F1 teams break from championship
June 19, 2009 by David Twomey
In an unprecedented move, eight of the major teams involved in Formula One racing have announced that they are breaking away from the FIA administered championship that’s run by F1-Czar Bernie Ecclestone.
The FIA, Mr Ecclestone and the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) have been arguing for more than eight months over the future of the premiere level of motor sport, and now it seems to have ended in a permanent rift.
The FOTA statement represents some heavyweights in motor sport with the organisation representing BMW-Sauber, BrawnGP, Scuderia Ferrari, McLaren-Mercedes, Red Bull Racing, Renault, Scuderia Toro Rosso and Toyota.
In a statement issued after a meeting at the historic Silverstone track in Britain FOTA has said that; “These teams therefore have no alternative other than to commence the preparation for a new Championship which reflects the values of its participants and partners.”
“This series will have transparent governance, one set of regulations, encourage more entrants and listen to the wishes of the fans, including offering lower prices for spectators worldwide, partners and other important stakeholders.
“The major drivers, stars, brands, sponsors, promoters and companies historically associated with the highest level of motorsport will all feature in this new series, the FOTA statement adds.
The statement says that since the formation of FOTA last September the teams have worked together and sought to engage the FIA and commercial rights holder, to develop and improve the sport.
“Unprecedented worldwide financial turmoil has inevitably placed great challenges before the F1 community. FOTA is proud that it has achieved the most substantial measures to reduce costs in the history of our sport.
“In particular the manufacturer teams have provided assistance to the independent teams, a number of which would probably not be in the sport today without the FOTA initiatives. The FOTA teams have further agreed upon a substantial voluntary cost reduction that provides a sustainable model for the future.
“Following these efforts all the teams have confirmed to the FIA and the commercial rights holder that they are willing to commit until the end of 2012.
Not mincing its words about the breakdown in relations between the parties, the FOTA statement says the FIA and the commercial rights holder have campaigned to divide FOTA.
FOTA says the wishes of the majority of the teams were ignored, and furthermore, tens of millions of dollars have been withheld from many teams by the commercial rights holder, going back as far as 2006.
Despite this and the uncompromising environment, FOTA has genuinely sought compromise.
It has become clear however, that the teams cannot continue to compromise on the fundamental values of the sport and have declined to alter their original conditional entries to the 2010 World Championship.
Print it: 
Albert Park is going to be a tad boring next year…
I wonder if Sydney or Adelaide can grab a round of the new championship…
End of 2012 supercujo… not end of 2009. Although they have not officially declared their intention for 2010 according to that article… hmmm.
And Albert Park is established, not to mention, FIA’s licensing of Albert Park will be renounced if the entire FIA ran competition dismantle.
And not to mention it was Ecclestone who was threatenning to remove F1 from Albert Park also, Im sure the other manufacturers like it at Albert Park.
This is actually big news.
I was hoping we could use this opportunity to get it away from that silly Albert Park track.
Adelaide street circuit was much more entertaining.
That said, Albert Park is better than 90% of Hermann Tilke’s boring creations.
Silly Albert Park track? who are you kidding, It is only one of 4 tracks that run through the heart of their respective cities and the atmosphere is amazing.. the drivers love it, the fans love it and the racing is always exciting, so many memorable moments took place at Albert Park. To move the Australian GP to Eastern shit Creek would be silly..
Lukaas, their intention to break away is for next year, not after 2012. Given that the actual deadline for entries for 2010 has not yet passed this could be the biggest game of chicken motorsport has ever seen. Hopefully for the sake of the FOTA members the FIA and FOM bend and can find a compromise, otherwise they will be stuck with Max and Bernie running the show without consultation forever.
Well the FIA claims its interested in cost cutting measures but they create changes every year that actually cost money. But it was unfair for the FIA to try and implement such a drastic measure such as the 2-tier system they were going to do.
Anyways just look what happened with the IRL/Champ Car split, the fans followed the stars to CART then back to IRL. Also when there was 2 bathurst races, everyone followed the V8’s away from the traditional weekend. Fans follow their favourite drivers and teams so the F1 championship looks in serious trouble.
Although I think that a compromise will eventually happen for next year, it’s still good to see the teams sticking it to Bernie & Max. For far too long those two egos have done nothing for F1 except for collecting their huge pay-checks.
If there are two series next year I’ll be watching the FOTA championship and not the ‘F1 in name only’ joke.
