FOTA confirm deal nearly in place
Eurosport - Fri, 10 Jul 09:41:00 2009
Formula One teams said progress is made towards ending the sport's internal turmoil but warned the FIA a breakaway championship remained an option.
"We still don't have an agreement although I would say we are making progress, slowly but steadily. But we cannot sit back and wait," BMW-Sauber's Mario Theissen said at the German Grand Prix.
"We have to keep all options open, and that means we have to look at the other course as well."
Toyota motorsport president John Howett, FOTA's vice-chairman, said the breakaway threat remained alive.
"I don't think we've ever taken it away. We've just put it on the backburner," he added.
The teams were responding to a statement by the FIA that a new commercial agreement to end the threat of a rival series could be ready within days.
"At present, it seems probable that a final draft of the 2009 Concorde Agreement will be agreed and ready for signature in the coming days," the FIA had said.
Theissen felt that was optimistic.
The statement was issued after technical directors of the eight FOTA members walked out of a meeting with the FIA at the German Grand Prix circuit after being told they could only be observers to proceedings.
The FIA had maintained that the five non-FOTA teams, including three newcomers due to enter next year, were the only ones fully confirmed for 2010 at present because the others had still to sign a new commercial agreement.
The walkout triggered fears that a deal agreed between FOTA and the FIA in Paris in June, already looking fragile after FIA president Max Mosley accused teams of dancing prematurely on his grave, could fall apart.
Mosley's agreed departure in October, when his term of office expires, has been seen as a key element of the deal but the Briton has hinted he could stand again.
A new Concorde Agreement would bind all the teams to Formula One to at least the end of 2012.
"The teams are very close to finding an agreement with the commercial rights holder regarding a new Concorde Agreement," said Red Bull's Christian Horner.
"Obviously, there is a bit of turbulence at the moment with the FIA and I'm hoping common sense will prevail and ultimately we can find a solution very shortly."
Despite the walkout from the technical working group, the FIA said the five entered teams had confirmed the changes agreed with FOTA at the Paris meeting on June 24.
The FIA said it had received a new 350-page Concorde Agreement document on June 25. After extensive legal work on this, another version was then presented and further drafts circulated.
"Further significant progress was made yesterday evening in yet another conference call," the governing body added.
The FIA revealed that the Williams team had been architects of a proposal, accepted by FOTA, to shelve a planned budget cap in favour of an agreement to reduce costs to the level of the early 1990s by the end of 2011.
"This would be a private, legally-enforceable contract involving all the teams, but not the FIA," they said.
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Comment 70 - 89 of 89
I guess these guys,(Max/Bernie), figure that if they can 'force' FOTA to 'back' down on a few points!, they can 'force' more out of them by changing the 'rules of the game'
whenever they choose!
This problem is not going to be 'sorted out' until FOTA gets rid of Bernie, AND the FIA!
Sure there will be lawsuits/countersuits!, but the people who 'make' the game work, are the people that are getting screwed, and sooner, or later, they are
going to have to make a 'stand'!
If the teams capitulate, there won't be any more problems 'till 'the next time'! (and there will be a 'next time'!)
The FOTA group should just 'suck it up', accept the financial loss, and WALK away from Bernie/FIA!
By the time the lawsuits are settled, Max and Bernie will be 'long-gone'!
(Then they will have to deal with Bernie's wife/children who will get all Bernie's assets-and they will run it the same way as Bernie did!)
FOTA has to 'face this issue now', it won't be pretty!, but I don't see them having any-other choice!
Barry-Toronto
Thing is tag2811 Markrose is right you are a complete muppet, have you ever watched a race?
Tag, yes that was through the tactical cleverness of Ross Brawn who realised ther was a loophole in the regulations.
Doesn't take away from the fact that your "genius" was quite prepared to use dirty tactics to take the opposition out when he felt like it.
Commenter 84. Someone is getting a bit touchy. does the truth hurt? Schmacher was a genius who even won a race in the pit lane one year, silverstone I think but can't remember which year.
All parties should let FOTA run the whole deal for one year. Of course Bernie would get his usual share for his much needed Viagra. Michael C.
Commenter # 83 - you are an idiot who knows nothing about F1!
Just to add, does anyone remember when Damon Hill tried to run Schumacher off the road in Adelaide in 94 and Villnurve tried the same in Jerez in 97? Both were williams drivers at the time. Conspiracy against Schumacher I think.
Trouble - when Williams were dominating I'm guessing you're talking about 15 - 20 + years ago. it's about time you got with the programme isn't it? And how many drivers world championships did they win in that time frame? I can only count three, Mansell in 92 Hill in 96 and Villnurve in 97 and by they way weren't they using a renault engine?
Whoa...I got some thumbs. Someone has a sense of humour! STOP IT, we're British!!!!
Sorry HELEN you're right. You confused me by not including "Lewis Hamilton is the best" in either post. My Bad!
American Redneck? Uuummm yep, that's me yawl!
Eagle Rob please learn to read and understand!
I said *just* as *inappropriate* as Racsism I did not say it was Racism. By the way I do know what I am talking about.
