Mike it goes with saying Nail on head.. how on earth some can still be justifying there BS is beyond me..
Breakaway championship off as FIA and FOTA make peace No CommentsBy Hugh Podmore on Wednesday, June 24, 2009 Filed Under: F1 News The threatened breakaway championship, to be run by FOTA, has been called off as the teams made peace with the FIA in Paris today. FOTA have yet to make a statement but the FIA released one this afternoon, announcing that there would only be one F1 from next year. This will be greeted by a loud sigh of relief from FIA President Max Mosley and FOM Chairman Bernie Ecclestone, as well as a collective one from all F1 fans. The FIA statement focused on the thorny issue of cost cuts all mention of a budget cap has been scrapped and replaced by a general commitment to reduced spending levels. It 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. Talk of mutiny against the FIA from FOTA has been quelled by the agreement, and a new governing document in the shape of a renewed Concorde Agreement is expected to be drawn up soon. The manufacturer teams have further agreed to the permanent and continuing role of the FIA as the sports 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. In the biggest scalp for the teams, Max Mosley has agreed not to stand for re-election as FIA President when his term expires in October. This may well have been the deal clincher the teams were looking for, as Mosley was widely thought to be the cause of the recent difficulties. But Mosley and Ecclestone will count this as a victory for F1, even if it carries a strong warning for their style of autocratic governance.
Here's what I'm hearing... Over the next few years we're going to bring costs down to around an unknown unmanaged amount and bring some newbie teams in to fill the grid and lap and to test some new stuff on before we put them on our cars and lap them even more. Gotta love it ! ! !
If Ecclestone is still 'there', still in-charge of track selection, still maintaining a stranglehold on TV rights/coverage, etc. then the battle is only half-won. NO GP in the US or Canada, NO return to the classic racetracks, still a Tyrant on the throne of F1. Oh, and we have no idea if FIA has traded one ignorant King for another - there will still be drama/politics for some time to come.
+1 About as vague as the "costs to be reduced to about the same as they may have been in the 90's - Roughly about that unknown figure anyway" Another +1. Did you notice Mclaren running with "vizi-flow" (?) paint on their front wing and diffuser last week? - They don't know what the hells going on it seems!..... Aero remains a "black art"..... Cheers, Ian
LMAO.... I'm watching wimbledon with something cold in my hand.. Oh I've delivered the straight jacket and bath chair Ian, they said they will pay me in October...should have I trusted them tho...
Ha ha I'm not cold hearted mate..I love defenseless animals,..................................... especially in a good gravy... What on earth was I drinking last night? My head feels like Max is living in it.
"My mouth feels like the Russian Army has been walking through it in it's stocking feet" W.C. Fields Been there. Only solution is to never sober up
Sounds like Bernie used Max's head to buy himself some time. The venues are still moving away. The tracks will still have to pay ludicrous fees (causing huge ticket prices). Engine freeze, testing ban, stupid tire rules, stupid diffuser ruling, multi-race engines, multi-race gearboxes, arbitrary racing penalties --- all still there. Bernie gets to keep the rules that drove Honda away. They still get their no-name private teams. I guess Bernie figures that after a few more manufacturers leave, FOTA will have a smaller club to wield. Just wait until the lawyers try to define "'90s spending levels". With or without inflation adjustment? In dollars or euros or francs? Max is gone. Whoopie. But the gold/silver/bronze medals notion, KERS, dropping Indy and Montreal, night races, twilight races --- that was all Bernie. And it's still a manufacturer hostile environment. FOTA can claim "victory" -- Max is gone. FIA can claim "victory" -- Max is gone. The fans are the losers. This is what I feared: FOTA let itself get bought off cheap with Max's head ---- and not even during this season. (He can still meddle with the results (except that he'll be gone before the Abu Dhabi race). He can still hand out team penalties.)
One step at time Sir.. As you pointed out KERS (not sure who's idea, thought it was Max's) medals yes Bernie, but he just lost his weapon Max to implement these things. Bernie IMO is in a much weaker position now!!, time will tell who keeps or gains the upper hand, the fans win if the FOTA keeps to there promise of listening to us..
The one thing concrete in all of this: Mosley's been banned for life. Seriously, look at all of those agreements. There isn't a tooth to be found in any of them. The only things that came of this meeting were "intentions" and Max Mosley's immediate and permanent removal from the sport. The Universe has spoken! Bernie clearly has diminished power in the face of FOTA's show of strength but he'll still squeeze every penny out of F1. In 2012, we may see more equitable forces at play but until the next battle, the dream of a true market-driven (ie, fan-friendly) F1 will have to wait.
