Let me remind all of the nay-sayers: Mosely WASN'T 'tied' to a manufacturer, but rather to a team, and look at the mess he leaves behind. Past associations, while they do influence what a person accomplishes, are NO 'guarantee' of future performance....what counts is a man's moral fiber, and his ethics. Unfortunately, here at the FIA, it's politics as usual, and the value system rewards only the crafty, not necessarily the honest.

Who needs the FIA?....please, someone justify their existence......just a bunch of bottom feeders sucking even more money out of motorsport with no benefit to the sporting teams.

Who needs the FIA?....please, someone justify their existence......just a bunch of bottom feeders sucking even more money out of motorsport with no benefit to the sporting teams.

Oh, this is gonna get really ugly before it's settled........

Can't wait to see how this loud-mouth does.......

Simply another case of good driver crappy car syndrome....look at the much vaunted Lewis hamilton....from hero to zero....why?....'cause the car's a piece of junk this season. Bourdais has been fighting this same scenario since he came into F-1......the TR cars are JUNK, period. And, the tems obviously hasn't the balls to cal it right, and get rid of the people that are putting this rolling chicane on the track. As usual, the wrong guy takes the heat for upper management screw-ups.

Brawn wobbling? Perhaps it's a simple case of Adrian Newey 'coming into his own' AGAIN. The man is a brilliant designer, and he has managed,in 1 and 1/2 seasons to turn a lump of sod into a championship challenger.......I don't think the Brawn team have been asleep, just Newey's been a very busy lad of late.

For want of a position, a race was lost.......it's called 'experience' folks....get over it.

Uhh,....for the ill informed ( Idiot ), cars exiting pit lane do NOT have a 'right of way' to traffic. Any race marshal at ANY venue will be glad to explain that to you. FIA or NOT.

As far as I'm conceerned, the starting lap incident with Mark and Rubens was a 'racing incident'. Stuff happens.....Hamilton, on the other hand just got a bit greedy after he apexed turn one.....and no one was giving him anything free......oh well......for want of a position, a race was lost.

If Jense wins the title, I can think of no one more deserving....his attitude, work ethic, and team spirit are what a champion should be made of. It's easy to rant, not so easy to be gracious in defeat. Nice to know there are still gentlemen in the world that can be used as role models.

Since no one seems to think that a breakaway can succeed, then FOTA do have one 'option' left.....a 'sit-in' if you will....you show up, but you don't race.....there goes the 2009 season, down the toilet.......it would only take ONE such event to shake the very foundations of the FIA/FOM. That said, the FOTA aren't stupid, and will work a deal with the FOM whilst telling the FIA to pack sand. The FOM are the key to having ANY season......the FIA are not key to anything. Racing can, did, and will exist without the FIA meddling with it. There is no 'value added' by sucking up to the Mosely crowd.

Good comparison as to career 'development'...hope for FA's sake it does come true that the driver and package can 'merge'.

More duplicious behaviour from Max and his cronies.......FOTA.....wake up ! It's high time to stop pandering to these thieves and liars......start FOTA-1 series NOW !.....let the FIA see what sort of crowd they'll draw if NONE of the FOTA teams bother to finish the 2009 season ! And, since their is NO Concorde Agreement in place, what's to stop you from doiing just this? DUMP THE FIA AND FOM !

This is only the beginning of the 'game' if FOTA even THINK that they will be treated as anything other than chatel serfs while under the auspices of the FIA/FOM. Gentlemen: you have been given a rare priviledge- you have ONCE AGAIN, the opportunity to save this sport from the lawyers and junk bond con artists......go your own way once and for all..........the hell with Max, Bernie and all of their ilk. Second chances aren't handed out too often....don't blow this one ! Max will play this game until it's too late for you to do anything BUT fall under his thumb ...WAKE-UP guys !

This is a very good direction for FOTA and F-1......now, gentlemen, go your OWN way, and leave the FIA and the FOM dangling in the breeze, ,as they have brought NOTHING other than skyrocketing cost to the sport.

Geez, this CAN'T be 'for real'......Jacques, son, you're not even a great 'has-been'.....talk about driving without electronics, your forey into Nascar showed one thing, you were never 'that' good anyway....those things are arcane by F-1 standards, which should have suited you. Yet, you couldn't hit your arse with your own hands in them. Your days are done.....go home and stop making a bigger fool of yourself.

