Should Williams F1 and Force-India be allowed to join FOTA ?

Interesting Q..... My take (FWIW) is get them back on board - Things have moved on, time to bury the hatchets and stand united.

If the newbies build their cars and get 'em on track (ie, become manufacturers!) they should also be welcomed into the fold IMHO.

They weren't "thrown out" but rather "suspended" IIRC - Nice big open door there! [And links to their sites were never removed from the FOTA site either.]

Cheers,
Ian

 

Of course they will. Their suspension was due to an economic necessity forced upon them. In a post-Max world unity is the word of the day.

 

I was thinking of Sir Frank's particular financial arrangements with FOM.

 

That's one reason there was never going to be a breakaway series. Only if contracts did not specify something to the effect of "FIA World F1 Championship" would there have been a possibility of not having a concern about a contract.

Yes, Williams and Force India should most definetely be allowed back into FOTA. If not, FOTA gives the appearance of arrogance and vindictiveness.

 

Still fighting the last war?

 

They should be thanking their lucky stars that Max left and gave into FOTA's demands. Otherwise they would have been left alone to "race" in a joke of a series with empty stands.

FOTA should allow them back. IMO, they basically had no choice in the decision they made. If they had a choice they would have been with FOTA.

 

Gave in Clint!! not sure he had any say in the matter..to be honest.

+1000 correct

 

thought that ended yesterday or did I miss something???

Carol

 

Yesterday was the end of only one battle. The war continues.

 

You're correct Steve. I made that statement before my morning coffee. Thinking more clearly now.

 

Yes. Frank is just trying to keep his team alive in the best way he knows how.

 

More power to him.

 

Even though an argument can be made that they (Williams and Force India) acted in their best interest from a financial/contractual standpoint the same argument could have been made for the Brawn team (arguably even smaller than either Williams or Force India). Yet Brawn stood firm with FOTA. He may not have had the same contractual agreements in place but I'm sure Ross was taking a big gamble by hanging out with the big boys and their deeper pockets (arguably with much more staying/waiting/negotiating power).

In the end I think all should be forgiven and they should stand united once again but there's a part of me that also feels that Williams and Force India betrayed their organization. What - if any - should be the penalty for such betrayal? Probably nothing at this point. Just forget about it and move on in a positive way.

 

I wouldn't hold any gripes against any of the teams. As was mentioned, they acted in what they felt was the best interest for their own survival. And these decisions were forced as the result of questionable leadership that should have been acting in the best interest of everyone.

 

I'm more inclined to think that Williams and Force India knew the teams had set out to remove Max, and not go through with a break away, and probably just to keep it from getting to messy legal wise, agreed it ok to let them go, just standard protocol to kicking them out, no big deal.

If Ross Brawn had broken ranks it would have been more worrying.

 

Watch it Steve you're bordering on lucidity.

 

Haha I'm pretending to mad, but who would notice another madman on here..

 

This works.

I was a former Union member in a shop that allowed one to be a member or not. Those that did not join enjoyed all the benefits of union negotiations without the costs or risks. Freeloaders.

As much as I admire and support Williams their action to sell out places them in a self imposed awkward position. Probably for very good reasons and possibly survival. This still does not excuse "the crime".

Force India ; who knows. Possibly they never felt like "one of the boys" so acted independently.

In any case they should be punished for their break or next time, and there WILL be a next time, everyone knows the consequences.

 

More like preparation for the next.

 

In a way this is why we as a society are in the financial mess we are in now.
Those who stood to benefit took advantage of the system then walked away Scott free. Like those who have plundered in the past have because there is no penalty for White collar crime at this level. And believe me it was criminal.
We continue to send the message that its OK to "take advantage" of the capitalist system without fear of recrimination. So thats what happens.
And will continue to until the system demands accountability.

Rant over.