FIA reach peace deal with FOTA
The FIA World Motorsport Council met today in Paris in what was seen to be a crucial day in F1 history as they attempted to pacify the concerns of the FOTA constructors who have announced plans to launch their own series. Both Luca di Montezmolo FOTA Chairman and Max Mosley the FIA president addressed the WMSC on issues such as cost cutting, 2010 entries and F1′s Governance.
Following the meeting FOTA dropped its plans to form a breakaway series and FIA President Max Mosley announced at the end of his term as president (October) he would stand down. The FIA had to also back down on their controversial cost cap although teams have backed plans to significantly lower costs in the coming years.
Max Mosley said
There will be one F1 championship but the objective is to get back to early 1990s level of spending within two years. Mosley added: I will not be up for re-election now we have peace.
Luca di Montezmolo said
To us, three things were most important; that F1 stay F1 and not become F3, that there is no dictator, but that there was a choice of rules, agreed and not imposed; and that whoever had a team was consulted and had a voice. Mosley has announced that in October he will stand down, with an irrevocable decision, and that from now on he won’t get involved in F1.
The FIA released the following World Motorsport Council Statement today.
All currently competing teams have committed to the FIA Formula One World Championship.
There will be no alternative series or championship and the rules for 2010 onwards will be the 2009 regulations as well as further regulations agreed prior to 29 April 2009.
As part of this agreement, the teams will, within two years, reduce the costs of competing in the championship to the level of the early 1990s. The manufacturer teams have agreed to assist the new entries for 2010 by providing technical assistance.
The manufacturer teams have further agreed to the permanent and continuing role of the FIA as the sport’s governing body. They have also committed to the commercial arrangements for the FIA Formula One World Championship until 2012 and have agreed to renegotiate and extend this contract before the end of that period.
All teams will adhere to an upgraded version of the governance provisions of the 1998 Concorde Agreement.
The following teams have been accepted for the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship.
TEAM / CONSTRUCTOR
SCUDERIA FERRARI MARLBORO / FERRARI
VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES / McLAREN MERCEDES
BMW SAUBER F1 TEAM / BMW SAUBER
RENAULT F1 TEAM / RENAULT
PANASONIC TOYOTA RACING / TOYOTA
SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO / STR TBA
RED BULL RACING / RBR TBA
AT&T WILLIAMS / WILLIAMS TOYOTA
FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM / FORCE INDIA MERCEDES
BRAWN GP FORMULA ONE TEAM / BRAWN TBA
CAMPOS META TEAM / CAMPOS COSWORTH
MANOR GRAND PRIX / MANOR COSWORTH
TEAM US F1 / TEAM US F1 COSWORTH
In view of this new agreement and with the prospect of a stable future for Formula One, FIA President Max Mosley has confirmed his decision not to stand for re-election in October this year.
A victory for FOTA?
In a press release by Ferrari, the team claim that the FIA accepted FOTA proposals to bring an end to the dispute
Full Press release from Ferrari.com
Maranello, 24th June 2009 – Today the FIA World Council accepted the proposals formulated by FOTA for the 2010 Formula 1 World Championship. A Championship, which will be held, as suggested by FOTA, in the spirit of sporting and technological competition, with clear and fixed rules and transparent governance, handled by the F1 Commission. The objective is to avoid continual changes decided on by one person alone and to gradually reduce costs, to get back to levels of spending similar to those of the early Nineties within the next two years. The FOTA teams constantly promoted these objectives in the interests of motorsport and all its protagonists, first and foremost the fans.
