The F1 world is waiting for Max Mosley’s answer on who and who will not be participating in the 2010 series. AS with most things FIA, the politics have outweighed the racing and this date has been used as the prime mover for much bludgeoning and chest-pounding by Max against FOTA. The demand that the teams file unconditional applications and subject themselves to Max’s draconian regulations for 2010 has been pressed as this looming date of June 12th has been used to prompt action. With 8 teams, members of FOTA, have filed applications that contain conditional proviso’s, it remains to be seen if a deal can be made in the 11th hour prior to the announcement. Max says that the announcement must be made on the 12th as the new teams entering F1 need to know. Fair enough but I would rather run the risk of delaying a news teams confirmation than running off an existing team who is already in the sport and has spent millions on it.
A meeting of FOTA principles and Max Mosley occurred today but neither camp has released details of the outcome. It appears that there is still some remaining issues according to Autosport’s unnamed source regarding the meeting. Will Max delay the date of the announcement until he can get things worked out with FOTA or will he exclude them from the series and try to work it out later for a late application process of the existing teams. One wonders why the process couldn’t have two distinct dates. If the new teams need to know this week if they are in or out, fine…let them know. If the existing teams need longer to work this out with Max, make the deadline a little farther off for them. My hunch:
Max won’t miss an opportunity to throw his weight around. He will declare their applications void as they are not unconditional and not list them for the series in 2010. He will then have some crafty words about working with them over the next few weeks to get this sorted out and added to the list. He may provide a list of new teams that will be joining the series but may not list all of the one who applied. This will leave room for the other existing teams to fill in the void when they all get it worked out. Just a hunch.
While F1 waits on the edge of its seat, the Le Mans series (starting its 77th running this weekend) has announced they are calling on F1 teams to consider entering the series should they not like the state of F1. In baiting the teams, it has been suggested that some teams may have already spoken to the ACO about the idea. A good move by the ACO to capitalize of a crisis in F1 to lure some of the top manufacturers in the world. Would ther be too many cars for the series if the 8 FOTA teams came over?
“There is no ideal figure, the more the better. They [the Formula 1 teams] are welcome here. If they want to make proposals, we will listen.”
You have to appreciate the ACO’s handling of the situation by putting their finger int he eye of the FIA and FOA. Invite the teams over to your series which possesses, arguably, the only truly great racing left of this size and magnitude on the planet. But I am biased.