FOTA blew a golden opportunity to end this political BS once and for all. And it's still not too late...break away-completely.....the MAIN reason F-1 costs have gone thru the roof is the meddling of the FIA with the rules, and the greed of Bernie and CVC....best junk bond dealers in the world.....time is still available to get rid of these meddlers and thieves.

If FOTA get Max out, and then reconcile with the FIA, it will only be a matter of time before this happens again. The FIA/FOM bring nothing to the show other than a bunch of cheap suited lawyers. Enough is enough....time to leave them behind - PERMANENTLY !

Here's an old doddering fool that thinks he can dictate to the world......1) The FIA is NOT indispensable to motorsport. 2) when the 'big boys' leave your little sand box Max, you'll still be able to control F-1, but who will be left to play ? 3) Realize this....just as Honda left F-1 for their own reasons, so to can anyone else. You haven't the power to confine them. What unsigned 'document' will you wave to force the issue? 3) If you are SO concerned with the survival of the 'independent teams', then why don't the FIA help them with finding added sponsorship? 4) Your 'function' is to regulate via rules in place, NOT to create the rules by which you do your work. SO, now go ahead, regulate the FIA F-1 Championship, but you'll need new players......cause the old ones have had enough of you.FOTA needn't regulate the FIA championship, they'll be very happy regulating their own. And finally...please, tell us,dear Kommandant,what is the " wholly unjustified criticism of, and direct challenge to, the entire structure and purpose of the FIA. ' For that matter justify the FIA, PERIOD !

What FOTA need to do to REALLY make things happen QUICKLY, and EFFECTIVELY is hire 'Humpy' Wheeler of Nascar fame from the Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. This man is an absolute whiz of a promoter.....he stages 'shows', not merely races, and the fan's FLOCK to the Speedway.The man understands what it takes to please an audience, and he provides that entertainment, then he gives them the race as well. Undoubtedly THE premier track promoter on the face of the planet......FOTA needs this guy. He would assure them attendance figures they never dreamed of. Oh, in the midst of all of this, he actually managed to control ticket prices as well ! , plus the TV coverage is 'curtain to curtain, not merely 'flag to flag'......no other Nascar track, save PERHAPS Daytona get this sort of media exposure......how can FOTA lose ?

Ah yes, to paraphrase...people in glass houses.....

Not only Max and Bernie, but the entire FIA/FOM structure MUST be removed form having ANY influence over motorsport...they are DIRECTLY the reason why venues keep changing, and now only national governments can afford to pay the fees those two have set up in the process of hijacking F-1 from the people that ACTUALLY invest, build and race, as well as from the fans that PAY , DEARLY, to watch these events. It 's past time for a new chapter in motorsport, and this bunch of crooks/lawyers CANNOT be allowed back in.

Another example of why a LAWYER should NOT be allowed to make TECHNICAL regulations....good job Max, you IDIOT !

Ah yes, maybe at last, Mr. Hamilton will come out of this season realizing that he ISN'T 'god', and that it WAS NOT just him that got the title last season. Maturity comes in many ways, It's time LH got some. A little humility goes a long way....we'll see if this season teaches him any.

For God's sake FOTA....absolutely NO negotiations! Max AND Bernie have fed at your trough for decades and are the DIRECT cause of the state of affairs the sport is in. PLEASE- be rid of them PERMANENTLY ! Neither are to be trusted at all..........Most importantly, WHY the heck does motorsport feel the compunction to even HAVE an association with an 'FIA' or an 'FOM' ? These clowns have done nothing to lower the costs of the sport in terms of participation by the teams ( 48 Million pounds just to sign up? )......HUH ? And after Bernie takes his cut, how much do the teams get....after all THEY are the 'show' ? And have ALL of the teams gotten ALL of the money thus far promised ? Who audits Bernie's books, or Max's for that matter ?

Wrong Fishbone, whether Bernie runs FOM or not, the broadcasts would take place. The difference is that Bernie wouldn't be putting a reputed $550 MILLION into his own pocket every year. Guess who pays for all of that ultimately? Yep, you're right, you and I .

