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BRAWN: Commits To FOTA For 2010

Discussion in 'F1' started by RP, Jun 6, 2009.

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  1. RP

    RP F1 World Champ

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    #1 RP, Jun 6, 2009
    Ross Brawn has pledged his total commitment to the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA), ending speculation that his outfit could follow Williams and Force India in lodging its own entry to next year's championship.

    Williams has already been suspended by FOTA, with Force India set to receive a similar punishment, for having lodged their own entries for next year independent of the conditional applications made by FOTA's other eight members.

    With Force India having acted in Turkey this weekend, there had been rumours that Brawn could be next to go it alone and enter unconditionally too.

    However, speaking about the matter is Istanbul on Saturday, Brawn made it clear that his team was not wavering in its commitment to FOTA's cause.

    "I understand Frank's position, Frank had contractual agreements with Bernie and the FIA which we don't have, so he had some difficulty in that respect," said Brawn about the impact of the Williams entry.

    "But the existence of this team was dependent on the support of FOTA teams - McLaren and Mercedes in particular are the reason why we are here, and I think the FOTA initiatives are good.

    "We seem to have had a disconnection in terms of liaising and negotiating with the FIA, and that has perhaps been the problem because FOTA has got a lot of good ideas and the FIA has got a lot of good ideas. Hopefully those ideas will be brought together to find a solution.

    "We seem to have disconnected somehow in this process and what we need to do is reconnect, and I feel that I want to be part of FOTA. It is a good initiative and I feel I can help more towards finding a solution being a member of FOTA than I can stepping out of it, so I intend to remain within FOTA."

    Brawn said he did not expect any other FOTA members to join Williams and Force India in breaking away from the block conditional entry pact.

    "I don't think so, I don't see it going any more than that," he said. "Force India had their reasons which you will have to ask them about, and Frank had his reasons. And it was obviously more difficult for them.

    "But I don't see it fracturing any more, and there is a whole lot of work that FOTA does that is not just this current controversy. There is a whole raft of technical proposals that we have for 2010 which we intend to save a lot of money.

    "Next year the FOTA proposal is that we only have three bodywork upgrades during the season – what you start with and then two upgrades during the season. That saves an enormous amount of money because any time that you are doing new bodywork, you are doing this and you are doing that, it is very expensive.

    "FOTA proposed homologated gearboxes at 1.5 million Euros for next season, FOTA members are providing engines for teams for 5 million Euros next year, all of those are FOTA initiatives. There is some great stuff that FOTA is doing, we just need to move away from the confrontational situation that we have got in with the FIA."

    Although the FIA and FOTA currently appear to be in a stand off ahead of next Friday's announcement about which teams have got entries to 2010, Brawn remains optimistic the matter could get resolved.

    "I think there are interim solutions, but quite clearly if next Friday 10 [new] teams are given an entry in F1, then there is a problem because there is no room for the rest of us. And I don't know what will happen then.

    "I hope it doesn't happen because if 10 teams are given an entry then there is a major problem. Even if it is a holding position until we sort this out, I hope we can find a solution."
     
  2. RP

    RP F1 World Champ

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    #2 RP, Jun 6, 2009
    I find this to be significant. Brawn sticking with FOTA now backs the FIA into a similar negotiation corner that FOTA occupied.
     
  3. Fast_ian

    Fast_ian Two Time F1 World Champ

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    #3 Fast_ian, Jun 6, 2009
    Ross is the man! As someone said elsewhere recently, he doesn't say a lot, but when he does it makes really good sense - More than most of the other egotistical jerks involved:

    If Mad Max had made these proposals maybe this BS wouldn't be occurring. Because he didn't he's pissed! This is the first "concrete" evidence I've read of the FOTA proposals, and they make way too much sense for Mad Max! Hopefully the evil pygmy will turn on him soon.....

    Cheers,
    Ian
     
  4. jknight

    jknight F1 Veteran

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    #4 jknight, Jun 6, 2009
    hey Steve... remember this comment you made on the qualifying thread in response to my post??

    "+100

    And knows when to speak out and when not to."


    He's our man and you are absolutely correct!!!

