Rabu, 29 Oktober 2008

FIA respond to the Ferrari threat

It really does seem that communications between FOTA and the FIA are not at their best for the time being with both sides seemingly willing to publish responses to each other in the media. This of course is good news for hard-core race fans, as we do get to see what is going on at the highest levels within the sport. 

Yesterday evening the Ferrari stated that the board of directors ‘expressed strong concerns regarding plans to standardise engines as it felt that such a move would detract from the entire raison of a sport with which Ferrari has been involved continuously since 1950, a raison d’etre based principally on competition and technological development. The Board of Directors expressed the opinion that should these key elements be diminished, it would have to re-evaluate, with its partners the viability of continuing its presence in the sport.’ 

In other words, if the FIA decide the sport must have a sole engine supplier, Ferrari would no longer compete in the series, probably along with many others. 

This afternoon the FIA put out a press release claiming that the Italian carmaker had not seen the big picture and that the governing body was not all about forcing unwanted off-the-peg kit on the teams, but that is one of the options should there not be progress on cutting costs within the sport. 
 


"It seems the Ferrari Board were misinformed," the statement began.  

"The FIA has offered 
the teams three options, one of which is the so-called standard engine, and another that the manufacturers should jointly guarantee to supply power trains to the independent teams for less than €5m per season." 

Ferrari announced increased revenues and profit yesterday in the same statement, something the FIA was keen to pick upon to ram home their view that costs are currently too high and cannot be sustained. 

"The FIA is delighted by Ferrari's financial success and hopes this will be maintained," it continued. "However a number of teams find themselves facing costs which greatly exceed income. This is not sustainable. It is now for the manufacturers to agree one of the three FIA options or themselves produce concrete proposals to reduce costs to a sustainable level. If neither happens, the FIA will take whatever measures prove necessary to preserve a credible world championship for both drivers and constructors." 

The ball is now back with FOTA as the FIA claim they have laid out the options and it is up to the teams to essentially decide the regulatory framework the sport must adhere to from 2010.

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