Wrong Fishbone, wether Bernie runs FOM or not, thebbroadcasts would take place. The difference is that Bernie wouldn't be putting a reputed $550 MILLION into his own pocket every year. Guess who pays for ll of that ultimately? Yep, your'e right, you and I .

julesfoster.....do not underestimate Red Bull, with Newey on board, they have consistently been quick, and a good fight for the Brawns.....as for P1 or P2, remember that practice this season is a very SHORT substitute for TESTING.

Force India in P3?.....must have taken a page from Williams.....bet the car came back on fumes .... :-) !!

Bernie's 'safety net' ain't worth much if there is nothing to catch in it. And if the breakaway does come to pass, then Donnington will suffer horribly, and Mr. Gillette wil have learned a lesson that many other track promoters are learning....no one other than the FIA/FOM makes money from a race if you have to pay the summs the gnome wants.

Veejay may be stuck for 2010, but beyond?......

Max and Bernie will stay quiet until they have 'noodled out' a response that will allow them to continue this battle. They haven't quit yet mind you...too much ego and $$$ at stake! As for the F-1 web-site, well, what would you have them say? The cat is out of the bag, so at this point they either admit defeat ( not likely ) or they simply stay quiet.

ABOUT TIME !

There are enough tracks around the world that would welcome a new race event.....whether they host the FIA/FOM or not.....maybe we'll get lucky and get a race back in Canada and the USA as well ? Up yours Max and Bernie.

At last, the fat lady can sing ! BRAVO! This has been long overdue. Max and Bernie's egos and greed have driven this stake into the sport, now they can go play with whoever may be left in their sandbox. I can just see the TV ratings plummet, after which the adverts will disappear, and Bernie and CVC, with their financial macinations will go off into the sunset and the poor-house. Meanwhile, if the FOTA series does indeed form and run, I can see the FIA losing their tyrranical grip over motorsport world -wide......and high time as their 'contribution' has been naught but to collect fees. Nice to see the guys that put up the investment and do the work get away from the leeches. However, do NOT think Max will go quietly into the night.The FIA,as the 'overseer' of motorsport will still continue to try to pull every trick out of their sleeve for a while to come. This isn't quite over YET. Might be a PERFECT opportunity for the ACO to step up their game...eh ?

I certainly hope no one outside the FIA or FOM is holding their breath while waiting for an answer to any of these questions. Max and Bernie never even consider the point of view of the fans. What we have here are egos desperately trying to hang on to something that only the flimsiest piece of paper gives them governance over....and that may well be invalid now ( no Concorde Agreement since 1998 ! ). Now is the time for FOTA to stand together and bring down this house of cards that has been sucking the lifeblood out of F-1 for decades.

I certainly hope no one outside the FIA or FOM is holding their breath while waiting for an answer to any of these questions. Max and Bernie never even consider the point of view of the fans. What we have here are egos desperately trying to hang on to something that only the flimseyest piec of paper gives them governance over....and that may well be invalid now ( no Concorde Agreement since 1998 ! ). Nowis the time for FOTA to stand together and bring down this house of cards that has been sucking the lifeblood out of F-1 for decades.

Short version....no matter WHO Max puts on the lists for 2010.....just don't race....how can anyone FORCE you toparticipate?....and if you are fied and don't pay....what can the FIA/FOM do about it? Those two groups of leeches provide no investment of their own, and yet they deem it 'proper' that THEY control the resources of the teams that do have millions upon millions invested.

TrampJuice - no, my caps key works just the way I want it to. As for Mr. Walker, I will always remember him fondly for his commentary . I always equated him with one 'Yogi' Berra, a man who played the catcher position for the N.Y. Yankees in baseball, then went on to coach the same team. I do believe he was credited with the saying, 'it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings'. They were BOTH much fun to listen to.

Smart move....still another chapter in Max's 'leadership that shows no end to the instability that got F-1 where it is today.

If FOTA NOW do NOT respond to Max for a week or so, then they have won, and Max will either cave, or FOTA go off on their own. If so, a season without Ferrari, McLaren, Renault or even Brawn is not the end of the world. If they come back today or tomorrow, then based on the FIA 'response', FOTA have lost all....as Max can then protract 'negotiations' until the cows come home, and force the FIA version of the 2010 rules on all.

