Former Toyota team principal Tadashi Yamashina has slammed modern Formula One for having become too "elitist".
Yamashina added that F1 no longer offers the manufacturer a significant link to its customers and says it is better served competing in other areas of motorsport.
"There is a big gap between Formula One and Toyota's actual car users," Yamashina told Automotive News. "F1 remains the pinnacle of auto racing, but its image grew too elitist.
"At races such as Nurburgring [24 Hours], fans can get right into [the] pitlane, mingle with the teams and touch the cars. They can soak up the atmosphere and feel part of the event. By contrast, average fans have no hope of strolling the paddock at an F1 race. For the fortunate few who can afford to do that, it's fine.
"I think the best kind of races are those in which people can get in close to the race."
