http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=26660 That will take the wind out of the GPMA, although they released an announcement that they were still on track to compete with their 5 manufacturers.
Yup. Now it is 50/50 between the two camps. And only one group has Ferrari. The dream is over for the pirates.
Realistically signing on is Williams only chance for future survival IMO. Without being a manufacturer or having the backing of one, what are their long term prospects for survival in a formula run by manufacturers? Politically, between the GPMA and the buyout by CVC the next 2 years will be very interesting in F1.
Honestly I so hope the manufacturer's series is dead. I don't want to have another CART vs IRL split. That was bad enough and the beginning of the end.
The reason IMO that this will go from a possibilty to a probability is the fact that those in the GPMA are sick and tired of the FIA's governing of the sport and the way they do it. Just look at how often the specs and rules change.With Max as president of the FIA the dictatorship will continue as Max will never relinquish the control the GPMA wants him too. Throw in the other major factor of the teams not getting more money from the sport they feel they should be entitled to and it's a recipe for a split.
Bla bla bla. The truth is that Mosley resigned last time he had a chance, but was asked back. If he was really that bad, nobody would have asked him back. The FIA are organizers and referees only, the series is the one in charge of the regulations. If the teams don't like a rule change they can veto each and every one of them.
Good news, this gives some real credibility to F1 as now they have a "top" team other than Ferrari and the lemmings. As far as I'm concered, the big manufactorers can go feck off and then spiral down to a rapid demise and F1 will be better for it.
Not by a long shot. Call them what you like, they make up the real meat of the grid. F1 without them is nothing. Now someone who's figured out the lay of the land. The buyout by CVC isnt a done deal yet: http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=26639 We'll know within the next six weeks if the breakaway series will take place. If they don't make a decision by the middle of January they won't have time to sign on the necessary tracks and get the marketing in place for the 2008 timeline.
The manufacturers likely won't "feck off"... they'll just wander away when they get bored, and not a very solid base to build a series on.
The manufacturers want stability and Max wants an entertaining formula so he changes it often. OTOH only the FIA can bless a racing series. I have mentioned this before and some of you thought it is not a real argument, but if I'm a marketing guy who wants to sell on Monday, I better make sure my cars won in a legitimate series on Sunday and not some runaway pirates club. The real issue is the TV money distributed by Bernie. A solution needs to be found there and I still think (hope) the whole purpose of GPMA is as a leverage tool in that argument. Senna21: It sounds like you're in favor of GPMA. Why? Not trying to put you on the spot, but I'd like to hear one good reason why a true fan like you would support something that has a HUGE potential of destroying F1 forever. I hated the split in the boxing world and I hated the split of CART. We'd end up with two weak series of open wheel racing. Teams and drivers all over the two series and at the end of the year two champions nobody takes serious. And as other mentioned we know how thin the support by manufacturers can turn out to be: All it takes is one grumpy CEO and shops that brought us DFW, Jaguar, Porsche Turbo, Renault Turbo, BMW Turbo can close for good. Ferrari and the "garagistes" are the exception. PS: I'm calling the manufacturers pirates in deference to the FISA/FOCA wars in the eighties where the non FISA (today FIA) teams were called pirates. Ironically those were the non manufacturers and the loyal teams were the manufacturers. How things change yet remain the same...
What I meant by that was "feck off" and start their own series, then as you correctly point out, they will eventually get bored and wander off. That is IF they can even get this thing off the ground. As of right now they are unified in their hate for Bernie and the FIA, but beyond that they have very divergent interests/goals (i.e me winning, not you). What happens when they are actually faced with sitting down and hammering out rules? These compainies are going to have a hard time agreeing on anything. Letting the inmates run the prison isn't a good way to get things done.