The fat lady is warming her sonorous tones......either this is surrender, or just a last ditch PR effort...your choice. If it's surrender, then I'm going to find something else to watch, as gutless people hold no sway for me.

I think Bernie had best reconsider....the track promoters want a better start time for THEM....and that's how it SHOULD be...after all, isn't this race SUPPOSSED to be for the convenience and marketability of the LOCALS? If Bernie thinks that's not so, then I suggest he go elsewhere. AND, if a breakaway series does come into play, I'm sure they'd have the good sense to stage the race when you can ACTUALLY RACE. Bernie is rapidly loosing grip on reality, and putting himself into a position where he will NOT be welcomed back. All to the advantage of ANY 'break-away'.

Even if it takes a year 'off' to set ground work, it would be worth it to have a series that doesn't waste money dancing to the whims of Herr Kommandant. Where will they race? .....easy....anywhere they are welcome. I can see Monaco inviting them in, Silverstone, Indianapolis, Montreal,Spa, Kayalami,Estoril, and I'm sure we could come up with others. And even IF they do visit a track that Max's circus come to as well, how is that bad? The fan gets to choose to see one or the other or BOTh, if they come to their senses and get ticket prices into a real world range. Short version....bye-bye Max and Bernie.......!

No matter which way you go, ANOTHER layer of 'administration' is the result of ANY budget capping....i.e., ANOTHER expense that must be borne by either side, or both.....HOW, in heaven's name is THIS a good thing? MORE $$$ down the toilet because some goof ball has arbitrarily decided that this is needed? If this is truely the 'pinnacle of motorsport', then whoever decides to participate had best know what kind of ride they are on. As for cars on the grid that are 'too slow', simply re-instate the 107% rule.

Oh, here we go....my Dad can beat your Dad......what afrontery.

Yep, these are the words of a brave man indeed..........he would have better off just staying out of the press on this issue completely, as he now appears to have broken ranks with other drivers that are publicly backing FOTA. And this from a man that complained not 2 days ago that he is making a stronger effort to 'make friends' along pit road. God, this boy needs a GOOD manager!.

superbvp72, you are dreaming Lad, Max would NEVER permit it! Your dream MAY come true if the FIA can shed Max like the cheap suit he is. This rift , if it comes ( and personally I believe it is headed that way )will be years in healing, if Max and Bernie stick around. Now...how about a 'conspiracy theory'?......Max is to stand for election this fall.....perhaps all of this posturing by FOTA is a means of soundly defeating him in the election by showing him up to be a bungler, not a 'leader'? Revenge would be even sweeter for FOTA if they managed to get Jean Todt elected to Max's position. That, I believe would be of benefit to motorsport around the globe, as Todt has intimate knowledge of the working s of a top level team, and could bring that to the table in the form of governance that promotes motorsport rather than stiffles it.

"ready to accept reasonable compromise whilst retaining the overall principle that it will continue to lead and regulate the sport" ......aye Lads, there's the rub....'to lead and regulate'...i.e. CONTROL....evidently Herr Kommandant wants to play out his fantasies in public as well as in private. Unfortunately, his 'leadership' is by bull whip and decree ( I wonder who died and left him to be god ), and to 'regulate' is euphamistic for demanding total , unswerving obedience......my 'modest proposal' is a bit different.....leave the FIA and the FOM...even if it means sitting out a season to get the groundwork re-established.

It's time for the villagers to storm the castle !

He's serves to further Max's favorite tactic....divide and conquer. I would NOT be the least surprised to find that some of the stuff Max attributes to FOATA is pure hogwash designed to cause frustration and seed doubt among FOTA. Stick to your guns Boys, this may be the best chance you'll have to actually have a say in your own businesses !

Still waiting for the fat lady to sing.........

The diffuser bit is just proof, AGAIN, of why Schumi made Brawn a contingent of his coming to Ferrari. Even back then,Schumi understood the value of Brawns thinking. Of course, the same can be said of Newey....while he was at McLaren, it was hammer and tongs with Ferrari, now, only a few years since he's gone, McLaren can't hit their own behind without help. It only takes a few years of Moseley rule changes to wipeout the creativity that was left in the wake of Brawn and Newey. Great teams are great because of the psople that make up the teams......NOT because of a name on the car. Ferrai and McLaren are paying the price of a significant loss of talent on the teams.

