F1 links: Mosley’s U-turn on FOTA deal
Max Mosley has refused to honour the terms of his deal with FOTA, telling the eight teams the agreement reached last month will only stand if they can get the three new teams plus Force India and Williams to agree to it.
Although this news has only broke publicly today, Mosley’s instruction to FOTA was sent in a letter dated June 26th – straight after his broadside against FOTA for describing him as a ‘dictator’.
More on that story and others in the links below.
FIA: FOTA can’t finalise rules by itself
Letter from Mosley to the teams reveals he will not stick to the 24th June agreement. "As you are aware, Article 66 of the International Sporting Code states that no change can be made to the published regulations without the agreement of all confirmed entrants."
The Weekly Grapevine (sub. req.)
"The validity of using Article 66 as a veto may be in doubt. It refers specifically to 'the/a meeting', which the Formula 1 world championship, by the FIA’s own definitions, most certainly is not. Furthermore, the term ‘Supplementary Regulations’ is defined as a ‘compulsory official document issued by the promoters of a sporting competition’ (which the FIA, by dint of its EU mandate, is not)."
Vatanen to stand against Mosley?
"Vatanen is rumoured to have the support of the American Automobile Association (AAA) and probably has support from the biggest European club as well, Germany's ADAC. These clubs came out against Mosley a year ago during his sex scandal but were defeated by an alliance of small clubs from Africa and the Middle East that gathered around Mosley to protect him. This was led by the UAE's Mohammad bin Sulayem."
Vatanen’s perfect for the FIA – if he can get elected
Although he’s now stood down from MEP duty, it’s clear he made an impression. Take this testimony from fellow MEP Richard Helmer: “He’d be great in the job [as president of the FIA]. Ari was an MEP in European parliaments, and had a distinguished career. He was highly respected, especially on automotive issues. I am very sorry that he is not coming back in the parliament — I should have enjoyed working with him."
Analysis: Vatanen’s name not enough
"This cabinet system was introduced in 2005, just prior to Mosley successfully winning another term as president after standing unopposed. The original aim of the cabinet system was to ensure that wild card candidates could not put themselves forward and hope to capitalise on merely a negative vote for the current president." I wonder why the FIA thought that was a likely scenario?
Villeneuve keen to find F1 drive
"I've been saying it for ten years: ban pitstops, get back to slick tyres, and get rid of electronics. I'm only sorry that compulsory pitstops for tyre changes are staying, because that takes away some of the action coming from the fuel factor. It's good to see a driver who stays on the track without changing tyres, maybe running slower, while another one maybe wastes time in the pitstop then closes the gap." Jacques Villeneuve: a man who Gets It.
Bernie and Adolf (Letters to the editor)
"I totally agree with Bernie Ecclestone — dictators get things done. Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Mao and Saddam are just a few of the glorious list of stars. I can speak with authority since my family enjoyed the “getting-things-done” approach of Adolf, leaving me one of the few unscathed."
I was a fool to talk about admiring Hitler
"First, an apology. As readers of The Times will know, I remarked in an interview with this newspaper that Hitler was able to get things done. I have no complaints about the quote — it is what I said — but it was not what I meant to say."
Fuji pulls plug on Japanese GP
"Toyota's decision to stop the bankrolling of the Fuji event, which Reuters has suggested was costing it around £12-£18 million GBP, come against the backdrop of the company expecting overall losses of £5.5 billion GBP in the business year to March 2010."
Ecclestone: I was an idiot over Hitler
"He said he had been horrified at what he saw at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. 'It takes quite a lot to make me cry and I cried when I came out of that place. What I regret is people who have taken this the wrong way and have been offended, I’m really, really sad about because I have done an awful [lot] for Jewish community throughout, charities and whatever.'"
These are links I’ve bookmarked using Delicious. You can see my Delicious profile here.
persempre said on 8th July 2009, 18:52
I’m wondering how Max can sue teams for not participating if they haven’t been enterred?
I’m sure he’ll come up with something, though. Probably some obtuse Article under Organisation of a Hill Climb event.
dsob said on 8th July 2009, 19:10
Ah, now you have discoveered the hook, persempre.
Mosley will maintain that Ferrari, Red Bull, and -darn-who else is it?–were contractually obligated to participate through 2012, and that by not making an acceptable entry for 2010, those teams are in breach of contract.
