Montezemolo held a press conference with Mosley. The main points are: 1) The 2010 teams will be Ferrari, McLaren Mercedes, BMW, Toyota, Renault, Brawn Mercedes, Red Bull, Toro Rosso, Williams, Force India, Campos Grand Prix, Manor Grand Prix and US F1. 2) The 2009 rules will be confirmed until 2012 3) No budget cap.
We will have to wait until details of the reconciliation come out. It appears FOTA won, and the FIA backed down - as was sure to happen all along. I have no doubt that FOTA got exactly what it wanted - Mosley gone, proper governance, and the money issues (where were non-issues) are likely hammered out easily. I am sure FOTA is smart enough not to rely on Max's word nor on FIA good will. Most likely they have something concrete, in writing, that fundamentally changes governance of the sport, giving them some sort of commission for disputes rather than the iron hand of FIA president. I wouldn't be surprised if the new FIA head will be someone either nominated by FOTA or at least will be 'approved' by them. We'll have to wait and see what the full details are. Hopefully the reconciliation includes a return to the Americas in it. It could be good, if the governance issue is fixed and it includes new races in N. America. I would be disappointed if a return to N. America isn't part of the deal, and if lower ticket prices aren't handled (and I bet they won't be), I will, like Dave, feel a bit used.
I'm glad to see that the newbies aren't being thrown under the bus. I do doubt that all of them will survive the first season though.
Based on what we know so far, I would tend to agree. I just hope that this scenario won't repeat itself in the future. I'm sick of politics and hungry for some real racing.
So, in other words, no compromise was reached. FOTA didn't give up anything, the FIA gave up everything. And Mosley is out. Huge win for FOTA, utter loss for Mosley.
I'll bet you that two out of the three never make it to the grid. What makes it such a travesty was that Max let in the first round knowing there would only be 3 possibly spots if all the existing teams re-signed. Given that, why were those spots given to Campos, Manor and USF1, when Lola, Prodrive and Epsilon were there? Campos proposes to use a Dallara chassis and Cosworth engine. What about customer cars not being allowed? I bet 2 out of the 3 new teams (or possibly all three) never make it onto the grid, and if they do, they won't be there the following year. And USF1 is a pipe dream that will never see the light of day.
Yep, the breakaway was a real threat. FOTA showed the FIA they wear the pants in F1. Max is out and FOTA and fans win!
I've just read on an Italian website that FOTA will have a major role in the future F1 rule-making and decision-making process. By the sound of it, FOTA got exactly what they wanted. We shall see.
I didn't want to say that in this time of good will. We may well see Lola and others join the grid but things are a bit too unresolved at this point to say.
The Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) will officially call off its plans for a rival championship tomorrow after reaching a breakthrough deal with the FIA. Following last-ditch talks between FIA president Max Mosley, FOTA chairman Luca di Montezemolo and F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, an agreement was reached that commits the teams to the sport until 2012. FOTA members had been set to press ahead with breakaway plans in the meeting in Bologna tomorrow, but following its victory in getting the FIA and Ecclestone to agree to terms that keeps its eight members in F1, it will now rubber stamp final cost-cutting regulations for 2010 and call off its breakaway instead. The deal between the FIA and FOTA was confirmed on Wednesday afternoon, when the FIA announced that its planned budget cap for 2010 had been scrapped, and instead FOTA-proposed cost-cutting regulations will be introduced. In a bid to help new teams, technical assistance will be offered to Campos Meta, Manor Grand Prix and Team US F1 by major outfits. The FIA statement said: "As part of this agreement, the teams will, within two years, reduce the costs of competing in the championship to the level of the early 1990s. "The manufacturer teams have agreed to assist the new entries for 2010 by providing technical assistance." As part of the deal with FOTA, the teams' association has agreed to recognise the FIA's position as the sport's governing body, adding that a new Concorde Agreement has been agreed in principle to keep all of the teams in F1 to 2012 and, upon re-negotiation, it is hoped beyond. "The manufacturer teams have further agreed to the permanent and continuing role of the FIA as the sport's governing body," added the statement. "They have also committed to the commercial arrangements for the FIA Formula 1 World Championship until 2012 and have agreed to renegotiate and extend this contract before the end of that period. "All teams will adhere to an upgraded version of the governance provisions of the 1998 Concorde Agreement." Furthermore, with it clear that FOTA is not trying to usurp the FIA's authority, FIA president Max Mosley has agreed to not stand for re-election in October.
