F1 crisis action to resume on Tuesday

Eurosport - Mon, 18 May 15:57:00 2009

Formula One's insurgent teams will be back in deep conference early this week, as the battle over a budget-capped future continues.

2009 Spanish GP Ferrari Kimi Raikkonen - 0

F1 more cynical participants have long joked that the letters FIA really stand for Ferrari International Assistance rather than International Automobile Federation.

There have been moments in the past 60 years, and particularly during the recent Michael Schumacher era, when rivals have felt the governing body was too close to the Italian glamour team.

Not now, though, with Ferrari and FIA heading for the courtroom over the 2010 regulations and the champions threatening to quit the sport.

FIAT-owned Ferrari will seek an injunction in a Paris court on Tuesday to try to stop the FIA from introducing a £40 million ($60.82 million) budget cap.

"For us it (Formula One) is very important, it's our life," said Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali last week. "We want to fight in order to make sure that we will be in the championship in the right way."

Even if Ferrari win the first round, the fight will not be over. The FIA has said it will appeal, a move sure to keep the pot bubbling through the weekend's showcase Monaco Grand Prix and beyond.

"I once said that they were the most important team and that got immediately interpreted as that meant that we gave them special treatment, which we don't and never have," FIA president Max Mosley said after meeting the teams in London on Friday.

"They race under the same rules as everybody else.

"From a public point of view, they are the most important team and that's reflected in the fact that they get the most money from their deal with (Formula One's commercial supremo) Bernie (Ecclestone)," he added.

"But the idea that they are indispensable is nonsense."

Ferrari, the only team to have competed in every championship since the first in 1950 as well as the most successful, and the FIA have been at loggerheads since the budget cap was first raised.

So to have Ecclestone, who on Friday branded the team 'idiots' for pursuing the legal action, and Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo.

The two men had a sharp exchange last year, with Montezemolo saying that Formula One did not need a dictator, and should be run instead in a normal, transparent manner with the teams getting a far bigger share of the revenues.

Ecclestone's reply was that Ferrari already received about $80 million more than anyone else in recognition of their special contribution to the sport.

"The only thing he has not mentioned is the extra money Ferrari get above all the other teams and all the extra things Ferrari have had for years - the 'general help' they are considered to have had in Formula One," he added.

Montezemolo, in a letter to Mosley last month expressing concern about the rules, alluded to Ferrari's special position when he complained that their "guaranteed rights" had not been respected by the FIA.

Four years ago, Ferrari broke ranks with other manufacturers planning a rival grand prix series and agreed to commit to the FIA's Formula One championship until the end of 2012.

"In 2005 we signed an exchange of letters with them saying that their rights and privileges under the Concorde Agreement would continue until 2012, whether or not we signed a new one," said Mosley.

"They were in a position where they had whatever they had under the old 1998 Concorde agreement in return for being loyal."

He maintained, however, that Ferrari had effectively forfeited their right to veto changes to the technical rules by forming the Formula One Teams' Association, chaired by Montezemolo, last season.

"It would be our contention that they walked away from this agreement some time ago," said Mosley.

"Essentially, they walked away by forming FOTA. They were always supposed to be loyal to the FIA, work with us and co-operate.

"Enzo Ferrari traditionally would sit in the middle between the British teams and the governing body and he'd move one way or the other according to his interest."

Reuters

Comment 110 - 129 of 129

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  1. Roberta F: Yes I did, and funny you should say that.

    From Reefgirl, on Tue 19 May 6:54PM

  2. 111 - barry.lowers - The problem appear to be that the­ teams don't think that they need to save as much­ money as Mad Max and Bernie want them to. The dinamic­ duo (not) want more teams at the races but most­ everyone else is afraid of mobile raod blocks.

    If­ they can't afford to compete they should stay away.

    From harmione41, on Tue 19 May 6:31PM

  3. Reefgirl, did you read the article above? You speak­ like Mystic Mag.

    From Roberta, on Tue 19 May 6:24PM

  4. 6.The way I saw it yesterday is that, In Max's­ mind­ this HAS to work, he's put so much faith and­ energy­ into this that it would be deeply humiliating­ if it­ fails. But others (Ferrari, Red Bull, et al)­ feel that­ there is deception and deals being done in­ the shadows­ creating illusions. But there is opitimism­ on both­ sides that a deal can be done to sort this out­ in a way­ that will benefit both sides but discontent­ and­ nonchalence on both sides will hamper the process,­ both­ sides feel that they are bigger than the other­ and that­ public opinion is on their side. A logical­ and balanced­ deal will be needed in the end because­ the court's­ will rule in favour of the right­ cause.

