The Week That Shook Formula One
Written by George Katinger · March 26, 2006
At least that’s the way I think the coming week will be remembered. With entries for the 2008 season closing on March 30, there remains one week for the holdout GPMA members, as well as any new teams seeking entry, to file applications.
speedtv.com: F1 Future to Be Decided in Next Few Days
manipef1.com: Feature: Major changes to sporting regs for 2008 explained
setanta.com: Theissen blames FIA for engine failures
grandprix.com: A meeting at Maranello
sport.scotsman.com: Mosley’s draconian cost-cutting measures are hard to justify
grandprix.com: In the small print of the Sporting Regulations
Max Mosley has pushed, and pushed hard, for the holdout car manufgacturers to get on board or get out of the sport all together. Max and Bernie have developed a very effective carrott and stick approach to dealing with the holdout GPMA.
Bernie has offered the carrott, effectively increasing the teams share of revenues from 24% of just the TV earnings to as much as a reported 60% of ALL earnings from the sport. I’d call that one hell of a carrott! And good old Max has been swinging a number of sticks for all he’s worth. The most effective stick in his arsenal has been the threat of possible exclusion from the series if other new teams sign up prior to 3-30-06, and the GPMA boys do not.
Even worse, if the holdouts sign up after the cutoff they will effectively be excluded from discussion of the regulations and rules under which the teams will compete in 2008. Either get in the sand box now, or go find your own sand to play with. Exactly what the GPMA has been threatening.
So how will all this turn out? Not well I’m afraid. I do expect the rebels, as a group, to sign up by the deadline, but it will not mean peace in our time. I expect the GPMA to continue fighting the silly restrictions Max is attempting to dictate, and there will be protracted animosity and court actions over the next two years. And don’t be surprised if the GPMA continue to develop their break away series after signing up with Bernie. From what I’ve read there are enough loopholes in Max’s early signing dictate to offer an escape should the GPMA decide to go their own way.
Will they or won’t they? That is the immediate question at hand. I believe they will (sign up) just because the money has come right. But they will continue the struggle with Max and should be able to win further concessions along the way. If not there is still a chance, growing smaller every day, that they may still bolt and pursue their own series. Max and Bernie will have to listen, after all can Ferrari and Cosworth supply engines to all the twelve teams Max thinks he can bring on board without the GPMA?
And if down the road the GPMA go their own way, this will be remembered as the week that Max Mosley ruined the pinnacle of motorsport.
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I am very against the new ‘cost saving’ rules. Formula One is the pinnacle of motorsports. Manufacturers, fans and drivers are intrigued by this great series because of the technology and the driving skill.
NASCAR already is the ‘king of cost savings.’ That is the market they are in. If Formula One’s technology decreases due to cost saving rules, they will be nothing more than what the IRL is.
Since I’ve been watching F1 for the past eight years, I’ve seen nothing but changing rules and arbitrary enforcement from Max Mosley. This is the year to break away from his pathetic rule-making.