eyebrows, though, is because over the summer, after a ceasefire in F1's civil war between the teams and the FIA, Toyota signed a new Concorde Agreement through to 2012.

It appeared at that stage as if Toyota would remain in the sport for the next three seasons at least, that they would ride out the current financial storm and appear under sunny blue skies again.

But it is quite apparent a different mentality exists within the corporate confines of Japan's companies when you consider Subaru and Suzuki pulled out of the World Rally Championship before the new season.

Toyota's exit this week has been preceded by Bridgestone's decision on Monday not to renew their tyre supply contract come the end of next year.

There may be small shafts of light at the end of the tunnel as far as the credit crunch is concerned, but it is abundantly clear these remain tough times, in particular for F1.

Global giants like Toyota cannot be seen frivolously wasting millions of pounds on a glamour sport when their core business is suffering.

It may appear hard on the 650 staff at the team's Cologne factory, and TMC president Akio Toyoda may feel he has betrayed the fans as he claims, but he has many thousands of employees to consider.

There are also foolish suggestions Toyota have thrown in the towel on F1 after eight fruitless seasons, and it is true, they failed to once stand on top of the podium in 140 grands prix.

But Toyoda has to consider the bigger picture because the surreal world of F1 is far removed from the realities that exist in other businesses elsewhere, in particular in Japan.

Yes, it provides a platform for brand awareness, but it comes at a price, even if former president Max Mosley took steps to fight the excesses and over-exuberance he saw was bringing the sport to its knees.

Yet just as Honda departed, just as BMW followed suit, and now with Toyota's exodus, F1 will find a way to soldier on. It always does.

But there remain warning signs, ones new president Jean Todt has to heed if the sport, as a whole, flourishes and survives, even if 13 teams are still scheduled to be on the grid next season.

Naturally, the teams and their drivers are the attraction, but when fans are drifting away because of spiralling costs and circuits are unable to raise the fees required to host the events, the future of F1 needs to be addressed further.

Everything in the garden may appear to be rosy when you look at the ostentatious nature of Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the new Yas Marina circuit that cost £800million to construct.

But that is the exception rather than the rule, and quite obviously not every country is blessed with petrodollars to support their economies, never mind be able to erect purpose-built sports venues.

For instance, Britain may not have a grand prix next season for the first time since 1950 if Silverstone is unable to agree a deal with Ecclestone.

The circuits in Germany and Belgium - Hockenheim, the Nurburgring and Spa - have long bemoaned their own financial struggles and may soon fall by the wayside, as France did this year.

The vital market that is North America did not have a race on its shores this season for the first time since 1999.

Even Japan, on the calendar since 1987, may opt to pull out after 2011 when Suzuka's current contract to host the race expires.

After all, Toyota hinted what was to come today when they announced in July Fuji International Speedway - the track they own - would not alternate the race with Suzuka from next year as had been planned.

Todt has not yet been in office for two weeks, yet he finds himself fighting an immediate fire, and proof, if needed, these remain worrying times for Formula One.