Bernie comments at the end as well....interesting Mosley reiterates - F1 can live without Ferrari Sat 16 May, 03:10 PM - F1Live.com Max Mosley has repeated his claim that Formula One could survive without its most famous name. Bernie Ecclestone recently tried to defuse the FIA President's original comments, but after discovering that Ferrari has launched legal action to halt the 2010 rules, Mosley again suggested that the sport could survive without the Italian team. "The idea that they are indispensable is nonsense," the Briton said on Friday. "It's a little bit like poor Senna. He was the most important driver in 1994 but when he very sadly got killed, Formula One went on. Lotus were very important once, so were Brabham," Mosley added. The Briton believes the Maranello team will eventually come around, but expects the argument to run for some time yet. It is clear that tensions are running high. For example, when revealing that he came to know about Ferrari's injunction application by text message during the FOTA meeting, Mosley revealed that team boss Stefano Domenicali was not aware of the development. "I thought that was quite original," he said, "to send a Team Principal in without informing him of his team's intentions. I think he was slightly embarrassed." However, Mosley denies the situation is the biggest threat to F1 since the 'breakaway' threats of 2005. "I think the chances of a breakaway are smaller this time," said Mosley. "After all, we are giving them a chance to race and spend less money." Speaking with The Times newspaper, F1 Chief Executive Ecclestone also sounded unimpressed with his sport's oldest team. Asked about the legal action, the 78-year-old said: "It's good, it keeps it in the bloody newspaper. They should have done it before (now) - idiots."
F1 COULD survive in the long run, but it would take a while as it did with Ayrton Senna. But in the near future after ALOT of people would turn off their Tv's and after all thats the most important audience, if too many people stop watching Formula 1's profits will go down. Stands would be empty, particularly at the likes of Monza obviously, and probably spa, and more races too. Mosley doesn't seem to understand that Ferrari IS Formula 1 not the other way around.
I don't know, is it just me or does this type of rhetoric from these two "idiots" just make resolution that much more difficult to achieve? If they REALLY wanted to give the appearance anyway that they were willing to be reasonable, these types of statements are not going to help in the least bit. Trying to embarass LDM/Ferrari publicly is not exactly going to extend any sort of olive branch. Of course I have stated on numerous other threads I don't believe the real issue is the 2 tier rules or the cap or anything else that may "pop" up, it's about the Concorde agreement and control of F1 and breaking FOTA. To do that Max and Bernie need to isolate LDM/Ferrari from the other teams so as to diminish FOTA to the point of accepting whatever terms Bernie dictates.
interesting point of view considering most of the F1 fans I know are much more enthusiastic about their drivers as opposed to the teams. Frankly I think its a done deal. So Ferrari will leave but they'll be back. I'll still watch it as I've alway have. Go Lola!!!
i don't think these grumpy old men understand that most of the F1 fan base consists of Ferrari fans. and if Ferrari pulls out. those fans will stop watching, following, attending the races..not a good thing for F1. yes, F1 will still have good drivers and exciting races, but more than half the fans will be gone. i myself am a F1 fan and watch F1 because i love F1, not because i like Ferrari..but this is not the case for many F1 "fans"
Welcome to the new world wide indy league .hahaha I have not watched a race this year, what a joke the FIA is...
The man is ruthless to the core. I really hope with this cock sure attitude Max and Bernie have, that it back fires in there senile faces. I have changed my mind, if Ferrari tell them to screw it, I will. When all is said and done, they won't though.
I think deep down inside Max does realize how important Ferrari is to F1. He's way to proud to admit it though. If Ferrari and the other teams do pull out, I hope someone captures a photo of Max's face as soon as he hears the news. I think it would look similar to this... Priceless
I am so sick of these two. I hope Ferrari's lawsuit is successful. Bernie calling Ferrari idiots - that's going to sit real well in Maranello and with the tifosi........