    From Reefgirl, on Tue 19 May 6:00PM

  5. Racism, Homophobia, sexism, paranoia, righteous­ indignation, mulitple personalities and rampant­ dyslexia. This thread is turning into an episode of­ Eastenders, or Jerry Springer

    From Reefgirl, on Tue 19 May 5:49PM

  6. Well i keep putting Donkeys posts on to a translation­ site but it just keeps coming back with (talking sh i t­ ):-)))

    From MGA, on Tue 19 May 5:38PM

  7. I know that Francis' vocab is not hot but I can­ make out what he is saying and his #109 does make sense­ if you look into it more.

    From wizzo, on Tue 19 May 5:32PM

  8. Thank you, adrian.

    From Roberta, on Tue 19 May 5:26PM

  9. Well at current levels of spending Toyota & Renault­ are going to quit at the end of the season, so all­ those jobs will be lost anyway. Ther chances are that­ BMW will go soon as well, so further jobs lost. If the­ budgets are brought under control & new teams come­ in maybe Toyota & Renault will stay & there­ will be a net gain in employment.

    From the real adrian, on Tue 19 May 5:24PM

  10. Thats not so unreal,is it?

    From wizzo, on Tue 19 May 5:22PM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    mr mga ther aint no one hear that dont undar stan wat­ i rigt . its jus complete morons like you tha cant­ comprimend wats hapinin.
    why dont ya go cuddle up with­ tha gay owan ya geerbox

    From Francis S, on Tue 19 May 5:21PM

  12. owen, I don't think anybody that speak that way has­ a point worth to express in proper English.

    From Roberta, on Tue 19 May 5:16PM

  13. HeHeHeHe or should i say Heehaw Heehaw Heehaw look at­ stupid Donkey trying to get a point across but no one­ can understand it:-))
    Get back to riding Dan Dan the­ cavity filling man (space is between his ears):-))))

    From MGA, on Tue 19 May 5:16PM

  14. No not the only reason,the show must go on with Ferrari­ and McLaren(and Brawn too if they can keep it­ up).Actually jobs do matter a lot to me Roberta.

    From wizzo, on Tue 19 May 5:13PM

  15. harmione, we'll see about that.

    From Roberta, on Tue 19 May 5:13PM

  16. Francis if you want to make it simple so people­ understand why don't you start writing in English­ instaed of donkeyspeak.

    From owen gayer, on Tue 19 May 5:05PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    The whole thing isn't just about Ferarri; there are­ also Renault, Red Bull etc.. If you take away most of­ the big names and replace them with a budget capped­ race series you will lose most of the large corperate­ sponsors and Bernie E would not be a happy bunny.

    I do­ not think that he will let that happen.

    From harmione41, on Tue 19 May 5:02PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    oh ya wizzo . i gus figur out the new 40 millin f1 .­ ya bild tha f1 kit in yer gerage at home . ya tak tha­ spec engine an tha spec body an spec suspesion an spec­ brakes an spec ecu an spec kars. than ya go to tha trak­ an race with tha othar spec cars . later on in tha day­ when ya go home ya can watch it on tha you tube caus­ yer friends did sum racordin fer ya . evan betar than­ f1 caus ther is no adverts.

    From Francis S, on Tue 19 May 4:56PM

  19. wizzo, I can't believe that your real and only­ reason against the cap is the welfare of the mechanics­ and their families, come on!

    From Roberta, on Tue 19 May 4:54PM

  20. At the end of the day the teams have to save money or­ there will be no more F1 BUT FIA have tried to use the­ big stick again and it is about time that they learn­ the hard way the fans go to see F1 cars and teams not­ two old men that want to be bigger than the sport it is­ time that FIA was managed by some one with more sense­ all the time that we the fans are paying £75 just to­ see F1 why do they care

    From barry.lowers, on Tue 19 May 4:52PM
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