HELEN...Please, if you're going to act like you know something, research it. I wasn't aware that there was a race of people belonging to Learning Disabilities! Where do they live, and what is there nation known as? You can accuse me of being insensative, or just plain discriminatory, but on that comment, not Racist!
Agree with you ther Helen, and ther was a lot more unpleasant & insulting comment from him as well. But what do you expect from a rabid American red neck?
''Never easy when you have kids with learning disabilities. '' Eagle Rob that is just as inappropriate as Racism
I ran out of room...There's nothing worse than a middle aged, still living at home with mum, single, fat know it all prat. Get a life!
Trouble...you're just pathetic. Everything always goes back to Ferrari! How, pray tell, do you figure that Ferrari is behind the FIA screwing the FOTA teams when it is they that are holding the presidency of FOTA and calling the shots?? Once your small brain comprehends this it will start to hurt. SO, you will then probably decide it's a conspiracy to destroy the other seven teams and quickly jump back in bed with the FIA using the "Contractual Agreement" excuse! I've already heard several McLaren/now Brawn fans saying this. Have you Forgotten Ron Dennis's FOCA trying this a few years ago. The numbers didn't add up and he and his mates walked away. IT WILL NOT HAPPEN because of money. They don't give a rats about fans, get that through your head 5tup1d!!
Your wild delusions linking Williams/Ferrari/FIA are unbelievable! Why did they take traction control away last season then? With all the help from the FIA and a far superior car, as you all claim, surely that would have brought them back to the field? (there's that theory gone).
No one gave a to55 about Ferrari/FIA until Schumachers 4th title (First two were Benneton). No-one mentioned the two in the same sentence! Prior to the Schumacher years, Ferrari were considered back markers for two decades! But then envy and jealousy steps in. They're record stems solely because of their longevity. They are the only team that's been there since day one. So, logically they have had the most opurtunity to collect wins. Relatively, McLaren and Williams, even Renault are miles ahead of Ferrari!
Williams went down hill very quickly, and understandably when Senna was tragically killed. A lot of their BEST engineers and mechanics were emotionally effected and walked away from the sport. BUT, an insensative inbred prat like you probably doesn't rate Senna as a driver or person because he's not British. There's nothing worse than a middle aged, still living at home
TROUBLE: ONE DAY I MIGHT TAKE YOU UP ON YOUR ADVICE, BUT AT THIS PRESENT TIME I AM ENJOYING PLAYING THE ROLE AS MARINARO4 FROM CHILE, AND ALSO THIER IS SO MUCH MORE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO EXPERIMENT WITH THIS ROLE. BUT SADLY YAHOO ONLY ALLOWS ONE ID AT A TIME, IF TWO ID'S WERE ALLOWED I WOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER INTRODUCING A ROLE OR AN ID OF SOMETHING SIMULAR TO WHAT YOU HAVE SUGGESTED. BUT SADLY ONLY ONE ID IS ALLOWED, AND MY PERSONAL BELIEF IS THAT THEIR IS REALLY NOTHING WRONG WITH HAVING MAYBE TWO OR MAYBE THREE DIFFERENT ID'S, JUST AS LONG AS YOU US YOUR ID'S IN THE RIGHT WAY AND NOT SPREAD CONSTANT SPITEFUL HATRED MESSAGES AND USE THIS SITE FOR YOUR OWN BUSINESS INTERESTS. BUT WITH THE CONSTANT RECYCLING OF ARTICALS AND THE SAME TOPICS AGAIN AND AGAIN, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH PLAYING ID'S IN THE RIGHT WAY FOR AMUSSMENT PURPOSE'S OF TRYING TO AMUSE PEOPLE ON THIS SITE, SO ITS IMPORTANT NOT TO TAKE THINGS TOO SERIOUSLY, AND IF YOU DON'T AGRRE WITH WHAT IS BEING SAID, JUST LAUGH AND SAY, " YOU IDIOT." AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT COMMENT.
FOTA are proving to be a lily livered lot. They should get some bottle and bite the bullet. They are currently being played like a piano by Max and Bernie.
1. Put the Dyamic Duo out to grass.
2. Start their own series
3. Get back to basics on the tracks which are well attended by true F1 fans - not armchair critics.
4. Give the designers more latitude on the cars - currently a day at the Formula1 race is akin to a Massey/Ferguson Farming field day - the cars look like tractors.
5. Lower entry prices and get back to being the spectator sport it once was.
6. Set their own set of rules and safety standards.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA......Stop it, you're killing me. Is it really possible that people who really believed that FOTA, and FOCA before it (remeber them? All fire and brimstone like FOTA just Ron Dennis' version) would/could actually ever break away can use a computer keyboard. I'm surprised you even recognise what a computer and it's use is?! This has been an hilarious couple months! Better than watching Porridge, or even Fawlty Towers. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH, mercy! Ooops. Just realised something. You may not be able to comprehend this, so you better get your parents or someone from Birmingham that can read, over to the monitor to read it V E R Y S L O W L Y. Poor people. Never easy when you have kids with learning disabilities. Then again, you really shouldn't mate with relatives (or watch Neighbours and Home & Away for that matter. It damages the common sense gene). Then again it is such a small island and the gene pool is very small!
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