FOTA starts a breakaway series

[flynfrog]

If Williams and FIF1 do test, I think that FOTA will immediately withdraw from 2009 competition.

And that may be exactly what Bernie and Max want, so the fans will not follow them.

I think williams could win every race this season and still not win the WCC or WDC so who really cares what the back markers do

[WhiteBlue]

Adam Parr is very explicit that Williams will not do anything to exacerbate the situation. Read the Friday press conference which is linked in the British GP thread on this board and on the FOM page.

[gcdugas]

Testing for what Conc, on how to beat FI, Campos and Redneck racing next year?

Why not? I'm sure Williams would take a WCC, even if it is against all new teams!

What new teams? You mean all those teams that Max announced yesterday?

[WhiteBlue]

WB, many thanks for that (MotorSport) link. I find it a bit scary:

But Whitmarsh said at Silverstone that late July is the key date, and that until then FOTA is "open to finding a solution if we can".

"The teams are ready to discuss with anybody how we go racing next year," he said.

"I think by the end of July, everybody is going be progressively on diverging paths, so whatever separates us today will be greater by then," Whitmarsh added.

If that is an accurate quote, then it is very clear that FOTA has not decided that they will definitely go ahead on their own.

I will sometimes play devil's advocate to spur a bit of discussion, but not this time. I am just not as confident as most of you that FOTA has definitely "won."

I see this as a horror movie with Max playing the bad guy from the "Halloween" series -- he is not dead yet and he will be very hard to kill.

I will be overjoyed to be proven wrong.

I thought for a long time that FOTA will not pull this off. The weak link obviously would have been Brawn and the two manufacturers Mercedes and BMW who would have difficulties to get investment from their boards to take it solo from FIA/FOM.

They must have been given sufficient guarantees and have found enough trust emong each other to fight this out. Lets not forget that Brawn has an long relationship with both Briatore and Montezemolo. It is basically a repeat of FOCA vs FIA and the leverage this time is killing FOM/CVC economically. I have no doubt that the teams can make Bernie go bust. It is the weak spot of any leveraged scheme.

Bernie knows that he cannot win and so he is stepping away from everything that does not cost him anything shot term. Three days ago he said the cap must come. Now he says the cap should be abolished. Silverstone was African incompetence a week ago. Now he says he will run a GP there next year. So Bernie will comply with requests of the new FOTA power base until they go for what he thinks is his money and his decision power. My guess is, they will be doing that with a gusto asap.

For a last ditch agreement I see two conditions:

1. They somehow agree to let FOM/CVC fail and shift a lot of the banks dough to FOTA.
2. Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone agree to water tight conditions that will give a team majority veto to any controversial technical, sporting, financial, commercial and governance issue.

Both conditions are hard to meet for Max and Bernie. Would they be able to do such a thing? Probably not. The law suits will be run for longer than the season I fear and the break away will be well on its way before anything is decided there. I see only one big risk for FOTA. If they get investigated and accused of setting up an illegal cartell by the European authorities they would be in deep ---. But that kind of scenario is out of my legal crystal ball capabilities.

[xpensive]

I think FOTA's arguments runs a little deeper that budget caps or whatever.

We are talking BMW and Mercedes governed and financially looted by a used car salesman and an S&M lawyer?

They dislike that I believe.

[fbn]

mosley was on german television (RTL) a few seconds ago and here are his main points (he spoke in german, i try to translate):

1. there are only 3 little differnces between FOTA and FIA.
2. two of this points won't be any problem
3. he his sure, that there will be only one F1 next year
4. there are only a few people in the FOTA, who dont like the FIA and try to avoid meetings etc. . he spoke to horner, brawn etc.

so... lets see.

[xpensive]

The son of Sir Oswald Mosley speaking German, well that should be helluva surprise to most of us.

[modbaraban]

4. there are only a few people in the FOTA, who dont like the FIA and try to avoid meetings etc. . he spoke to horner, brawn etc.

And the result of that talking is:

No that won't happen, the decision has been made by FOTA," Ross said at Silverstone, when asked if harmony will, eventually, be found. "FOTA now has to press ahead with its ideas and plans, we can't wait until January and decide which way it is going to go. As each day passes, and each week passes, the options for a reconciliation will reduce.

clicky

[Giblet]

Bernie says "Silverstone is not spending enough money, we are moving"

then Donnington says "We need to spend all this money we don't have to make this track operable"

then I say "So Bernie wants everyone to spend less, and insists that both possible venues spend scads of cash"

I guess when you are worth billions, like Mr.E, you forget the actual meaning of "recession" to the common, and uncommon man.

[woohoo]

I dont have a direct link to the news agency, but an article presents this calendar:


http://politiken.dk/sport/formel1/article737083.ece
apparently taken from:
http://www.sid.de/index.php

21. March: Mexico City
11. April: Jerez, Spain
25. April: Portimao, Portugal
2. Maj: Imola, Italy
23. Maj: Monte Carlo
6. June: Montreal, Canada
13. July: Indianapolis, USA
25. July: Magny-Cours, France
15. August: Eurospeedway Lausitz, Germany
29. August: Helsinki, Finland
12. September: Monza, Italy
26. September: Abu Dahbi, UAE
10. October: Singapore
7. November: Adelaide, Australia

I like it. Some of it old, some of it new.

[djos]

On ONE-HD tonight as part of the pre-race show they conducted an SMS phone poll and 67% voted that they believe FOTA are doing the right thing and would follow their series if their breakaway series goes ahead.

They also said that it was the biggest response to a phone poll this year.

[modbaraban]

No British Grand Prix? This can't be true.

15. August: Eurospeedway Lausitz, Germany

It's the kind of tracks that make Hungaroring look pants-wetting-exciting!

[The FOZ]

21. March: Mexico City
11. April: Jerez, Spain
25. April: Portimao, Portugal
2. Maj: Imola, Italy
23. Maj: Monte Carlo
6. June: Montreal, Canada
13. July: Indianapolis, USA
25. July: Magny-Cours, France
15. August: Eurospeedway Lausitz, Germany
29. August: Helsinki, Finland
12. September: Monza, Italy
26. September: Abu Dahbi, UAE
10. October: Singapore
7. November: Adelaide, Australia

I'd say that's a pretty solid lineup! I'd like to see Silverstone in there, rather than Singapore or Abu Dahbi, but there's some stupid money coming from those venues, so can't change 'em, I guess.

[WhiteBlue]

It sounds like Max Mosley is surrendering. There isn't an awefull lot of alternatives for him with the FOTA getting serious about the break away. I wonder how FOTA will get on with Bernie. If Bernie gives them the kind of money they want and grant them a veto on deciding GPs they will probably be happy. I just don't see how FOM can avoid going bust over this.

[djos]

It sounds like Max Mosley is surrendering. There isn't an awefull lot of alternatives for him with the FOTA getting serious about the break away. I wonder how FOTA will get on with Bernie. If Bernie gives them the kind of money they want and grant them a veto on deciding GPs they will probably be happy. I just don't see how FOM can avoid going bust over this.

Yeah, he now realises that FOTA is not messing about!

FIA drops legal actions against FOTA, Mosley ready to talk