LH needs a GOOD manager....so far, he hasn't had that bit of wisdom in his corner......

You'll all note that Max has 'extended' the entry 'deadline' to June 19.....this is a marvelous opportunity to study brinksmanship and the not terribly subtle attempt to 'divide and conquer'. If FOTA stick together through all of this, then Max is history, and Bernie will probably follow suit......that would be VERY good for motorsport in general and F-1 in particular.

I still don't hear the fat lady sing ........we're in for a season long load of this nonsense....whoever holds out the longest wins. for the sake of the spport remaining at least superficially entertaining, we need to see the FOM and the FIA shredded away from the teams. Those two entities have brought NOTHING to the sport, and have actually been fully responsible for the cost escalations that are now seemingly hindering the F-1 circus. Turkey is the 'commercial' proof....empty stands.....ticket prices have gotten so high that they can't even sell them. The entertainment 'value' of F-1 is gone. The cost per hour of watching the 'show' is beyond affordability. You'll also notice that NOWHERE in this debacle is there anything from the FOM or the FIA that shows how THEY will 'cut costs'....do you?

I still don't hear the fat lady sing ........we're in for a season long load of this nonsense....whoever holds out the longest wins. for the sake of the spport remaining at least superficially entertainment, we need to see the FOM and the FIA shredded away from the teams. Those two entities have brought NOTHING to the sport, and have actually been fully responsible for the cost escalations that are now seemingly hindering the F-1 circus. Turkey is the 'commercial' proof....empty stands.....ticket proices have gotten so high that they can't even sell them. The entertainment 'value' of F-1 is gone. The cost per hour of watching the 'show' is beyond affordability. You'll also notice that NOWHERE in this debacle is there anything from the FOM or the FIA that shows how THEY will 'cut costs'....do you?

I don't hear the fat lady singing yet........

Just because teams/manufacturers choose not to compete in F-1 does not mean that they can't compete elsewhere. The FIA, fortunately, does NOT exercise control over all forms of motorsport.

Schui made his switch to Ferrari conditional on Brawn joining the team as well....think he knew something even 'back then' ?

"...the simplest way to ensure that all entrants run under the same rules would be if everyone entered under the cost-cap rules as published and then all entrants co-operated to agree modifications to those rules which would make the proposition workable for all parties'.... at which point Max gets EXACTLY what he's wanted, and he can protract ANY form of modification to the ends of time.....FOTA simply CANNOT let this man off the hook now. I cannot imagine ANYONE in their right mind signing a contract and saying 'we'll fill in the blanks later' - that's suicidal. Screw the FIA. I'm absolutely amazed that the 'legions' of Hamilton fans aren't onboard with this after the 'non-partial' treatment the FIA handed out. Yet ANOTHER example of their GROSS incompetence.

Get rid of the FIA........they are a useless bunch of buggers.

Say what you will...at least this man has a grasp on reality.....draconian FIA measures are to a great extent what has skyrocketed the cost of participation in F-1. The constant meddling with the rules with NO regard for the implemetation costs are part and parcel of where we are today. I don't see the FIA in a leadership role...'its my way or the highway' approach was a sure formula to getting things to the loggerheads they are. Further to this, where have the FIA, or for that matter, the FOM 'cut costs'? Oh, yeah, the corporate jet, the increased license fees ( by the way-that wasn't for just the F-1 licenses either ), and of course the lamentable and laughable adjudication of the race events. Brilliant MAX ! For what it's worth, the FIA are neither useful, nor are they a functional body.....this is a body of leeches that really should not even have a voice in motorsport......how is it that the motorsport world has gotten to the point of having a mad-man dictate terms?

