Mercedes may quit Formula One over commercial deal

Hey,

Lifted (and edited for brevity) from Autosport - Seems Norbert's pissed;

Merc -v- The Pygmy in the Euro courts could get really ugly and I don't think Bernie wants to go public with the details of the Concorde. We'll see.....

Cheers,
Ian
EDIT; http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98347

 

Merc is playing hardball negotiations. In the end everyone will be happy.
And silent.

 

+1

In addition to an "amicable" (and, as you say, quiet) settlement with Merc, I'd also like to see the minnows get a larger slice of the action - They're the ones who *really* need a little help and Bernie needs 'em to ensure a full grid.

I guess I understand where he's coming from on the team name change issue (longevity counts) but it does seem a little "harsh" IMO.

Cheers,
Ian

 

The minnows. A problematic bunch in my mind. Apparently we need spear carriers to fill the grid but how does that reconcile with F1 "the pinnicle of motor sport"?
In any case no one, much less hyper competitive racers, likes to share. Particularly money.

If you can fake tradition you have a future (if not a past) in F1

 

My apologies if a repost/old news: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/9164926/Mercedes-may-quit-Formula-One-over-commercial-deal.html

 

It is, but I'll forgive you

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=361244

Apparently, the leaked document Sky got hold of was briefly posted on their site, but the Autosport report didn't have the details in your Telegraph article, so you're forgiven

Cheers,
Ian

 

Thanks for your forgiveness you NASCAR wannabe!

That said, I found this Sky News blog dated the 19th, Ferrari Poised For F1 Stake As CVC Plots $10bn Float, which seems heavy on details...

I assume this isn't the Sky News article that was pulled?

 

I honestly don't know - My impression (very likely wrong) was that they published at least parts of the proposed Concorde itself.

In any event, good find (thanks!) and *very* interesting reading, although some of his #'s seem *way* off to me - I'm pretty sure "we" determined that Ferrari are paid close to $100MM per season no matter what and RBR got close to that with their double titles for example.

Seems Bernie's preparing for his eventual departure......

Cheers,
Ian

 

By setting up a Cluster **** for the next boss to deal with.....

 

Please please please everyone DO NOT take this out of context. Mercedes are not leaving F1 and have no plans to do so. This is simply a contractual negotiation they are having an issue with. This is the equivalent to Ferrari saying each and every year that they will leave Formula1 if *insert reason here* happens.

 

MB laying the ground work for their withdrawal?

Wouldn't surprise me one bit.

 

...and then Ross & Michael return to Ferrari!

 

No need for that, Ferrari already has one slow driver.

PS: Wouldn't mind having Ross around though.

 

FFS NO. This is posturing so they can have better leverage for their contract. Ferrari plays this game all the time. My gosh........... ugh

 

So...you think it's about 60/40 they stay?

 

I get the posturing part, but:

When Ferrari does it, it has some weight because they are...well Ferrari. One of the most prestigious car manufacturers, the only F1 team that has been there since the first year, one of the most successful F1 teams of all times etc etc.

What's Mercedes bargaining chip?

 

If you saw the autograph queues in Melbourne, you'd know what at least ONE of them is.

 

I agree Ferrari has a lot of leverage. They bring a lot to the table including the Tifosi(12), pissing them(him) off wouldn't be a great idea.

But isn't Mercedes a major sponsor. Every other commercial is about MB. There's the "Mercedes Benz Pre-Race Show" too. I'm not sure if this is a lot or how easy replacing all of that would be.

 

Didn't know that you guys are such huge fans of Nico.

Granted MS is a big attraction to the sport. No doubt about it. But (as Bernie said) drivers come and go. MB can use MS as a bargaining chip only for so long and even they (MB) aren't really sure they'll have him beyond this year. He deliberately didn't sign an extension and as far as things have been going it doesn't look like he is rushing to do so.

I'm assuming you saw that on Speed TV (not that I noticed it, but I believe you). That's only a local (as in the US) sponsor.
The money that matters are the sponsors alongside the tracks and I haven't seen much MB ads there at all (not that I expected any).

MB at this point is a midfield team. It has about as much weight as Lotus or Sauber. So it has some weight, but not the same as the front runners (RedBull, McLaren) or the traditional Ferrari. Yes, Schumacher is a bargaining chip, but that goes only so far.

What Mercedes does have is the renomee of being a world class car manufacturer and supplier of engines to the McLaren team. So they are important, but not to the point that they couldn't be replaced.

 

Interesting stuff.
Mercedes is that last major auto maker left in F1. The rest have chosen to leave largely because of how Bernie & Co. treated them.
It's no secret that he doesnt like having "partners" who need F1 less than f1 needs them.
I wonder where McLaren fit into this. They have almost as great a historical claim to special treatment as does Ferrari. It may be that they're being excluded from the special considerations because of their close relationship with MB.
If MB leaves they'll take their engines which are the class of the field these days. I wonder how that'll be received. Of course this comes just before the introduction of new engine specs so the loss of MB motors may not be as much of a consideration.
The provision for customer teams would seem to be a measure to fill the grid and provide income (cost sharing) for the remaining teams.
Interesting stuff.

 

wow, 2nd race in and already someone is threatening to quit the sport! that might be a record. usually it's Silverstone before this stuff hits the press.

 

Ok thanks for the info on the sponsor aspect. They are a large sponsor for Speed so thats why Speed mentions them a lot.
I realized after posting that they made engines for Mclaren but I figured you would've replied quicker than I could edit(I was right on that account)
I think that Schumacher is NOT really a bargaining chip. If MB leaves, I'm sure he could find a seat somewhere else. I think he still has some left in him.
Bottom Line: MB is replaceable but Ferrari is not (they are synonymous with F1) so that's why Ferrari has a lot of say.
Thanks again.

 

MB will leave due to the lack of success on the track, not off!


Mark

 

It seems everyone will pretty much believe what they want to believe. Mercedes just wants to be treated the same way as the other large teams, which they are now. And their car doesn't look like it was put together by 6 year olds with legos and glue like the Ferrari which has now become an exercise in hack and slash engineering. For anyone still not convinced, ask yourself why Daimler/Merc as a company would just 6 months ago build up a massive top contending formula 1 team hiring the best in the business to just pull out in a year? Come on people get real. Especially the haters, my gosh your rhetoric is getting old.



And before anyone bags Merc on their performance, do some research on what the issue is and educate yourself technically a bit. The car is fine and it's a top 2-3 car as it's proven in winter testing and qualifying, it's just having tire heating issues due to the weather conditions present at both races. Pirelli's rubber is more 'spongy' this year when it is in its operating window which is 100-120C, and if the tire is not right in that window it will not operate and it will degrade laterally offering terrible traction. That was the issue at Australia and the issue in Malaysia due to obvious cooling reasons (rain), but not in qualifying.

 

Big manufacturers have a history of coming and going from F1
Why should they get a long term incentive
If this goes to court the money will end up getting evenly
spread among all teams minnows and top teams