End of the road in sight for FIA. Jtoddy, I’m with you on the 2 characters in F1.
Interesting other sources are claiming Ecclestone will sue if networks drop agreed coverage of F1 in favour of the new series. Some networks have hinted they’ll get around it by running F1 with a skeleton crew and spend the big bucks on the new series. I’m loving this story. Great to see the tall poppies sweat for once, especially Ecclestone.
Any move that brings GP racing in any form back to the streets of Adelaide is a great one.
Here’s my idea:
ADELAIDE MOTORFEST
Runs annually for one month – Starting in March 2012
Includes the following events
FOTA GP
Clipsal 500
All usual support categories for both events
Celebrity Race Could include 3 rounds and 1 final race.
Classic Adelaide Rally (Prologue and Final stage at street circuit)plus cars on display at track nightly.
Solar Car Challenge (Start in Darwin final laps and Finish line at Adelaide Street Circuit)
Bay to Birdwood Vintage and Veteran Run
Adelaide Motor Show
Food and Wine Fairs in Rundle & Gouger Streets each Weekend
A Sotheby’s (or Similar) car auction of global importance.
Concerts (if its in March Adelaide Fringe Festival and WOMAD are also on)
The Adelaide Cup is also on in March (Horspower of the Purest Kind!)
Drag Racing at A.I.R or Mallala Raceways
Specialist Twilight Racing Events on weekday evenings
SOMETHING HAPPENING EVERY DAY FOR A MONTH, CULMINATING IN THE FOTA GP on March 29/30/31.
You know it makes sense!
JJ
GO ADELAIDE !!!
Ecclestone has treated F1 as his personal toy for years. He has become mega rich as a result. About time he got screwed over
Mclaren and force-India may stay at F1. At least they can now lead the series. I Might bring the go-kart down and compete, could have have a chance on a placing :-)
This is a real shame for F1. Mosley has been such an obstruction for so long. Having two series will be a dismal failure though. There’s already a shortage of funds.
Hopefully this is yet another ploy to get the FIA to take action against Mosley and set some stable rules that competitors can rely on.
As a life long fan of formula one I can only say its about freaken time
For to long its been an argument about crap with some racing thrown in every now and then the teams deserve to have control or at least a say in what goes on and they will now
The FIA is done for no more stupid penalties deciding races no more Max ans bernie show
FOTA have a great chance to do this right racing for the fans copy NASCAR and see how long the FIA series lasts
Plenty of tracks would split with the FIA and say for arguments sake they could not get out of contracts for next year well FOTA can have Silverstone,Imola,Lugana Seca just to name a few of the hundreds of tracks around the world who won’t pay a kings ransom to bernie to host a race
And in the end do you want to watch Force India, Campos, and US F1 or Ferrari, $claren and BMW to name a few of the FOTA teams
Also FOTA have to support of the european car companies that could lead to Porsche, Aston Martin and a host of new names joining them
Bring of FOTA 2010
2010 FIA Formula 1 World champions Constructors Champions Williams F1 & Drivers Champion Nico Rosberg, tad hollow victories tho.
Go FOTA 1!
I hate those two ego-eccentric old farts that have way too much money put together that they act like two school bullies. Pushing around TV organizations, car manufactures (F1 teams), and governments/countries that host F1!
They have made the sport sterile. F1 should show the best a team/manufacture can provide and build in a racing car.
It’s obvious the FIA series will die in the ass once the big name teams break away, but that aside hopefully some order in the grid gets restored with FOTA teams in their new series. I’d love to see the big teams get back up front and start seeing some good ol’ fashion rivalries. The brawn GP show is becoming a little tiring…
Agree with most that it’s about time.
If the FOTA were to relent now, they’re gone forever and will be servants for Bernie and Max well into the future.
Sorry to burst the Adelaide bubble but…. Yes it was a great GP track in the old days, but new FOTA championship or not, it wouldn’t meet today’s strict safety standards and these are standards applied by the drivers, not Bernie or max. Much the same as i’d like to see a F1 on the Mount, but I know that’s unsafe. Yes, you could modify Adelaide to meet the F1 or FOTA standards of today, but it certainly wouldn’t be the same.
If F1 in it’s reduced form were to stay in Melbourne, then the FOTA to ECR in Sydney wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Mind you, much of the cristicism for ECR comes from the V8Stupid Cars organisation who wanted a street race in Sydney and needed to talk down the Creek at every opportunity.