As I understand it, the tracks are privately owned, therefore, unless they have some form of signed agreement with FOM, as PRIVATELY owned entities they can do business with whomsoever they please....I doubt seriously any promoter would refuse to dealwith a show that has the grand old names minus Bernies ridiculous fees......why do you think Bernie is constantly moving from track to track?.....cause many, if not most of the promoters lose money, and really don't care to continue under the FOM. If a track choose to host the 'new' series what's Bernie to do? as for the FIA? what, exactly do they bring to the party besides a host of overpriced lawyers and a meglomanic as their leader?

c1978.....Sir, or Ma'am, as it may be, your understanding of racing performance is somewhat naive. You can have a 'brilliant' driver in a crappy car and he goes nowhere....i.e. Jense last 5 years, or Hamilton this year. However, having a GREAT car, is, in and of itself no guarantee of success.....Barrichello comes to mind( and not just this season...his ENTIRE career! ). It takes the COMPLETE package to produce the results you see from Brawn GP, or for that matter any CHAMPIONSHIP winning team. Why do you suppose Schumacher insisted on having Ross Brawn come to Ferrari as a condition of his signing ? He recognized the need for a complete 'package'.

It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings......although I must admit that it's very nice to see Brawn show up the 'big boys'. Has the excitment diminshed?....only that it's now down to how many more will BGP take by season end......might be a record ?

If KERS is Soooo 'good', how come the teams using it can't hit their hindsides without help? It's a waste of time, money, weight, and adds NOTHING to the show.Another 'Moseleyism' ......and reason for FOTA to get away from the FIA.

Hell, since Ross and Jense have prettymuch taken the season by the scruff of the neck, at least we have the 'back-room' shenanigans to keep things lively. I hope FOTA stay together, and get away from the FIA, who, in my not so humble opinion have brought NOTHING to the sport other than providing a bunch of bureaucrats a free ride. Will someone PLEASE justify the FIA to me? As for BRAWN GP....well, let's just say that for those who don't remember, this should be a reminder why Michael Schumacher wanted Brawn at Ferrari......you'll note the divergence of performance at the Scuderia with and without Ross.......could be the man is worth way more than many suspected ? Hearty congratulations ( AGAIN ) to them for a stupendous job in Turkey !

Easyrider has it right....divide and conquer.....now's the time for FOTA to say the hell with it all, and simply not race in Turkey.....what's the FIA and FOM to do?......

Well, if the old cows have been milked dry, the the solution is to get new cows, right? Does anyone besides me see where the problem really is? High time Max and Bernie both got left by the side of the road....there is NO Concorde agreement in effect, and the teams obviously want NOTHING to do with Max's 'leadership'. To my mind, that leaves only a breakaway as an option....go for it guys....maybe then we'll see racing, and not politics.

Maybe, just maybe, the unity shown by the teams at Indy will come to the fore-front again, and we can bid good-bye to Max and Bernie.

Uh.....HOW, EXACTLY will the FIA determine who lines up on the grid?......there's not a track going that has garage/pit facilities for this many teams....so how do you choose from race to race who's 'in'? How many of these new teams will stick around if they have no assurance of actually racing? Ahh, yes, now we get to the 'selection process'.....for those new to this 'sport' that means he who greases Max's palm best is assured an entry for next season....

'His' rules?.....I didn't know the FIA was a 'singular' body......but then again, meglomania knows no bounds,or whips, or chains, .......I truely hope FOTA consider this as the 'last straw', and move on. I for one am growing very weary of the FIA and their gross inneptitude. You want 'F-1' Max..? , that's fine, since a name alone means nothing. And that's all you'[ll have...a 'name alone'.

Let new entries in at will...but let's also bring back the 107% rule so someone who THINKS they are F-1 material doesn't wind up being nothing more than a mobile chicane. Let me ask the rhetorical question?....why has the grid been limited to 22 cars thus far, and how do Mongo and Bongo intend to accomodate upwards of 8 new teams ( 16 cars !) by next season on the same grids with the same pit garages? I'd love to see/hear Max's 'solution' to this bit of logistics. Oh, and Bernie, are going to pay transport costs for all of the teams, regardless of performance from race to race? Yep, with the same resolute manner, firmness of chin, and naught between the ears, this is all worked out and ready to go...right boys ?