Yeah, Max, F1 'survived' without Senna, Brabham and Lotus, but Brabham and Lotus are not Ferrari, and F1 survived after losing Jim Clark and Gilles, and Ronnie, and others, it will 'survive' without Ferrari. Now go define the word 'survive'. The difference is, without Ferrari, their bargaining power drops to MAYBE 25% of what it was world-wide, in sanctioning fees. Anything below 100% would really hurt them, or so they would have us think. 'Honey, do you want to go to a race ?' 'Who is racing ? 'Ferrari, Brawn, Renault, McLaren...' 'OK' ----versus ---- 'Honey, do you want to go to a race ?' 'Who is racing ?' 'Brawn, Renault, McLaren' 'Umm.... never heard of them, I'll stay home'. To tell you the truth, I don't care if Ferrari was in F1 or not, and if I had a choice, I'd rather follow them in another series besides F1. I'm just tired of the drama. If it isn't one team, it's another, everyone has a soap opera, and I'm just sick of it. *
The stands at many of the F1 races at the moment are very far from full, it wouldn't make a lot of difference if there were more like those, TV viewership is by far the most important factor. Even in the poll here, amongst mainly diehard Ferrari fans, two thirds would still watch F1 races (although one third of them only some of the time). Yes, without Ferrari revenue would undoubtedly drop, life would be more difficult for the FIA and for Bernie, but if the other teams stay (and why wouldn't they now that the two tier idea is dead?) and it remained a competitive and exciting series it would be far from the end of F1. In any case it's not going to happen.
I have an idea, LETS PISS OF FERRARI AND SEE FAR WE CAN PUSH THEM TOWARDS LEAVING F1. Bernie never surprises me and going after Ferrari is easily one of the dumbest things that you can do, Ferrari does not put up with ****.
They both are blinded by greed and money. For them, F1 is business first, sports second. They don't care about the fans. Thats why they're destroying F1. They don't understand the fans, and they don't know what the fans want. Sure, F1 will survive without Ferrari. But for how long?
can monza survive without ferrari hey half of the spectators are ferrari fans no ferrari no fans then no money for bernie so he might knock monza of the championship. That includes the rest of the races around the world. fans will turn there back at the races or not go because there wont be ferrari on track. i recalled at monza a while back dnf at monza and a hellicotper shot showed ferrari fans leaving the track.
What we have here is a classic case of weak leadership. We have a) an old pervert who's also a closet nazi, and b) a mega-ego classless and crass ninny in the senior roles of F1 leadership. So what do we expect? Of course it's anarchy and breakdown. These two children couldn't lead their way out of a wet paper bag. What they both have in spades is a seasoned sense of self-preservation and cut throat instincts. That's not leadership, that's just being narrow minded. Get rid of these losers! Time for some seasoned and professional leaders who can build consensus and get the job done. Because of your ages it won't be long before you're gone from this earth and, for the record, you're both damaging to the sport and that will be your legacy. How is it you could get to where you are in life and sport/business and not have accumulated some greater level of life wisdom?? Remarkable.
Perhaps, in the long run. Fact is F1 will lose at least a big part of its appeal when Ferrari competes elsewhere. Besides, if Ferrari leaves it will be because their 'demands' are not met. Toyota, Renault and RedBull are almost certain to leave as well in that case. It will leave Formula 1 with a bunch of obscure privateerteams, none of them with a any F1 racinghistory to mention.
Just what i think will happen if Ferrari leave the sport. But obviously i back drivers just as much as the team they driver for, but if Ferrari leave F1 he won't be in F1 anymore. Unless i go fo the national thing in which case it would be Jenson or Lewis.
What if Ferrari leaves and budgets get lowered? Does that mean Honda can come back, Subaru can start an F1 team, Audi, Porsche, and countless potential individual team owners (David Richards for example) can then enter/re-enter the sport? F1 won't be the same but it won't be over if Ferrari leaves. (But let's hope they don't).
Fair point, but lets face it, F1 without a worthy opponent such as Ferrari, wouldn't be as good for the likes of JB and LH.