Ferrari rule F1, simple, at least the bogans here have bathurst to look forward to.
Its not V8 Supercars that talks down Eastern Creek Radar, its the fans. The Creek has never attracted fans in any numbers because of the location and transport issues.
Now if you want to know the circuit best suited to the FOTA world championship, then Philip Island would be the best spectacle. Apart from transport and accomodation of course! At the 2007 V8 final race, there was a lot of talk the Fox had commisioned a study into what was needed to run F1’s there trackwise. The main work was runn -offs and moving a few walls back. The interesting bit was the simulated lap times which were in the 1 min + not much more.
If only it could happen!
The biggest challenge to the FOTA championship is going to be circuits and insurance. But there is some big money involved. My guess is that we will see some races on some of the traditional old F1 tracks like Silverstone, Imola, Zolder, Kyalami, Montreal etc.
Hell Yes! Now we will see what the teams can really do with these cars and not have to comply with STUPID STUPID rule changes every year by a bunch of old nobodys. Bye Bye Bernie you crabby old man. You are ruining the sport.
This is the best F1 news for years.
Who will lose from it – Ecclestone big time, and Mosley as well.
When the breakaway begins racing on all the old favourite circuits that Ecclestone screwed over for his new money spinners, those same money spinners will sue him for their losses till he’s broke.
Did anyone ever wonder how an old man with seriously bad hair could spend so much wealth, there’s the answer….
The less said about Mosley the better, good riddance to him and the FIA – both will preside over nothing.
Roll on the New F1….
Television will follow Ferrari. Rightly or wrongly half the world audience watches Ferrari, the rest of the teams have the other half, so it’s a perfect event to broadcast.
Thank goodness!
If F1 has to “die” for a while,so be it!
FOTA must NOT relent it must fight the good fight because at the end it will mean the demise of “mop hair” Ecclestone,Mosley and the influence of the pathetic FIA.
What a farce it has been in the last decade or so and who has suffered…?the fans and the sport.
The manufacturers have actually spent more money trying to keep up with the willy-nilly,ad-hoc changes made by the meglomaniac,Mosley.
Like the mythical Phoenix rising from the ashes hopefully,fans worldwide will witness the new F1 emerge.
if the teams had agreed to the changes, i would have stoped watching anyway! HOW CAN THE PINACLE OF MOTORSPORT HAVE A CAP ON SPENDING, THATS WHY TEAMS HAVE ACCOUNTANTS. they take care of what the team can offord. the new series that they start will be better anyway, i mean look at the irl n indy cars! irl is a much better form of racing and regulations as it was developed by people that have a passion for the sport not by 70yo men who think they are 25 n kinky buggers that dress in nazi uniforms! SOUND FAIR? BERNIE BOUGHT IT UPON HIMSELF AS HE LIMITED THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE PLACES IT RACES, WHEN HE SHOULD HAVE PUSHED THE PASSION FOR THE SPORT TO THE WORLD!
Adelaide is too narrow to hold a F1 car lets alone any passing, if they do choose to go there Adelaide will need a major redesign perhaps a new layout.
Come on FOTA, i am with them 150%, dont back down and stick it to bernie and mosley and fia, the both need a big fn punch in the head. When bernie an mosley start loosing millions and millions i will laugh my head off with delight.
Go FOTA…
Mark Says:
June 20th, 2009 at 8:15 pm – HOW CAN THE PINACLE OF MOTORSPORT HAVE A CAP ON SPENDING.Totally agree,F1 teams with all the same engine is a joke,if people want to see that they can watch the A1 GP series.This is cutting edge motorsport and guess what it takes to be in cutting edge motorsport,you guessed it,MONEY.
HA HA HA to all you melbournites, if you think for one second that your stupid GP in Albert Park is anyhting close to what the Adelaide GP was u are in denial!! I go to Albert Park every year and there is 0% atmosphere. YOU ARE JUST BORROWING THE GP FROM ADELAIDE AND IT WAS THE VIC GOVERMENT AND BERNIES DIRTY TACTICS THAT GOT YOU THE F1 GP, YOU KNOW I AM RIGHT!! YOU MIGHT BIULD BIGGER BUT YOU VICS WILL NEVER GET IT, ADELAIDE ROCKS!!