FIA to take legal action

Eurosport - Fri, 19 Jun 20:53:00 2009

Formula One's governing body has said it would sue champions Ferrari and other teams for planning a breakaway series.

FORMULA 1 2009 Ferrari FIA - 0

"The FIA's lawyers have now examined the FOTA threat to begin a breakaway series," the FIA said at the British Grand Prix.

"The actions of FOTA as a whole, and Ferrari in particular, amount to serious violations of law including wilful interference with contractual relations, direct breaches of Ferrari's legal obligations and a grave violation of competition law.

"The FIA will be issuing legal proceedings without delay."

The eight FOTA teams announced on Thursday they would start preparations for their own championship after talks with the FIA over the 2010 rules broke down.

The governing body said it would continue with its own preparations for next year's championship but publication of the final entry list, due on Saturday, would now be put on hold pending the legal action.

The FIA maintains that Ferrari and the two Red Bull teams have pre-existing contracts to compete in their championship next year and registered them as unconditional entrants in an earlier list.

Ferrari have argued that contract no longer applies because the FIA has not respected its right to veto the technical regulations.

The Italian team, whose departure would end an unbroken 60 years of competition in the FIA world championship, took legal action against the FIA in France last month to try to prevent the governing body from imposing a budget cap in 2010.

Four years ago, Ferrari broke ranks with other manufacturers planning a rival grand prix series and agreed to commit to the FIA's 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," FIA president Max Mosley said last month.

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

He maintained then that Ferrari had effectively forfeited their right to veto the technical rules by forming FOTA, chaired by Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, last year.

"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."

Reuters

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  1. what action the FOTA should Sue both FIA and F1 for­ fasle claims first the FIA said "we don't care­ if they break away from F1" King Max said that and­ then King Bernie holds the FOTA for up to Rules that­ are just Dumb and that ok FOTA sue for a break away­ series and wins Bernie lose the sue because he forces­ the team to his tracks not talking to the FOTA and­ asking them where they should go to!

    From raiders1, on Sat 20 Jun 4:38PM

  2. Balderdash! By the way, about your poll: Who cares?

    From lilla83, on Sat 20 Jun 12:30PM

  3. Reg, fair comment Vs my trackside experience I can­ never come back at you with any comparisons re­ conversations with drivers or teams but what I can say­ is this: I have been an F1 fan for as long as I can­ remember (30 odd years) and can say that I have been to­ most circuits, sometimes on the grass, sometimes on the­ stands and now, in my more affluent period of my life,­ in the VIP area and can honestly say, from what I can­ see, is that the sport has slowly but surely lost its­ magic. In this PC world that we live in, F1 has­ become, for want of a better description, PC! Like­ most of the fans here, I am frustrated by the strange­ stranglehold that has gripped F1 and pulled it down­ into a sport that is both frustrating to watch and mind­ boggling to understand re the rules of what you can you­ and can't do and when you can do them, so much so,­ that it is becoming a laughing stock. Ecclestone and­ Mosely are egotistical doddering old farts that show no­ dignity or grace. Look at the debarcale that is­ Silverstone, the home of F1 circuits....how did that­ happen? Night races....why? The McLaren fine? You­ know that it is money and whilst this goes on on the­ sidelines and whilst it distracts the drivers, it makes­ the true F1 pull his/her hair out. I love this sport­ but I want it to become an exciting lusted after sport.­ The razamatazz of the circuit, the classic circuits,­ the legends of F1 and the fans, that's what makes­ F1, not old haggard men with women half their age­ doddering down the straight just before a race,­ quipping reporters with disrespectul claptrap about,­ 'crisis, what crisis'! I just watched Tony­ Jardine on Sky television say that everyone should bang­ their heads together and listen to the fans, as the­ fans want some sort of compromise (paraphrased). Tony­ Jardine has a biased agenda and should the Sky viewers­ wish to review these forums as starting point they will­ see that the fans want F1 back, not a compromise. ­ I'll be there tomorrow

    From David, on Sat 20 Jun 12:05PM

  4. How much will it cost the FIA, in counter actions from­ the teams, sponsers, suppliers, media etc.... ??? Can­ they afford this ???? Is it now time for the board to­ act and Mr M beencoraged to step aside.

    From P L, on Sat 20 Jun 11:09AM

  5. fia to take legal action .............laughing my @#$%­ out........next year dear Mr. kinky parties you will­ have to find out another job for yourself...........you­ could open a sado shop, given your attitudes.

    From Enrico I, on Sat 20 Jun 10:21AM

  6. FRANCIS S, YOU SILLY SILLY LITTLE DONKEY, WHY DON'T­ YOU STOP DRINKING OUT OF THE POISONIOUS TROUGH, YOU­ HAVE POISONED YOUR CUD AND IT HAS MADE YOU SOUR. GO­ DOWN TO THE SPRING OF LIFE AND EMPTY OUT THAT SOUR­ MOUTH OF YOURS.

