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. F1 as a brand could survive without the FIA. Surely­ the FIA needs F1 more than F1 needs the FIA? I've­ no idea why they don't just break away. That would­ give Max the good old spanking he deserves.

    From Pete, on Mon 20 Oct 5:10PM
  2. I suppose that he can(e)t sit down, the poor fellow,­ and think straight due his poor potty botty still being­ sore after the whores made his a r s e bleed. A fact­ very noticable when you watch his John Wayne bow like­ walk down the pit(s)lane.

    From grant b, on Mon 20 Oct 5:05PM
  3. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! DONT MAKE IT A SINGLE ENGINE­ COMPETITION! Worst idea ever. It will kill F1. For me­ F1 is all about the competition between different­ manufacturers. I dont care about the drivers. For me­ its mercedes vs bmv vs ferrari vs toyota vs renaults vs­ etc.

    From balazs.pandi, on Mon 20 Oct 5:03PM
  4. Is Max Mosley trying to beat them into submission? Or­ perhaps trying to get the team bosses in the grip of­ his own bondage? If so, will the meeting be in Chelsea?­ Will there be cameras present?

    From Pete, on Mon 20 Oct 4:55PM
  5. this is getting pathetic F1 is about teams that compete­ against eachother whats the point in having a A1GP car­ you might aswell just watch that the only way to cut­ costs is to lower team budgets

    anyway...... need to­ find the Shanghai Sunday Press Conference any idea­ where i can watch it to?

    From Marti, on Mon 20 Oct 4:49PM
  6. I repeat again if smelly old warpt, off his head,­ biased, hitler lover and perverted Mosely wants­ everything the same why did he order and pay for 5­ different whores, different bodies, different hair­ etc...... what's good for the old goose is not good­ for the slander! Poor F1 poor fans poor manufacturers­ and poor old Mrs Moseley.

    From grant b, on Mon 20 Oct 4:49PM
  7. I'm not sure why FIA always want to impose their­ ideas on the teams - they don't seem to have worked­ so far. From slicks to treads to slicks again for­ example.

    What FIA should be aiming for is to make F1­ more competitive. I know that the chamionship is going­ down to the wire again BUT with very few players having­ a chance in the first place.

    If there was an element­ of competion as there is in Moto GP races and if new­ race tracks were designed with at least 6 passing­ places per lap (what is the point of Valencia?)things­ would open up a bit.

    One last thing - races should be­ won amd lost on the track not by some­ "steward" who probably has never raced. ­ Actually, I was told that one stewrad doesn't even­ have a driving licence! I don't feel sorry for the­ drivers but I do feel sorry for the poor bloody­ spectator.

    From Lloyd, on Mon 20 Oct 4:30PM
  8. INVALID FOR TEAM ORDERS TO AFFECT RACE RESULT

    MASSA­ MUST HAND BACK POINTS & TEAM RECEIVE A HEAVY FINE

    From tttobyjug, on Mon 20 Oct 4:16PM
  9. Nicola. Still the risk of cheating. I think the supply­ of planks should go out to tender as should the supply­ of footwear. A single supplier of wheels will help make­ things more even.

    From chtech06, on Mon 20 Oct 4:09PM
  10. actualy i think the honda team this year has obvously­ used wooden wheels and mechaninc power to push the car­ along. no other explanation for thier lack of results.­ at least its been enviromentaly friendly. just what­ they were promoting this year. thats a result for­ honda. oh apart from the extra hot air it the pushing­ mechanics produce.

    From simonr, on Mon 20 Oct 4:08PM
  11. j.p.brockhill -- I think you are just thinking engine­ too simply. Engines are not made equal. Power is just­ one factor. Modern F1 engine is more complex than just­ mere power. By the way, engine from different­ manufacturer have different power output.

    From ferraribeng, on Mon 20 Oct 3:54PM
  12. F1 has become a laughing stock! An old man runs the­ circus and boy doesent it show! I have been a follwer­ of horse racing as long as I can remember as I­ "was" of F1. If 2 horses from the same stable­ where to decide a race by letting another through then­ not only would the jokey be in the dock so to would be­ the trainer and it would be with a judge not a bunch of­ idiots in a room in Paris. Anybody who where to lay a­ bet with the bookies would be mad with all the unfair­ play that happens on the track. I dont care what teams­ are doing it it SHOULD not happen. If this is the way­ for it to progress then it should at least be stripped­ of its "Sport" status.

    From D S, on Mon 20 Oct 3:41PM
  13. Maybe the motors could be powered by electricity. That­ would save costs AND reduce their carbon footprint.­ Maybe long copper coated steel poles pointing upwards­ about 8 foot in the air, to connect with overhead­ wires. Would certainly stop drivers going off line­ lmao, AND it would fit great with the circus feel to­ the show...............

    From sian_piglet_harris, on Mon 20 Oct 3:39PM
  14. Nicola D -- hahaha... I like your idea... steer with­ legs and team mates push from behind. This is really­ saving planet earth... Why didn't Honda do that?

    From ferraribeng, on Mon 20 Oct 3:37PM
  15. Great Idea Nicola, but it would upset some drivers to­ find out they WERE the no.2 in the team lol, unless­ they change positions after the pit stops. Would hate­ to be 1st pusher with a 2 stop strategy though.

    Spa­ would be a hoot going down the hill though, but puching­ back up .... hmm

    From sian_piglet_harris, on Mon 20 Oct 3:34PM
  16. I think my poster/tshirt is even more apt after this­ announcement. lmao. I even used the name Gollum in it.­ Heheh.

    google redbubble 0004 look for the italian­ job..................... if you didnt see it before.

    I­ think there is an underlying bigger picture and motive­ behind the FIAs decisions, and thats still to be­ revealed. Takes a bigger brain than mine to fathom it­ out.
    Politics politics politics.

    Max seems to be­ doing well for a man who's career was hanging by a­ whip, sorry meant thread, just a few months ago........

    From sian_piglet_harris, on Mon 20 Oct 3:32PM
  17. as bad as that sounds i would still watch that over­ nascrap.

    From Chris, on Mon 20 Oct 3:27PM
  18. if Bernie and Max want to reduce costs here's my­ suggestion:
    Each team is to build one car from a couple­ of planks of wood and some pram wheels.
    The driver­ steers with his feet and his team mate pushes from­ behind.
    Cheap and easy to build. No fuel costs. Made to­ a standard.
    Just don't forget my royalty cheque,­ Bernie!

    From Alien, on Mon 20 Oct 3:16PM
  19. UNLESS MAX AND CO LEAVE ASAP THE SPORT WILL BE DEAD,­ THIS WAS DONE IN A1, IT LASTED ONE YEAR, MAX YOU ARE­ WAY OUT OF TOUCH

    From I TYSON, on Mon 20 Oct 3:02PM
  20. NOT PRINTABLE WELL SAID

    From I TYSON, on Mon 20 Oct 2:59PM
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