Correct. The teams have shown that (for now) they have unity and so strength. Bernie will not act arbitrarily against their interest now. That being said there is no assurance that the teams interests coincide with those of the fans and no guarantee that their unity will last.
That's the point. FOTA will never again have this level of clout. FOTA has agreed to help carry the three new "thank you bernie" teams, so they won't be (as much of) a joke by 2012. Max's letter made it clear that FIA is expecting the loss of manufacturers due to economic pressures. With the privateer teams being given a boost up to compete against the makers, with the rules inhibiting the makers from playing mid-year catch-up, there's little incentive for manufacturers to remain. How much brand "boast" do you get from struggling all year? (Honda makes all the Indycar engines -- why stick around F1 with an engine "frozen" at a losing level?) (And this is the same FIA that junked the WRC manufacturers' series after PSA pulled the two French teams out.) Even now, Williams and FI crossed, because they were indebted to FOM. And people wonder why ProSpeed and Lola weren't on the new teams list. They're too independent. Honda's gone. Cosworth "spec" engines are in. How long before Toyota and Renault walk away? Instead of an eight to two split (plus three never beens), by 2012, Bernie can count on having five teams in his pocket, and the possible loss of some from FOTA's. This was the moment to bring sweeping changes. This was when FOTA, the teams, the drivers, and the fans were all on board. Bernie managed to duck his most vulnerable moment. By 2012, he'll have more to fight back with.
I'll grant you several points about Bernie's dealings with FOTA There are several teams and one Bernie. Point to Bernie. The teams compete with one another. Point to Bernie. Bernie has the bucks to buy support (think Williams). Point to Bernie. What you haven't seemed to consider is that Bernie has made the teams vast amounts of money and while they have had differences he has earned and kept their respect. Something Max never did. The bottom line is that the teams can do business with Bernie and correctly believe that their interests coincide. IMO it's a mistake to compare Bernie to Max. While neither have the fan's interest at heart Bernie does not have the problems with FOTA that Max did.
Battle lines, drawn - sabres, rattled - & seemingly, FIA lost the battle, but, at least through 2012, both won the war. 5 day comparison; The FIA and FOTA 19/06/2009 - Decisions of the World Motor Sport Council following a meeting in Paris. http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/f1releases/2009/Pages/fia_fota_2010.aspx The FIA has noted the latest press statement from FOTA. The FIA is disappointed but not surprised by FOTA’s inability to reach a compromise in the best interests of the sport. It is clear that elements within FOTA have sought this outcome throughout the prolonged period of negotiation and have not engaged in the discussions in good faith. The FIA cannot permit a financial arms race in the Championship nor can the FIA allow FOTA to dictate the rules of Formula One. The deadline for unconditional entries to the 2010 FIA Formula World Championship will expire this evening. The 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship entry list will be announced tomorrow. World Motor Sport Council 24/06/2009 - http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/wmsc/2009/Pages/wmsc_240609.aspx The World Motor Sport Council met in Paris on 24 June 2009. The following decisions were taken: FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP All currently competing teams have committed to the FIA Formula One World Championship. There will be no alternative series or championship and the rules for 2010 onwards will be the 2009 regulations as well as further regulations agreed prior to 29 April 2009. 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. The manufacturer teams have further agreed to the permanent and continuing role of the FIA as the sport’s governing body. They have also committed to the commercial arrangements for the FIA Formula One 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. The following teams have been accepted for the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship. TEAM - CONSTRUCTOR SCUDERIA FERRARI MARLBORO - FERRARI VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES - McLAREN MERCEDES BMW SAUBER F1 TEAM - BMW SAUBER RENAULT F1 TEAM - RENAULT PANASONIC TOYOTA RACING - TOYOTA SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO - STR TBA RED BULL RACING - RBR TBA AT&T WILLIAMS - WILLIAMS TOYOTA FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM - FORCE INDIA MERCEDES BRAWN GP FORMULA ONE TEAM - BRAWN TBA CAMPOS META TEAM - CAMPOS COSWORTH MANOR GRAND PRIX - MANOR COSWORTH TEAM US F1 - TEAM US F1 COSWORTH In view of this new agreement and with the prospect of a stable future for Formula One, FIA President Max Mosley has confirmed his decision not to stand for re-election in October this year. ___________ Bottom line is biggest win of all, as Max Rufus Mosley has little time to Rufus everyone else http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=rufus%27d To down an alchoholic drink that doesn't belong to you, leaving nothing for anyone else. "I looked away for one second, and someone pulled a rufus on me!"
FOTA won real concessions. The FIA has secured some vague promises to meet an unspecified goal sometime in the future from FOTA. The FIA and Max walk away with not much more than a fig-leaf.