F-1 has been and should continue to be the penultimate form of motorsport. Thus, it should be ruled by Darwinian law...let them all come to play....only the fittest will survive. Budget caps are a bunch of nonsense.....tow tier rules are absolutely unacceptable, and having senile seniors trying to establish rules for a sport they no longer contribute to is ridiculous. Only in Europe can you have something like the FIA and the FOM who simply take in the money while doing nothing to advance the sport. The only reason 'new' races keep popping up is that tracks where the 'old' races have been are financially done after paying out what Bernie and Max want. Somehow, it seems rather unfair that those two collect the lion's share of the loot while doing , really, NOTHING. If they both had to submit to performance reviews I doubt they'd be found competent to be hall monitors at a elementary school.

F-1's 'problem' isn't lack of new teams, but rather the current structure of the sport that allows FOM and the FIA to collect huge sums from the drivers, teams and the promoters while providing no 'value' in kind. The costs of bringing a show to town have skyrocketed, and yet there are tracks EVERY season that barely break even and many that lose money, and yet Bernie keeps more and more...to what purpose? The FIA keep putting 'fees' on drivers and tracks, and yet their material contribution to the sport is , at best, negligible, as all of the so-called 'safety' innovations come from outside the sport and are only allowed in if the FIA gets their greedy palms greased. The cost of hospitality keeps going up and yet no new 'big rollers' are coming in...ticket prices are now into the several hundred dollar range, yet access to the track, decent seating, privy access, and decent food and drink trackside are still lagging behind. I can go to a NASCAR race, drive onto the grounds, park in a solid, safe area, and be in a good seat within about 20 minutes of gates opening. Promoters are being squeezed by Max and Bernie, fans are being squeezed by promotoers, and the teams are being forced to spend ridiculous amounts to 'keep up' by the incessant, never-ending, and highly dubious rules changes......so how is it that only the FIA and Bernie are getting very wealthy off of this? F-1 is in need of a very serious revamping from the ground up to put it on SOLID business footing, where those that actually provide the show get their fair share, and extortion is removed from the equation...i.e. Their should be NO new Concorde agreement without Max and Bernie BOTH taking only the smallest of fees and roles in the future of the sport. Let the teams , who, after all , ARE F-1, be in charge.

F-1's 'problem' isn't lack of new teams, but rather the current structure of the sport that allows FOM and the FIA to collect huge sums from the drivers, teams and the promoters while providing no 'value' in kind. The costs of bringing a show to town have skyrockete4d, and yet there are track EVERY season that barelybreak evenm and many that lose money, and yet Bernie keeps more and more...to what purpose? The FIA keep putting 'fees' on drivers and tracks, and yet their material contribution to the sport is , at best, negligible, as all of the so-called 'saftey' innovations come from outside the sport and are only allowed in if the FIA gets their greedy palms greased. The cost of hospitality keeps going up and yet no new 'big rollers' are coming in...ticket prices are now into the several hundred dollar range, yet access to the track, decent seating, privy access, and decent food and drink trackside are still lagging behind. Promoters are being squeezed by Max and Bernie, fans are being squeezed by promotoers, and the teams are being forced to spend ridiculous amounts to 'keep up' by the incessant, never-ending, and highly dubious rules changes......so how is it that only the FIA and Bernie are getting very wealthy off of this? F-1 is in need of a very serious revamping from the ground up to put it on SOLID business footing, where those that actually provide the show get their fair share, and extortion is removed from the equation...i.e. Their should be NO new Concorde agreement without Max and Bernie BOTH taking only the smallest of fees and roles in the future of the sport. Let the teams , who, after all , ARE F-1, be in charge.

We'll see if $$$ or principles rule. It IS a 'professional sport', so Ross will need to up the atne, but so far, he'a not shown any new logos on the car.....where are the sponsors that were to be signed 'imminently'.....I hope that come to pass,as it's good to see someone give the big boys a run.

We'll see...Richards has done this before.........

'Graining'....what sort of meds are you on? The profit goes into the promoters and Bernie's pockets.....you don't really think they give a tinkers damn about you...do you? As for the FIA...this is only further proof of their redundancy.....time to leave them behind.

