Frustrated Montezemolo threatens to quit F1

[wesley123]

The threats have never been empty. The once recieved 100M not to leave. Then they stopped the budget cap mandate by the FIA. I would say FIA took the threat seriously.

And this is exactly why the FIA need to let ferrari play in their own money-lined sand box, and get on with letting the other 12 teams race – we'll see which one the public finds more interesting.

I actually like it, the FIA just should just say; Okay you want to leave, go ahead, we can go on without you, show us you can make a better racing class. This will give a few possibilities;
-It is all bluff and the teams come back to their words
-They actually start a new class, but it wil fail due to the lack of knowledge and stability, F1 has a solid basis and the FIA to back it up, what does that racing class got? nothing. And if there comes a fight, and there will be it is most likely be that the championship goes defunct.
-The new class actually becomes more popular, unlikely though.

We have seen the same thing happen in the past with then Indycar and Champcars, although Champcars become more widely known, Indycars was far more popular and had way more wealthier teams, this forced them to merge with each other, or better said, Indycars got all, everything Champcars was is gone.

Apart from that, I doubt anyone would like it to see Luca and Ferrari leave F1, also putting a huge halt to his political career. Sure Tifosi rather blame others then Ferrri, but there is a limit. Ferrari is Formula 1 for them, without Ferrari there is no F1 and opposite, Luca would be digging his own grave when doing so.

[Rob01]

Ferrari doesn't want to leave. They just want the tables turned properly. You have a commericial side milking the series to the tune of 600M a year.And making no serious investment in the series. A governing body that is making rules that the teams don't want. In the next Concorde the teams want more control. FIA should write the rules the teams want and worry only about safety. Ferrari is going to bat for the series so that it doesn't further become a spec series. They haven't bluffed one time making a threat. The other side has folded. It will happen again.

[andrew]

Your wrong. Ferrari is looking out for the integrity of the sport. More of a war over next Concorde. F1 has pushed towards a spec series for too long. FIA making rules will change in the next Concorde. The FIA is to write the rules that the teams and commercial side want. Outside of safety they should just write the rules given to them. Unfortunately, the teams agreed to let Max/FIA write the rules long ago because everyone was fat and happy. It will take this Concorde to set the situation correct or the result will be a breakaway. This is no idle threat from Luca. And the majors will rally around Luca.

I cannot understand where you got that theory. It certainly does not fit the actual history. From the first concord in 1981 the team majority has the rule making authority (except safety issues) and have exercised it. The FiA is the owner of the series and will never relinquish the final authority to approve or disapprove the rule proposals of the F1 commission.

If there is a change as a result of disagreement between FOTA and FOM over the distribution of the FOM money this can potentially lead to a break away. In reality it will not change the situation that the majority of teams will always make the rules.

Ferrari are just making silly noises without real power.

I agree with Rob and think he is bang on the money with this one.

Is the FIA the owner of the series? I thought they endorsed it and MrE/CVC was the “owner”.

To say Ferrari have no power and is making silly noises is just plain wrong. They are the only team who seem to be willing to take on the FIA and say what needs to be said. The teams will eventually rally behind Ferrari when they realise that they saying what has to be said and that Ferrari are trying to improve things for the teams and the sport as a whole.

[WhiteBlue]

The FiA owns the FiA Formula 1 World Championship. They have sold the commercial exploitation to Ecclestone who sold the business to EM.TV, Kirch, Bayern LB and eventually CVC. There are rumors that the next owner of the commercial rights will be an Arabian sovreighn wealth fund or another media concern. But whoever owns the commercial rights will not have the rule setting power. That will always be done by the teams and the FiA.

[WhiteBlue]

Ferrari doesn't want to leave. They just want the tables turned properly. You have a commericial side milking the series to the tune of 600M a year.And making no serious investment in the series. A governing body that is making rules that the teams don't want. In the next Concorde the teams want more control. FIA should write the rules the teams want and worry only about safety. Ferrari is going to bat for the series so that it doesn't further become a spec series. They haven't bluffed one time making a threat. The other side has folded. It will happen again

What a poor posting full of inaccuracies and lies. Last year the commercial rights holder took less than 400m out of F1. The teams managed to increase their pay out substantially, although they still desire more. The FiA is by no means making rules the teams don't want. This is a blatant lie! The FiA only approves rules that the teams have formulated with their majority in the F1 commission. There is no substantial conflict between the teams and the FiA. Monte and Ecclestone are the trouble makers who are promoting their ideas against the team majority and the governing body.

[wesley123]

Ferrari doesn't want to leave. They just want the tables turned properly. You have a commericial side milking the series to the tune of 600M a year.And making no serious investment in the series. A governing body that is making rules that the teams don't want. In the next Concorde the teams want more control. FIA should write the rules the teams want and worry only about safety. Ferrari is going to bat for the series so that it doesn't further become a spec series. They haven't bluffed one time making a threat. The other side has folded. It will happen again.

Oh and how do you explain all the rules this year that where all decided by the teams. Not quite an 'governing body' involved in that is it?

They just cant admit that they need the FIA, without the FIA the teams soon will become in a fight about whatever you can think of, then the FIA is a solid basis for the teams, to come and say; 'why dont we do it this way?' and make sure everyone is happy again. Take a look at the DTM, that is just the manufacturers deciding, DTM went defunct before, why? Because of a fight about the rules and Alfa Romeo and Opel decided to leave. Same thing happened in (i believe) 2007, when Opel, although on different reasons, decided to leave, this put the DTM in a lot of danger. Point is, same thing will happen in F1, only there are a few more manufacturers.

[Giblet]

The teams are given a set of rules, and told what they can and can't do. If all the teams agree that they will not run KERS that still falls in the regulations. It's up to you. If all the teams decide that they would rather run 100k lighter on ballast, the FIA can still weigh and DQ them.

This is a very important distinction that is not being made. FOTA can so whatever they agree to, but they can't break regulations can they.