Big F1 news!

[dumb&]

For anyone who is interested in motorsport in general this is fairly massive news.

The Formula One Teams' Association announced on Thursday night that it is setting up a breakaway championship.

Following a four hour meeting at Renault's Enstone factory, the eight members of FOTA - Ferrari, McLaren, Renault, BMW, Toyota, Brawn, Red Bull and Scuderia Toro Rosso - said they had grown frustrated with the FIA's stance against the organisation, and had no option but to create a series of their own.

"The teams cannot continue to compromise on the fundamental values of the sport and have declined to alter their original conditional entries to the 2010 World Championship," said a statement issued by FOTA after the meeting.

"These teams therefore have no alternative other than to commence the preparation for a new Championship which reflects the values of its participants and partners. This series will have transparent governance, one set of regulations, encourage more entrants and listen to the wishes of the fans, including offering lower prices for spectators worldwide, partners and other important stakeholders.

"The major drivers, stars, brands, sponsors, promoters and companies historically associated with the highest level of motorsport will all feature in this new series."

Rest of the article is here

[Ozie]

that is huge.

[Superintendent Chalmers]

It'll be open slather for all teams to spend as much money as they want and not be capped by "governing rules". It was going to happen eventually with all the new rules and regulations the teams had to abide by. Teams will be able to spend billions more in development and mods for their cars and it'll be survival of the fittest. The weak will die out when it can't keep up with the main 3. This will kill the sport within 3 years IMO. Maybe this is to scare FIA away from their new regulations and realise they need to remove their heads from their asses in general!!!

[infinite]

I't ain't all bad. The more $$$ they spend, the more advancements will be made. Not only will it prove to be awesome entertainment, the unrestricted spending will mean better technology + components for F1 vehicles that will be filtered down into production cars, meaning better rides for us too! This is win/win for everyone!

[dumb&]

I't ain't all bad. The more $$$ they spend, the more advancements will be made. Not only will it prove to be awesome entertainment, the unrestricted spending will mean better technology + components for F1 vehicles that will be filtered down into production cars, meaning better rides for us too! This is win/win for everyone!

It also then means the richest teams win more frequently making it less of a sport as it's not on an even keel for everyone.

Time will tell I spose.

[qudans]

i think many who follow the sport would welcome this news

[M@verik]

I do. Would be quite nice to see this

[DavidAnthony]

So what does this mean for us?
If there are two separate events who will televise?

I hope this doesn’t mean it’s going to be hard to watch.

[Superintendent Chalmers]

I think you will find its a scare tactic. A compromise will take place before the start of the new season, they will cap the money higher than they currently plan to, and everyone will be happy. I think the cap that FIA wanted was $100 mil. Jeez thats a lot just for a car to drive around a track!

[Ozie]

its set at $40m a team for this year.....

yeah they will probably go higher and the smaller teams will be even more cactus.

[Superintendent Chalmers]

40 million euros or pounds, which is nearly double that for Aus Dollar. I can see that they would want all teams to have the same amount of money spent, but all major teams are owned by an eccentric trillionaire....so who gives FIA the right to tell them how much of their own money they should spend?? All owners are crazy and don't make a profit from it. Its like a hobby!!

A REALLY EXPENSIVE HOBBY!!!!

[Mizta B]

It's a hobby I'd like to have the bank balance for!
I hope the bigger cashed up teams don't destroy the little guys along the way though..........

[qudans]

All you guys talking about the 'little guys' being hurt and the big boys stomping all over them..

1. It is the big teams that make the sport what it is
2. 8 out of the 10 constructors are effectively telling Mosely and Ecclestone to piss off
3. Out of the remaining 2 constructors in favour of the cap, Williams is one of the biggest names in the sport, and Force India are owned by a pair of billionaires.

It's not like its a situation where Ferrari (for example) is holding the rest of the competition to ransom over petulant demands etc. This is what the teams want, but mosely and ecclestone are too pig headed to listen. They are of the 'my way or the highway' school of thought and i hope it backfires on them.

[Ozie]

they will sort it out.
it just better be not a 2 tiered system...that will be crap.

I am stoked that Webber keeps getting on the podium.!!!!!

lets hope he gets a win up and stays on top..

it will be remarkable if the team can do it for him.....but they might swing it Vettels way!

WEBBER FTW!

[Superintendent Chalmers]

Well, the war is over......Geez that took like 6 days!

"The turmoil surrounding the break-away Formula One series has been finalised with FIA President Max Mosley agreeing to not stand for re-election.

After a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) in Paris on Wednesday, Formula One racing’s governing body, the FIA, issued the following statement:
“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.

“I will not be up for re-election now we have peace,” said Mr Mosley.

Before the meeting, Mosley, who had been under pressure amid disagreements over proposed budget cuts, had insisted that he would not step down as part of the price of any potential agreement and might seek re-election as head of world motor sport.

The Paris meeting was a ‘clear-the-air’ opportunity for member clubs to hear from F1 teams about their plan to break away from the FIA and set up a rival series, a proposal which had led the FIA to prepare a legal claim against FOTA.

Writs against Ferrari and FOTA - which also includes McLaren, BMW Sauber, Renault, Toyota, Red Bull Racing, Toro Rosso and Brawn GP - had been due to be served on Monday, but the FIA held back pending the meeting."

This article was taken from caradvice.com