Possibly he feels this may give him the leverage needed to break up FOTA. A FOTA championship without 3 of the current 8 members-one of them Ferrari-wouldn’t get far.
Oh, Mosley, you diabolical bastid, one can only hope that Luca has the balls I think he has, and that Ferrari DOES go to court and just beats the pants off you/FiA.
Bigbadderboom said on 8th July 2009, 19:46
Come on Luca, teach this idiot a lesson. He has shown today no interest in us the fans, the future of F1 or the hundreds of people who work hard within F1.
He has shown nothing but contempt for everybody. Surely CVC must do something, even FOM now must be growing weary of all this. Somebody take this horrific excuse to the cleaners.
persempre said on 8th July 2009, 19:47
He could also, presumably though I’m no lawyer, say they are not entered for 2010 but, because of the contract until 2012, that they are not allowed to race in anything other than an FIA event. In other words he could attempt to stop them being in both series.
Spiteful.
Maksutov said on 9th July 2009, 9:49
haha well at this rate he seems to be able to do everything. His French slave orgy “jury and judges” will help him with whatever he needs.
dsob said on 8th July 2009, 22:24
Yes, I suppose he could try that, but I’m not certain the courts would rule in his favor, as there appears to be a precedent.
During the FISA/FOCA War, FOCA was the creator of a short lived “World Federation of Motorsport” in November of 1980 to stage a rival championship. The FOCA teams staged a Formula One race under the WFMS banner in South Africa in February 1981, won by Carlos Reutemann in a Williams FW07B-Cosworth.
Also, the European Union courts have ruled twice against Mosley in this decade, on matters FiA related. So, I don’t think a finding in Mosley/FiA favor is necessarily a slam-dunk. And I find that to be a comforting thought.
persempre said on 8th July 2009, 23:29
Which is no doubt why the FIA administration is now run from Geneva ;)
I’ll bow to your legal knowledge. As I said, I’m no lawyer.
However, the January 2005 agreement between Ferrari, FIA & FOM included the following:
“Ferrari will ensure that, at least until 31 December 2012, no Ferrari team (including any team over which Ferrari exercises direct or indirect control) will take part in any motorsport competition other than those run under the International Sporting Code of the FIA and under the ultimate authority of the FIA”
Taken from letters released by FIA (page 7. para 2)
Whether Red Bull & STR have similar clauses I, obviously, don’t know.
dsob said on 9th July 2009, 3:26
Oh boy, do I have a headache now. Yes, I read the whole batch of letters.
I’m no lawyer, either. But I know a dance played in ‘legalese’ when I hear one. These guys are good at saying nothing in 5,000 words or more.
Two things are mentioned as the main bones of contention, the 1998 CA and the Tripartite Agreement. Both FiA and Ferrari interchange their positions on both, according to the point they are making at the moment. Rather like trying to have their cake and eat it, too.
The crux of the matter is the 17 January 2005 agreement between Ferrari, FiA and FOM. FiA says Ferrari is bound to compete through 2012. Ferrari notes that FiA never actually signed the tripartite agreement. Which, to my mind, makes it null and void.
If that’s the case, then Ferrari had no veto to exercise, but at the same time, FiA cannot force Ferrari to compete through 2012.
Also, throughout the letters, FiA harps on the fact that there IS no Concorde Agreement in effect.
Therefore, one would think there is nothing legally stopping Ferrari or the FOTA teams in general from doing as they wish, now, on a new series.
I believe it would behoove FOTA to make a plainly-worded statement, one that all folks can understand without consulting a lawyer, that they will indeed begin a new series.
With all I have seen recently in the press mentioning words like shame, disgrace, scandal and blackening-of-it’s-name in relation to FiA Formula 1, I firmly believe that such a plain and strong statement would bring sponsors and venues running to the FOTA series.
Let FiA include the other 4 teams that as yet had no grid slot, and run their unknown 18 car grid in front of grandstands that look like Turkey 2009, while the “FOTA 8″ add Prodrive and Lola and pack the house. Then it will be plain to see who won the FiA/FOTA War.
Andrew from MIch. said on 9th July 2009, 2:02
Shakespeare had it right, first kill the lawyers.
Patrickl said on 10th July 2009, 22:12
Why is it so strange that the other 5 teams also have to agree on the changes that FIA and FOTA agreed on?
Remember these 5 teams already signed up for the original rules and now they have been changed. Seems fair enough to let them have some say about it.