Comments on: Renault and Ferrari re-state their threat not to compete in 2010

By: Mary

Mary — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 15:18:16 +0000

Such a wonderful text! I have no clue how you came up with this post..it’d take me weeks. Well worth it though, I’d assume. Have you considered selling banners on your blog?

By: guille2306

guille2306 — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:45:57 +0000

Yeah, but we should not underestimate that most of the casual fans DO think that. And Max is willing to show BrawnGP as an example of how an efficient and small team can beat the big corporations that spend billions, making look the constructors as the source of all the bad the F1 has…

By: scunnyman

scunnyman — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:28:28 +0000

BrawnGP is not running on a “shoestring” budget. At least not this season.

By: The Limit

The Limit — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:03:05 +0000

The underlying problem for Bernard Ecclestone is that a rival series may prove more popular and better run than his own. The root cause of this so called ‘war’ is pure greed, and reaches far further than just the teams and the FIA.
When we look back over the last half dozen years at all of the circuits ‘priced out’ of Formula One by Ecclestone and his bean counters, it is not difficult to see that this standoff has been a long time coming.
It is no secret that the teams strongly disliked the decision to not have any North American races, as well as their sponsors. A new series, with world famous brand names behind them, could quite easily return to pastures previously ‘dumped’ by Bernie Ecclestone, in Europe and overseas.
Ecclestone has for years harboured ambitions to break heavily into the Asian marketplace, leaving behind core audiences in Europe and elsewhere behind. It is not difficult to imagine that the teams and sponsors maybe not so excited as Ecclestone as to race in South Korea as opposed to France, San Marino, and possibly Great Britain.
The overwhelming scary thing about a split is the fatal damage that was inflicted to American openwheel racing when the IRL was carved up fourteen years ago.
It just goes to show how bad things have become in Formula One if the teams are willing to take such a risk. The sport is really being run into the ground, and has been for many many years. There are way too many political figures in F1, and far too many bad decisions during races from officials that have put too many noses out of joint.
In many ways, the loss of Honda F1 opened many eyes. Here was an organisation that had spent billions of dollars in F1 for limited return to say the least. Not alone are companies such as Honda, and BMW, who have invested simular amounts of money for very little reward.
To add insult to injury, along comes Ross Brawn, with a restricted ‘shoestring’ budget, to dominate a season that was meant to be the most competitive season in decades. It is not difficult to imagine how badly aggrieved these teams are, knowing that things will get worse next year when more teams arrive on the scene.
The rules have to be decided, and set in stone. If the FIA are incapable of coming up with rules that make sense, and are governable properly and fairly, then they are no longer relavent as an organisation.
They are just a ten pound weight, dragging the sport under. If all Bernie Ecclestone can do is issue threats, then it seems to me that FOTA have less to lose than they thought.
These are smart men, who for years have made billions from Formula One, but have become blinded by greed and self interest. The president of the FIA has done nothing to ease the tensions, and deserves nothing less than a P45.
I would gladly watch a breakaway series, as I am so distraught at the way F1 is being lead. Its time to shut Ecclestone down, once and for all.

By: Leon

Leon — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:42:24 +0000

…..or perhaps they could tell Mr Ecclestone and Mr Mosley exactly what they think of the way F1 is being destroyed by FOM and FIA by calling the new series

EFF-ORFF ?

By: Patrickl

Patrickl — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:13:36 +0000

Yeah and?

By: guille2306

guille2306 — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:20:20 +0000

As it’s ridiculous that Mosley ask the teams to commit to a massive change in the way they work, including laying off much of their personnel, on an equally short notice. And then, the new Concorde Agreement is being discussed since 2005-2006, budget cap only since January of this year…

By: Patrickl

Patrickl — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:12:58 +0000

The conditions that FOTA put on their entry were ridiculous. They demanded the signing of their version of a Concorde agreement till 2012. It’s no surprise Mosley had no interest in signing that on such short notice.

By: tombisset

tombisset — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:56:18 +0000

Reason for Ferrari and Renault quitting:t
they haven’t been performing as well as expected this year.

Reason for Bernie sueing some of the teams:

He needs to make up quickly for his losses in his recent divorce

By: HounslowBusGarage

HounslowBusGarage — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:53:23 +0000

Do I believe this, do I not believe this?

Fernando Alonso and Luca di Montezemolo have apparently scheduled a meeting at the Circuit de la Sarthe where the famous 24 Heures du Mans will take place this weekend. The purpose of this meeting? It is whispered that the future of the Spanish driver at Ferrari will be on the agenda of this meeting!
In fact, the President of Ferrari, Luca di Montezemolo who will be at Le Mans for the race to see Audi and Peugeot battle for victory, wants to meet Fernando Alonso and discuss his future. Meanwhile, the Renault F1 Team driver who will be there for pleasure did not decline this invitation.

The rumour is that this secret meeting was to be explained as the two men are talking about the future of Formula 1, which has been shaken to its core following a fight between FOTA (Manufacturers Association) and the FIA. Whereas the real reason for the meeting, it is whispered, is that if a breakaway championship was to emerge next year, Ferrari would enter three cars in this new series with Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso on board.