    From David, on Sat 20 Jun 10:08AM

  7. Mosley suntukan nalang kayo ni Pacman...

    From John, on Sat 20 Jun 9:20AM

  8. Dapat tanggalin si Mosley sa FIA...

    From John, on Sat 20 Jun 9:18AM

  9. Hi aidexpert27 at post 141. My post at 123 has gone due­ to low ratings. I expected this as to say anything that­ might suggest that Bernie is not evil will disapear­ quickly. You suggest that I ask the teams and drivers­ how they feel about Bernie. Well I have as I used to be­ a pitlane reporter for the pay per view service. Have­ you asked these people how they feel about the man?. In­ a conversation with Ross Brawn he said that F1 needs­ Bernie because the teams could never co-operate with­ each other. I know you probably have no idea who I am,­ but one of rare moments that I appeared is on the 1997­ F1 review standing at the back of a Ferrari in Monaco­ interviewing Ross Brawn. Where does your F1 experience­ come from?

    From Ian, on Sat 20 Jun 8:09AM

  10. Sir Spanksalot and the little munchkin drove this­ elite­ sport into the ground a long time ago! They­ were­ allowed too much power and it went to their­ heads. How­ the hell did Mad Max survive his spanking­ escapades?­ Who else is he in bed with?

    I want the­ Manufacturers­ to create their own series and piss all­ over FIA/F1. I­ loath the way the current sport is­ managed. After 21­ years of watching, this year I­ can't be bothered to­ tune in. It is all favours­ and favourites. Different­ rules and applications for­ different teams and drivers.­ It is manipulation at­ it's worst!

    So to the­ Manufacturers paying­ attention; " PLEASE SAVE THIS­ FINE SPORT OF­ LEGENDS, WE WILL WILL FOLLOW YOU WHERE­ EVER YOU GO, SO­ LONG AS YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU NEED­ THE FANS AND­ CONTROL GATE PRICES, THAT AN INDEPENDANT­ SET OF­ STEWARDS GO TO EVERY RACE AND APPLY THE SAME SET­ OF­ STANDARDS AND ENSURE NO ONE PERSON CAN DICTATE THE­­ SPORT LIKE WE HAVE EXPERIENCED"!

    From bad sales, on Sat 20 Jun 5:08AM

  11. as I guessing the breaking series will be known as­ 'the Genuine Fomula One', anyone?

    From boysbe19902006, on Sat 20 Jun 3:56AM

  12. wherever my team goes i go...

    From christopher a, on Sat 20 Jun 3:04AM

  13. If Max wants his day in court. May I suggest; he will­ get more than he bargained for, when the circuit­ owners/renters start suing FIA & FOM, for promising­ something they cannot possibly supply!
    And at­ $30-35million per race thats ???????? A lot­ anyway!
    Always disliked Monaco and Ferrari but I love­ Monaco's stand on this issue "No Ferrari -­ Dont bother to visit" now thats Class!!!
    I imagine­ a lot of other venues will feel the same way. Will they­ have the cajones to say so?

    From Walking quiet, on Sat 20 Jun 12:52AM

  14. I knew I've seen all of this before...Mosley is­­ Captain Queeg!!!! I'm convinced of it now. ­­ Listen...he has no friends, rules with an iron fist,­ has eccentric behavior, his­ peers don't trust him­ and don't like him, he tries­ to relive his glory­ past, makes horrible decisions and­ blames others,­ he's a coward and doesn't see­ things through,­ believes that everyone is out to get­ him, believes he­ and he alone knows the answer to the­ problem and will­ stop at nothing to find it even though­ he is told­ there is no problem. Mutiny on the­ Caine...I mean...in­ Formula 1!!!! I swear it's so­ close to what's­ happened it's scary!

    From gegaard, on Sat 20 Jun 12:41AM

  15. Burt...stop the harrassment...not cool.

    From gegaard, on Sat 20 Jun 12:40AM

  16. why don't we all stop watching and supporting f1­ now. let 'em know that we mean business also. stop­ buying tickets and going to the races.

    From rab, on Sat 20 Jun 12:24AM

  17. I might bew wrong but the FIA are in breach of contract­ by changing the rules that are in already in agreement­ until 2012 ?

    From timity, on Fri 19 Jun 11:52PM

  18. forget about watching the formula 1 next year!!!­ we're all victim , coz this kind of politics is­ ended up with winners get nothing, losers losing more!

    From boysbe19902006, on Fri 19 Jun 11:44PM

  19. Comment #140 - brucef1lee

    Good point. Eddie Jordan is­ no fool and has wonderful insight into the politics­ that are F1 - I think there might be some shenanigans­ afoot to get Max to put his head into a noose he­ can't escape - I guarantee Bernie will end up being­ the hero at the end of all this - He is a very very­ clever and ruthless little man!

    From Mr Burns, on Fri 19 Jun 11:39PM

  20. no!!!! we would not now fu ck off!! this is for F1 not­ for free games console @#$% HOLE

    From Eugene, on Fri 19 Jun 10:39PM
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