Will all the race results be decided in Paris?

Anthony_Ferrari · Mar 25, 2009

It sounds like there a few rows rumling under the surface which could all ruin what looks like a great F1 season. Firstly there's the row between Bernie and the teams over who should control F1:

Teams threatened to boycott Australian GP

24/03/2009

According to a report in The Times, in a row over money, members of the Formula One Teams' Association threatened to boycott this week's season opener in Melbourne.

It's understood that at a meeting at Formula One Management's Knightsbridge HQ last week, Ron Dennis and Flavio Briatore both threatened that unless Bernie Ecclestone wrote a cheque for outstanding monies, their teams would not fly out to Australia for the season opener. Furthermore, they warned that other members of FOTA would follow suit.

The Times article on the meeting, which was also attended by Toyota's John Howett, though based on a leak, has since been confirmed by Ecclestone who admits that the dispute was about money owed to the teams but which he is unwilling to pay out until a new Concorde Agreement is signed.

"Flavio said, 'we're not going to put our cars on the plane, we're not going to Melbourne,'" Ecclestone claims. "He - Flavio - started it, aided and abetted by Ron Dennis."

However, according to the F1 supremo, he called their bluff.

"I picked up the phone to our people that handle all the freight to ask them to cancel the aeroplanes," said Ecclestone. "They were saying, 'all the Fota-schmota are not going - nobody's going to go.' So I said what I'd better do is cancel the aircraft obviously. It costs a fortune to charter those things and almost as much to cancel them."

While Dennis and Briatore clearly backed down, the cars are now in Australia, Ecclestone reveals that though present, Howett was barely involved. "Poor John was sitting there a bit confused about life in general," said the Englishman.

"If they come in here with a gun and hold it to my head, they had better be sure they can f***ing pull the trigger," said the F1 supremo of Dennis and Briatore's threat. "And they should make sure it's got bullets in it because, if they miss, they better look out."

Which sets up Ecclestone, FOTA and the FIA nicely for a 'summer of love'... 40 years after Woodstock.

Article from Pitpass (http://www.pitpass.com):

Published: 24/03/2009
Copyright © Pitpass 2002 - 2009. All rights reserved.
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Then there is the diffuser row:

Marko: Seven teams united in diffuser row

24/03/2009

Speaking to Austria's Sportnet, Red Bull's Helmut Marko has warned that his is one of several teams that will protest the diffusers being used by three rival teams.

"They have a double diffuser which gives them five tenths per lap," declared the Austrian. "Seven teams, including Red Bull, are united," he continued. "They are illegal."

There are widespread fears that the first race of the season will descend into farce as a result of the row, while FIA President Max Mosley has effectively appeared to wash his hands of the matter.

Marko claims that his team and Renault went to the FIA last year and discussed a similar aerodynamic concept to that now being used by Brawn, Williams and Toyota but says that "at that time there was a negative answer".

Because there is a certain degree of ambiguity to the rules, a fact which Mosley concedes, there is a loophole which three teams have sought to exploit, just as teams have always sought to exploit loopholes in the regulations. However, the sheer pace of the three teams in testing clearly has the opposition worried.

A Pitpass source - a former F1 insider and someone who has made his living from scrutinising and out-thinking the rule book - said: "I cannot believe they even bothered shipping the cars to Australia" earlier today.

The source believes that protests will indeed be lodged and that the official results of the first couple of races might not be known until the European phase of the championship gets underway.

Article from Pitpass (http://www.pitpass.com):

Published: 24/03/2009
Copyright © Pitpass 2002 - 2009. All rights reserved.
Click to expand...

and then there is this rather disturbing twitter post from Lee McKenzie who is part of the BBC F1 team:

It sounds like diffusers may be just one of many rows brewing in Australia. Early night as tomorrow could be a very long day!
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and

I hear there may be some fireworks with Ferrari in next 24 hours!
Click to expand...

Sigh....

Remy Zero · Mar 25, 2009

Let the games begin!

racerx3317 · Mar 25, 2009

Here we go again! Oh well, at least the off season is over!!!!!!!!!! Bring on Melbourne!!

Anthony_Ferrari · Mar 25, 2009

It is very very frustrating. Surely it is not impossible to get this diffuser thing sorted out before the race? If the Brawn, Williams, and Toyota all pass scrutineering tomorrow then the other teams will protest their legality after the race. If they fail scrutineering they will be at a huge disadvantage for the race. I can't see a way thet this race can go ahaead without some kind of protest from someone.

8-Ball · Mar 25, 2009

I can't help but think the FIA are letting the diffuser row rumble on to try and create a division between the teams and give them some negative publicity after the winner takes all affair. A united FOTA is probably something of a worry to Max.

On the other hand, if three teams interpreted the regulations in that way then they maybe they're right?

kraftwerk · Mar 25, 2009

I have come to think it's totally absurd they have left these issues unresolved, is just to keep F1 in the headlines!!

It's as though Bernie and Max know full well there is trouble ahead, but just sit back and state it, unbelievable..

Who is running this show..

Anthony_Ferrari · Mar 26, 2009

8-Ball said: ↑

I can't help but think the FIA are letting the diffuser row rumble on to try and create a division between the teams and give them some negative publicity after the winner takes all affair. A united FOTA is probably something of a worry to Max.
Click to expand...

Absolutely spot on! Max does not want or like the teams to be united. The FIA have washed their hands on this and have refused to make a ruling before the race. Now 4 teams (Ferrari, Red Bull, Renault, & BMW) have protested the diffusers. I think the race will still go ahead and the teams involved (Brawn, Toyota, & Williams) will race with the diffusers in place. There will then be a lenghty court battle to decide the legality. I assume Max doesn't care who wins the battle as long as it causes a rift in FOTA.

Remy Zero · Mar 26, 2009

Just in :

Four teams have now lodged protests against the legality of the rear diffusers fitted to the Brawn, Toyota and Williams cars.

The news emerged in the Albert Park Paddock on Thursday after the aerodynamic components were declared legal by FIA scrutineers ahead of the 2009 season opener.

"There are different interpretations of the rules, and we need clarity as quickly as possible," BMW Sauber team boss Mario Theissen said.

Ferrari, Renault and Red Bull also protested, and it is understood they are protesting against all three teams.

The stewards are due to consider the protest on Thursday, but depending on the outcome either the protesting teams, or the three diffuser teams, are expected to send the matter to the Court of Appeal.

If the stewards side with the protesting teams, Brawn, Toyota and Williams will be permitted to race under appeal.

FIA President Max Mosley has already revealed that the appeal would not be able to be heard until after next Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix.

Anthony_Ferrari · Mar 26, 2009

The protest has been rejected as expected. Ferrari, Red Bull and Renault now have an hour to appeal against the stewards decision.

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Will all the race results be decided in Paris?

Anthony_Ferrari Formula 3

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