    Carol
     
  5. Isobel

    Isobel F1 World Champ

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    #5 Isobel, Jun 6, 2009
    'disconnect' mentioned twice. I wonder who he means....

    Powerful and eloquent words from the man of the moment in F1. Opened the curtains a sliver to show FOTA has become a more cohesive group that are working on successful solutions without direction. Judging from Dr. Mario's comments and those above from RB, the olive branch remains in clear sight. Smax will inevitably cave (as will FOTA to a degree), however I believe his only concern now is the perception he remains in control. I expect he's been concocting numerous spins for months awaiting the showdown.

    I can't see how Smax will avoid being sued by the replacement teams unless prequalifying is in. FOTA teams would never agree to it but a quick grandfather clause could protect them (and Williams/ForceI), leaving 6 grid places open, more if one of them bails in 2010. In the past, fielding an entry did not guarantee a position on the grid.
     
  6. kraftwerk

    kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

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    #6 kraftwerk, Jun 6, 2009
    Carol yes indeed.

    Just basic common sense, Ross has it in abundance.

    If it wasn't for his team he would be the perfect man to run the whole show IMO.
     
  7. kraftwerk

    kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

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    #7 kraftwerk, Jun 6, 2009
    Good post Is, But Bernie is too quiet for my liking, I did say as this mess kicked off Bernie's problem will be trying to get Max out of this looking like he has won, in other words a saving face exercise for Max...Maybe.

    Either way to the innocent by stander it looks like Max is determined to carry on wreaking havoc on F1..:eek:
     
  8. RP

    RP F1 World Champ

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    #8 RP, Jun 6, 2009
    Question:

    With Mercedes owning what, 80% of McLaren, with Mercedes supplying Brawn with admittedly strong engines, and Mercedes considering badging the Brawn, did Ross Brawn have any choice but to stick with FOTA? Or at least stick with whatever path Mercedes would take?
     
  9. LightGuy

    LightGuy Four Time F1 World Champ
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    #9 LightGuy, Jun 6, 2009
    Even though I back Williams I would love to see FOTA hand it to FIA, FOM, and BernieMax.
    If that means Williams and now Farce India wont be invited to the party so be it.
    FIA will do what FOTA says.
    The FOM parasites can starve.
     
  10. kraftwerk

    kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

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    #10 kraftwerk, Jun 6, 2009
    Two ways of looking at it IMO yes you could say Ross had no choice in supporting the FOTA, because of Merc.

    However Ross, I would edge my bets and say he would support them anyway, he had problems early on with the rules with clarification issues, albeit they went in his favour.

    The issue very important IMO, how can the racing even start when certain cars, may or may not be legal..The FIA/Max and Bernie both stated there maybe trouble ahead, and there was, now take into account Ferrari's power of veto of tech rules ect, hence all the problem's started to unfold.

    It was rotten from the top to begin with.
    To date:
    As was reported and correctly predicted in Monday’s GPWeek however, the teams have used the clever option of entering FOTA as a block so that if any conditions are not met, F1 immediately loses nine teams (all existing teams minus Williams.) It also means that if the FIA wants a full grid, it can’t possibly drop one of the existing teams in favour of a new team, as the block entry is for all nine teams as a unit.

    The FIA’s response will be very interesting indeed, as FOTA has admitted that it is now ready to do a deal over the Concorde Agreement, something which Bernie Ecclestone will be keen to convince his old friend Max to agree to sooner rather than later.

    Ok Force India signed up, but the to me the FOTA as a whole are trying to resolve it and Ross is on board with that view.
     
  11. Isobel

    Isobel F1 World Champ

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    #11 Isobel, Jun 7, 2009
    Steve, yes, I think you're on to something re the Ferret and as usual, way ahead of me on the Smax 'saving face' beat. ;)
     
  12. VIZSLA

    VIZSLA Four Time F1 World Champ
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    #12 VIZSLA, Jun 8, 2009
    BINGO.
    Beat me to it Ron.
     
  13. VIZSLA

    VIZSLA Four Time F1 World Champ
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    #13 VIZSLA, Jun 8, 2009
    Steve, it remains to be seen which way FI and Williams will go if there is a split.
     

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