FOTA is dead

[Lorenzo_Bandini]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96614

Well, it's going to be interesting... Bernie should laugh very hard.

[dren]

No surprise the two biggest spenders want out.

[Lorenzo_Bandini]

Ferrari want tighter rules...

And Ferrari spend more than other teams because they have to built their engines, while Red Bull and Mclaren didn't have to..

[wesley123]

That it lasted this long surprised me already, and that Ferrari and Red Bull were the first to leave didnt surprise me at all

[Lorenzo_Bandini]

Autosport has changed the article, they add that in the article :

Sources have revealed that the four biggest teams – Ferrari, Red Bull Racing, McLaren and Mercedes – have agreed to meet privately within the next fortnight to try and make progress on the RRA.

If it's true, i think we will see a hard battle, big four VS the rest.


Ferrari :

Ferrari will continue to work with the other teams to make the current RRA, Resource Restriction Agreement, aimed at controlling costs, more effective and efficient, modifying it to make it more stringent in key areas such as aerodynamics, to rebalance some aspects such as testing and to expand it to areas currently not covered such as engines.

Formula 1, like the rest of the world in fact, is currently going through a delicate period. Ferrari wants to work with all parties for the future of a sport that expresses the highest level of motor sport technology. We must return to a situation where Formula 1 is really a test bed for advanced technological research, the results of which can be transferred to Granturismo cars. In addition, we must not forget that this sport must become more user friendly and more accessible to the general public and furthermore, it cannot be the only professional sport where it is practically impossible to do any training: the number of days of testing must be increased so that the drivers, especially the young ones who lack experience and the teams, can be adequately prepared, as well as providing more opportunities for them to come into contact with spectators and sponsors.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

So from the smoke of this fire, can we deduce red bull weren't prepared for transparency and refused to co operate? Ferrari not wanting the handicap therefore refused the restrictions too, fearing a red bull advantage?

Seriously, how can red bill expect Ferrari to have the same budget as theirs when Ferrari have to design and build their own engines?
Not happy that the gulf will now probably widen between red bull(and now probably Ferrari) compared to the rest.

[flynfrog]

Bring back in season testing [-o<

[internetf1fan]

And you guys laughed at me for ranting at McLaren for not ignoring FOTA and going with KERS in 2010 following on from their superb 2009 KERS performance. I reckon they would have had a very good chance of beating redbull in 2010 with KERS.

Looks like Ferrari have more sense than McLaren. They leave as soon as it's of no benefit to them. What exactly has being a member of FOTA and handicapping their own performance has done for McLaren? Absolutely nothing.

[donskar]

Quoted by Lorenzo Bandini:
Ferrari :

Ferrari will continue to work with the other teams to make the current RRA, Resource Restriction Agreement, aimed at controlling costs, more effective and efficient, modifying it to make it more stringent in key areas such as aerodynamics, to rebalance some aspects such as testing and to expand it to areas currently not covered such as engines.

Formula 1, like the rest of the world in fact, is currently going through a delicate period. Ferrari wants to work with all parties for the future of a sport that expresses the highest level of motor sport technology. We must return to a situation where Formula 1 is really a test bed for advanced technological research, the results of which can be transferred to Granturismo cars. In addition, we must not forget that this sport must become more user friendly and more accessible to the general public and furthermore, it cannot be the only professional sport where it is practically impossible to do any training: the number of days of testing must be increased so that the drivers, especially the young ones who lack experience and the teams, can be adequately prepared, as well as providing more opportunities for them to come into contact with spectators and sponsors.

F1 is very important to Ferrari, so naturally they want to succeed. However, the above piece is hard to dismiss. It makes a good deal of sense.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Mclaren do not have the budget they did back in 2009 internetf1fan.


Red Bull have the budget, they arent exposed to the global crisis as much as the automotive teams are. So they are prepared to dig deep whereas the others cannot/willnot.

[Lorenzo_Bandini]

JET, i don't think they will be a gulf because the big four will have a meeting for RRA.. I'm more afraid for the rest of the grid..

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

JET, i don't think they will be a gulf because the big four will have a meeting for RRA.. I'm more afraid for the rest of the grid..

Problem is Mercedes and McLaren will not want to go much further than the current agreement. Mclaren cant because they lost Mercedes money and have stretched themselves with building the 12C, and Mercedes have a board not looking to burn cash on this white elephant.

lets wait and see what happens at this meeting between the top 4, but I wouldnt hold out much hope as Red Bull always seem to disagree with anything Ferrari say.

[WhiteBlue]

Ferrari pulling out of FOTA isn't a big surprise, isn't it? They are in many ways opposed to the main direction of the chassis contructor majority that dominates FOTA.

• They do not want a low level of cost or resource restrictions.
• They want to use their advantage of having a test track in mild climate.
• They want satellite teams running third and fourth cars and weaken the constructor rule in the Concord agreement.
• They want a stronger emphasis on engine as a competitive advantage

That alone puts them into a strong opposition with the average constructor within FOTA.

Red Bull's exit is a bigger surprise. I can't figure out what is driving Mateschitz to that decision. Perhaps we get to hear something in the near future. Perhaps it is simply the fact that the four top teams want to negotiate the key issues between themselves without the involvement of the other minor constructors.

The move could be good news for Bernie, who profits from the death of the association, but I'm not entirely sure of that. FOTA was crippled by some of the terms of the last Concord which obliged them not to pursue a break away series. The time has now come to look at alternatives to Bernies proposals. This includes buying the sport from CVC and also the threat of going pirate if an agreement cannot be found. The big four may feel that they already have the credibility if they remain united in that issue. Between four parties it would be easier to do the conspirative work that has to be done to generate an alternative to FOM.

[Lurk]

Seriously, how can red bill expect Ferrari to have the same budget as theirs when Ferrari have to design and build their own engines?

Are you sure that engine costs are wihtin RRA? Otherwise Mercedes should complain too.
Maybe there is a chassis cost restriction agreement and an engine cost restriction agreement?

[WhiteBlue]

Seriously, how can red bill expect Ferrari to have the same budget as theirs when Ferrari have to design and build their own engines?

Are you sure that engine costs are wihtin RRA? Otherwise Mercedes should complain too.
Maybe there is a chassis cost restriction agreement and an engine cost restriction agreement?

The original RRA is only about chassis, but there is an urgent need to come to an agreement about engines with the termination of the frozen V8s. Currently there is no mechanism in place to limit development cost. There are several proposals how engines can be integrated into the RRA but the teams have not reached agreement on such a new deal. So effectively spending on V6 engine development is currently unlimited.

Ferrari and Red Bull are very much opposed in the question of how to balance aerodynamics and engine development. Ferrari want less aero and more engine development. Red Bull naturally want aero to remain the source of competitive advantage. McLaren are probably more on the Red Bull side and Mercedes are probably in the Ferrari camp when it comes to rebalancing aero and engines. So in the big four there will also be a balanced situation.

One should not forget that the big four will not have the power of FOTA. FOTA could use its voting power in the F1 commission to push or veto any rule change they wanted. The big four - even with engine customers - will not have that power.