F1 Governance and money

[MOWOG]

Great thread. =D> This is where the heart and soul of the sport is focused - on the money. All the rest of it - technical regs, engine formulas and so forth - are just ancillary adjuncts to the business of milking the sport for all it is worth. If you don't have a basic understanding of these issues, you really can't understand Formula One in any meaningful way.

Keep it up, lads. Fascinating reading!

[Richard]

Not exactly. I am fine with survival of the fittest in terms of driver, car, and budget...but POLITICS?

Yes. How do you think Ferrari managed to sign Alonso & Raikenon? How did Brawn get a Merc engine? Why are McLaren losing Merc engines? How do some drivers get to have number 1 status in their team? How did various teams flout the "no team orders" rules? What do you think happens when EBD rules changed last year, or the row over tyres this year?

There's an awful lot of wheeling and dealing to keep the show on the road. Talent and technology are a pre-requisite, but no team is going to win if they don't master the politics as well.

[Moxie]

How do some drivers get to have number 1 status in their team? How did various teams flout the "no team orders" rules? What do you think happens when EBD rules changed last year, or the row over tyres this year?

Yeah, I understand that there is politics in everything, and every sport. The problem I have is the lopsidedness of it all in F1. Ferrari has veto power over any proposed rule changes? What kind of sport runs like that? I'm sure Steinbrenner of the New York Yankees, or Jones of the Dallas Cowboys would love to wield that kind of power within their respective sports. Ferrari gets an estimated 60 million dollars even if it finishes dead last in the constructors championship? And the smaller teams are stuck giving drivers rides just to get the sponsorship money. Top teams get a travel subsidy whereas the smaller teams do not? If you want to promote the health of the sport this is certainly not the way to go about it.

[strad]

I see.....Some of you think life is supposed to be fair.

Have you read your own signature? Especially the second point...

I don't see where the statement is at odds.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but life is not, has not and will never be fair.