True in every single point. Yesss. Bernie has become a circus clown and the Max is mad. But I still take a (somewhat) benevolent dictator over a bunch of egoistical car manufacturers who can't agree on anything beyond a pretty web page. What is really needed for the future of F1 is: 1 get this GPMA thing over with 2 find another benevolent king to replace senile Bernie (and his wife doesn't have the brains) 3 Yoga classes for Mad Max
No problem. Yes. I am in favor of the GPMA. As you've pointed out this isn't the first time there was a split in F1. Do I hope it gets ironed out? Yes, but if it doesn't I think it'll answer the age old question of "What is F1?" Some think it's the panicle of motor racing with the best and greatest technology. Some like me don't think so. And yes I think having two series would be a detriment but if you're wondering who'll anyone will take serious I'm willing to bet it'll be the manufacturers. In about five years Toyota will be the largest car company in the world. Line up the other manufacturers behind it and you can see where the real power and technology is. Will they come up with a set of rules? Sure. It's not that hard. Just take the current rules and modify them to your liking. The FIA and F1 doesn't have any Patent on the "formula." Only on the marketing terms. As for the drivers... well where do you think they're going to go? The best will go to where they get paid the most. That'll be with the manufacturers. So now you have a series that not only has a car manufacturer that you can identify with (you see Toyotas and Hondas and you can buy them, etc...) with the top engines and with the best drivers, with the exception of MS. Which are you going to watch? As far as the CEOs are concerned I'll agree with you. But, as they're running the show they'll be reaping the rewards. Even if their cars are running in the mid field this year or next (or god forbid the back) I'll bet they'll still be pulling in a profit after all the bills are paid. That's a profit before you factor in the marketing exposure. If they happen to win that'll just be gravy. As you said what they really care about is the bottom line. As long as they get the series up and going even if they don't compete they'll still have a stake in it. They can come and go as they please. The key will be for all of them to stay at it until the FIA's F1 is well in the hole. Once that happens the top teams of that series will come to the dark side and the FIA F1 will be dead. As for the FIA F1 series I'll look forward to the possibility of it returning to as it was in the 60s and 70s before manufacturers really got into the sport. When it was just a bunch of teams showing up with their best ideas. Or so my theory goes. But for that to really happen I think Ferrari would need to leave as well.
I'd really like you to explain your reasoning. There's many series running without FIA 'blessing' and doing well. The following is required for a professional racing series: Rules Teams Circuits Drivers Prize Money Coverage It sounds like the GPMA will have all that in place if they make a run. Why would they care about the FIA?
A couple of reasons: Despite F1 being a truly global sport, its roots and most of its key players are Euro centric. And in Europe the FIA is king. Without FIA approval you got nothing, at least in my (heavily European culturally biased) mind. Of course it is unimportant what I think and feel, but I guess the European consumers who buy on Monday see it somewhat similarly. If you don't have FIA approval, you're just some rogue series. At least in Europe. Look at the mess in boxing where we have two world championships and each claims it has the king. There can be only one king. If there are two, then that dilutes the image of the king and selling his coaches on Monday is more difficult. Lets face it: The manufacturers are in this thing for marketing reasons. Not to train engineers or test technology for their street cars. And for that they need the prestige of an officially sanctioned racing series that also derives its prestige through its own long standing history.
I am sorry to see Williams taking the 20 pieces of silver. But I'm sure they wouldnt have unless the situation calls for it. The FIA Rules!!! ( at least until another alternitive exists; then Adios. )
Just to clarify this: I'm not a fan of Mad Max or the FIA. I'm a fan of F1 and if GPMA is the way forward, that would be perfectly fine with me. But right now with Ferrari and Williams on the FIA side it looks that if things progress with GPMA we'll end up with a split and nobody will be the winner. I loved CART before the split. Thereafter we had two fumbling series with good and bad people in both camps and meaningless champions at the end of the year.
So who've we got facing off? On one side:- FIAT. some Austrian drinks millionaire. some Russian millionaire. Team Willy, who are strapped for cash On the other:- Mercedes. BMW. Honda. Toyota. Renault. ...........it could still go either way. OK, so major car manufacturers come and go in F1 on a whim depending on who is in charge or what the marketing strategy is this year......but so do millionaire businessmen. Williams and Ferrari are the real racers who'll be there 'cos that's what they do, but that's only two........if there are serious cost-cutting measures and commercially-available engines, there could be other racers who might move up. Paul M
