Dennis: Teams will not be dictated to

Eurosport - Tue, 21 Oct 13:02:00 2008

Formula One teams are united in seeking to cut costs but they will not be dictated to, McLaren boss Ron Dennis has said ahead of a meeting with the sport's governing body on Tuesday.

FORMULA 1 Ron Dennis McLaren 08 - 0

The Briton was disappointed that the International Automobile Federation (FIA) had pre-empted the meeting by announcing last week that it intended to change the rules to force teams to use a standard engine from 2010.

The teams met late into Saturday night at the Chinese Grand Prix so they would be able to present unanimously agreed cost-cutting proposals at the meeting with FIA president Max Mosley in Geneva.

"That document was going to go forward on Tuesday and we were disappointed to agree a timing and then be given a concept that was obviously quite radical," the McLaren team principal said.

"I take great exception to being portrayed as people who can't look after their own destinies and need to be told what they're going to do. It's not the way forward because it brings out the worst in people, not the best in people.

"We embrace all ideas but ultimately the team feels strongly that if they have a unanimous agreement on the direction they wish to go ... they should have a very strong right for our opinions and wishes to be taken into consideration."

Dennis said that getting unanimity among the fiercely competitive teams had not been easy in the past but the worsening economic climate had focused minds.

"The situation facing Formula One at the moment can only temper those who were once intransigent, they've become far more flexible looking at the bigger picture," he said.

"I think that applies to the smaller teams, they have to move towards the centre, the bigger teams have to move towards the centre."

The FIA has argued that the costs of Formula One are unsustainable given the current economic situation and must be slashed to ensure none of the 10 teams leave the sport.

Independent teams such as Toro Rosso and Force India, who do not produce engines, welcomed the FIA's position but the car manufacturers - McLaren's partners Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault, BMW, Honda and Toyota - are less keen on it.

Dennis described the newly-formed Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) as "critical" to the future of the sport but said other stakeholders should not be concerned.

"We are strong and together but not a threat, we are looking to be constructive to Formula One," he said.

"We don't have any motive but to address the issues we had six months ago and the issues that we now have starting to emerge from a very difficult economic situation which has yet to really impact on Formula One."

Reuters

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  1. They need to break from the FIA and F1 and start their­ own series.

    Mosley and Ecclestone are killing what­ is/was the pinnacle of motorsport.

    Energy­ recapture? Come on.

    From CC, on Tue 21 Oct 6:37PM

  2. 89. Last sentence : No wonder Kimi doesn't smile­ very much !!

    From m.e.jenner, on Tue 21 Oct 3:31PM

  3. BOWESEY 17 [77] for your information I never criticised­ anybody’s English so it’s just BLA.BLA BLA ON YOUR PART­ but your tread will earn you a scratch on the back from­ GINGER-GITT and CLISPY DUCK,
    I hope that L.H will­ win it [get it home] for you because although it will­ be only 50% it will save you another year of torment.

    From stivsf1, on Tue 21 Oct 3:25PM

  4. When did Max decide F1 was going to become dedicated to­ saving the planet. It's meant to be an exciting­ spectator sport. I personly don't care whether or­ not any of the Technology in an F1 car makes my car at­ home more efficient,
    I want to watch fast cars racing­ each other. Pushing the boundaries of technology to­ gain the upper hand over each other.
    If you want to go­ green (which I have no argument with) then watch­ Yachting or Horse racing.
    Talk about jumping on a­ bandwagon. If they want to save fuel arrange the races­ in a logical sequential order to minimise the distances­ travelled between races, instead of zigzagging across­ the globe.

    From Mike, on Tue 21 Oct 3:20PM

  5. Thanks. That's some serious cash. I think it's­ about 40-50 million to run a single NASCAR per year.­ I'm an American and I like NASCAR, but Formula 1 is­ the most incredible, amazing and technically advanced­ racing on the planet. The first 30 seconds of a Formula­ 1 race is the exciting spectacle in the world. As a­ driver, you have to have steel in your balls.

    From acedrumsnyc, on Tue 21 Oct 3:00PM

  6. Graham P - and what is wrong with Diesels - you DO­ WATCH Le Man dont you? - 3 years on and getting faster­ and better and way more fuel efficient from Audi and­ Peugeot.
    NOTHING wrong with todays diesels - get your­ head out of the sand. What about tintops and the Seats­ peeing on all and sundry???
    another idea in F1 - could­ be 4wd - instead of traction control - and on slicks­ you can still bend it and bring it in sideways! Come on­ you boys - you are loosing the plot and have a lot to­ say but little about the real plot!
    ACEDRUM -how much -­ lets take Williams - not a top team but they are­ spending the sad side of 150 million pounds a year.­ McClaren and Ferrar probably double that

    From not printable, on Tue 21 Oct 2:38PM

  7. ALL ENGLISH FOOTBALL
    PREMIER LEAGUE – FA CUP – CARLING­ CUP
    CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – UEFA CUP
    ALL MATCHES ON WEB: ­ PREMIER LEAGUE, LIGA, SERIE A, BUNDESLIGA AND CHAMPIONS­ LEAGUE - UEFA CUP
    ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS OF PREMIER­ LEAGUE MATCHES

    From go to www.premiership.altervista.org, on Tue 21 Oct 2:37PM

  8. Question:
    How much does it cost to run a competitive F1­ team per year?

    From acedrumsnyc, on Tue 21 Oct 2:18PM

  9. If they want to save money, just ban Carbon Fibre....

    From Steve, on Tue 21 Oct 1:55PM

  10. The same show but with a different body in charge the­ Manufacturers need to act soon to preserve the feel­ good factor for FANS.Others should join Ron D to read­ the riot act to the cukkoos in swissland.