Fixed! Because they were McLaren's insurance policy for F1 and the FIA knew it. It would be a bit like NART deciding to enter F1, while Ferrari sat out.
Max doesn't like Dave Richards. Back when they were opening up slots for new teams, ProDrive applied and was accepted. They were going to run McLaren chassis' and engines as 'customer cars'. Frank Williams said it was in the Concorde Agreement that all entrants be constructors, and that he would sue to prevent customer cars. So, ProDrive was told they were still expected to run cars the following year, but they would have to build their own chassis. Dave Richards balked at this and said he would run McLaren chassis', but he wasn't going to construct his own. So he really pissed off Mosley and made Max look like a fool when his promise to let customer cars run proved to be a promise he couldn't make and couldn't keep. So while ProDrive is without doubt the best equipped to be a new team, Max has a personal beef with them and is exacting his revenge as he does best, to the detriment of the sport (as usual).
A crazy man! I wish he'd resigned right now though - We know he's friggin' nuts and capable of saying "I need to stay for another term" come, say August if he doesn't like what's happening....... Hopefully I'm wrong and FOTA have a cast iron guarantee that he's out, but as I keep saying, they're dealing with a certifiable looney IMO...... Cheers, Ian Now, what about those ticket prices, Bernie?
RE: Mosley, I'll bet the FOTA teams entries are conditional on Mosley not being there, among other things. Agree 100% on ticket prices. I hope that will be address, as well as N.American races, because otherwise I feel a bit used.
+1 IIRC, that feud goes back a long way - I can't remember what started it, but it's not new. I'm also a little "intrigued" by the customer car question - I guess as long as Dallara only build chassis for one entrant it's OK (?) Cheers, Ian
Hard to tell at this time from the information so far, but it does appear that the FIA, FOM, and FOTA got what they wanted in some form. Max is gone as LdM wanted, budget restrictions, apparently not in the form of caps, are in place for 2011 and 201 as the FIA wanted. I would think the new Concorde that Bernie wanted spells out the way rules will be implemented. The FIA statement said: "As part of this agreement, the teams will, within two years, reduce the costs of competing in the championship to the level of the early 1990s. (If I remember correctly, even Ferrari was at around $200 mill USD at that time) Even if a new series would have happened, it never would have become the unlimited form of racing of the 1980's and 1990's. It too would have developed into a cost conscious program, that's inevitable. At least there is only one F1 World Championship.
There will be budget restrictions. Interestng how you put your spin on the outcome. When I read the statements so far, seems everyone gave up something, including FOTA and the FIA. Except maybe Bernie, seems he got everything. Somehow, I think he wins, and don't count on ticket prices coming down. I will be curious if anyone demanded that certain circuits with no race day spectators be eliminated.
No. The FIA didn't get anything they wanted. It wasn't like the FIA wanted to reduce costs, but FOTA was against it. They both wanted to reduce costs (it was in FOTA's charter) but they disagreed on how to do it. The FIA adopted FOTA's cost savings measures which seem nebulous at best. The FIA totally lost. They completely rolled over and gave in to every single one of FOTA's demands, and they also gave up Max as a sacrifice to FOTA. It wasn't a tri-party agreement at all. FIA lost completely, FOTA won completely.
Wrong. The FIA got nothing they wanted. If you think FOTA didn't want costs reduced, you are wrong. Budget caps were what they FIA wanted, and they are gone. FOTA wanted other spending reduction measures, and they were accepted. FOTA got what they wanted, FIA got nothing they wanted. As for FOM, it remains to be seen what compromises Bernie offered up. Part of what FOTA wanted was a bigger slice of the pie. I imagine they got it, but we shall see (although that may never be made public). Face it Ron, the FIA lost. Totally and completely. You've been on their side all along, and you're portraying this as some sort of win/win. It's just not. It is clear that the FIA rolled over and got nothing they wanted, whereas FOTA held their ground and got everything they wanted (from the FIA at least) - and it remains to be see what they may have gotten from FOM.