    From wizzo, on Tue 21 Oct 1:55PM

  11. not printable. Diesel??? oh come on. We're trying­ to save F1 not ruin it.

    From Graham P, on Tue 21 Oct 1:38PM

  12. We are seeing the final days of F1. The engine­ manufacturers will withdraw if Mosley gets his way and­ what will we be left with? No Ferrari, Mercedes, BMW,­ Toyota, Renault or Honda = nothing worth watching

    From Graham P, on Tue 21 Oct 1:35PM

  13. Been saying for years they should limit the teams to a­ fuel quota for the race weekend, give them unlimited­ design choices on the engines as long as they only run­ the set amount of fuel, it will encourage proper R+D­ applicable to the real world problems as well. If­ somoene wants a 16 litre turbo charged engine then­ fine, but they can only have 200 litres of fuel for an­ entire weekend including Friday practice etc, or you­ might want a super charged 2.0 litre engine, your­ choice, skys the limit.

    From Phantom, on Tue 21 Oct 11:27AM

  14. When you consider that F1 is supposed to be the­ ultimate racing scenario....the cutting edge of­ technology...which should progress this through to­ normal road cars..then really....there shouldn't be­ ANY rules on what constructors do.

    Remember the Ford­ Tyrell (double axle front)...the Mercedes­ superchargers..??

    Of course this then produces a­ boring racing scenario...with the monied cars­ dominating everything......what to do...

    Well..the­ notion of rewarding drivers on their driving is one­ way.

    Presently they do not have to push themselves or­ their cars to the limit...they still get payed very­ handsomely...even the back markers are doing very well­ thank you.

    The tracks and cars are virtually safe­ enough to take ANY risk out of the racing.

    If we do­ have to have regulation to allow poorer constructors to­ compete then we have to accept that F1 is NOT­ the ultimate driving competition it was.

    In which case­ drivers should be paid a basic salary with specific­ prize money awarded for positions gained in each­ race.

    That would focus their minds....!!!

    From Gargletrope, on Tue 21 Oct 11:24AM

  15. obviously in the blog we have a very varied and wide­ audience. How about each one (with brains and less lip)­ make their proposals for cutting costs.
    Here are­ mine:
    1) Fire Max and Bernie ... sorry I said we had to­ be serious - start over
    1) DEISEL engines from 2012­ with a set amount of fuel which to include practice
    2)­ THREE tyre manufacturers (so they can fight on­ price!)
    3) Limit on the earnings of drivers - MIN/MAX­ all the same - 1 mill usd per year with bonus of­ 100,000 for a win (should make some frantic efforts to­ be first)
    4) Reduce the number of fly away races unless­ they are combined - such as Japan - China_ malaysia -­ Singapore in FOUR WEEKS - start out there and work­ towards Europe - taking in India and middle-east on the­ way.
    5) 18 races per year (get more sponsors that­ way)
    6) Total personnel in any team - 35 - this to­ include R and D and truck drivers - race car drivers­ are extra

    I believe the above could and would save­ each and every team in the regions of 15 mill per­ year.

    OK who else has some serious ideas??

    From not printable, on Tue 21 Oct 8:41AM

  16. In these days of energy saving, why don't they­ simple say you can only use X amount of fuel? Any­ engine size/type you like. Each year this could be­ reduced, and think of the 'knock-on' effect to­ general engine design, let alone the political­ advantages of showing that F1 is trying to find ways to­ save the planet. However, with Mad Max at the helm, we­ are not likely to see anything constructive, merely­ perverse!

    From radiatorbooster, on Tue 21 Oct 7:43AM

  17. stivsf1

    I think it wouldn't do you any harm to­ deploy your own 'puctuation gear' before you­ start criticising anyone else's english.

    From bowesey17, on Tue 21 Oct 7:38AM

  18. stivsf1: As per usual, resorting to a lower tone of­ language. I never said I'd done single seater­ racing. I never got the opportunity. I said I had­ done some racing, obviously someone made an assumption­ there. And yes I was quite good, but not as good as­ some others. I don't have your ego, so I can admit­ that

    From ginger_gitt, on Tue 21 Oct 7:29AM

  19. If the big manufacturers don't want a standard­ engine [and I agree], why not let the smaller teams­ draw lots for the right to use the engines of one of­ the larger teams. There are 12 big players as listed by­ the article so therefore there are only 8 small­ players. This will improve cooperation between big and­ small and give the lesser teams a better chance to­ close the technology gaps.

    From chrisrobson99, on Tue 21 Oct 4:11AM

  20. GINGER-GITT [60] it all shows that when you @#$% finds­ yourselfs cornered you engage the spelling-disgrace­ gear you are good at scratch my back and i will sratch­ yours THAT OTHER @#$% CLISPY DUCK will scratch yours­ some more somebody said you said you done a lot of­ single seater racing you sure seems to have had some­ high standard to have ended on these pages

    From stivsf1, on Tue 21 Oct 3:32AM
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