A break-away series is still not an impossibility. I will maintain to my dying day tht the FIA bring 'NOTHING' to the party. They are completely redundant. Further to this , their 'track record' when it comes to adjudication of racing 'incidents' is, at best, laughable. They can't even follow the rules themselves. The FIA mandate is to ENFORCE the rules, not write them. As for this mess, it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings' Unless the FIA agree to the addendum regarding stabilty, rulemaking, etc., Ferrari have yet to sign.....the ball is in Max's court - again.

Why a budget cap at all?....wanna 'play with the big boys'?....bring a big wallet.....or stay home.It' shigh time that the FIA (MAX) realized that THEY are the true drivers of spiraling costs with their incesent rules changes. Oh, and let's not forget the money grab with the new 'superlicense fees'. They seem to have NO problem justifying that hike 'beacuse it's F-1', but they ask the teams to show constraint? Simple solution....no one signs up, the FIA are left holding an empty bag, and FOTA can go run their own show, and not have to split the earnings with a bunch of lawyers and money grubbers.

All of you need to make room for ONE more 'equation'...since it's the TEAMS that are actually F-1, and NOT the LAWYERS, then why should the TEAMS play to a lawyers fiddle?......it's time to recognize that the FIA adds NOTHING to the 'value' of F-1, and be done with that bunch. Someone, PLEASE show me how having the FIA poking about in a private business makes the F-1 series 'better'? The same can be said for Bernie....neither the FIA, nor the FOA have a leg to stand on if the TEAMS decide to play on another playground, and perhaps that's the best result to be gained.....be done with the Max and Bernie comedy show, and move on.

to ehit...who says history can't repeat itself ? Ah, yes, the 80's and early 90's are back. Perhaps now we can see the value of the Byrne/Brawn/Schumacher COMBINATION ?

OR, Ferrari, BMW. Toyota, Red BUll, Renault and TR just decide that the FIA will have to get by withut them. The option of a break-away series is still very real. Unfortunately, Max hasn't the presence of mind nor the sense of history required to make a sensible move towards re-organizing F-1. Cost sutting, I'm sure is on the agenda of EVERY team as they ARE an ongoing commercial BUSINESS. However, the FIA are WAY beyond their bounds trying to REGULATE what a PRIVATE business can spend. Further to this, evidently, if it doesn't happen in Europe, then it must not be worth knowing about(?)......where has Max been the past 20 years with regard to governance of motorsport?......did he not see what happened to open-wheel racing in North America because of the CART-IRL split? Learn from it Max.......you're a complete dolt if you don't.

The 3 B's are kicking everyone's butts.........given that we've seen this sort of scenario at Ferrari during the Brawn/Schumacher era, it's no wonder MS wanted Brawn to join him at the Scuderia. Now Ros, Button and Barrichello are doing it all over again....and the only common denominatior is Brawn. Tells me that Button wasn't as bad as some made him to be....only the cars stunk. One year of development under Ross, and they are taking F-1 by storm. Go boys !

Max wants F-1 to run according to some socialist 'dream'.....the man needs to go ! If you, as a team owner( be it private like Williams, or 'factory', like Ferrari ) choose to compete in F-1, then by all means do so...the regulations governing what goes on the track are there to ensure decent competition...HOW those cars actually are developed and built is NOT for the FIA to decide....to 'cap' ANY business is ludicrous.....each entrant made the decision to run the series with whatever resources thay cam make available...end of story. A 'level playing' field should NOt mean restriciton of R&D towards the car.If you can afford it, spend it...if you can't then you don't.......... Further....it's NOT the FIA mandate to 'create' rules....they are only in existence to enforce what rules are created by the participants to ensure even handed application. So why is all of this garbage going on to start?

Tomaberu...you're a genius! You've solved Max and Bernie's problem....all they need do is re-NAME GP2 to F-1 and no one will notice the difference.....sheer genius....really, you've hit the nail on the head....but the way Max seems to be thinking(?) it's headed that way.I can just see the commercial 'value' of the sport plummet. Anyone holding stock in any commercial F-1 venture may be well advised to dump it before it hits rock bottom.

NO, it's really time Max left the rulle MAKING to the participants....the FIA are suppossed to enforce/police the rules....since when do they have a LEGISLATIVE mandate? Max needs to go.

Based on practice times, I should be able to predict the winner?.....It's ONLY THURSDAY.....all this is is media fodder....get a grip folks !

Oh, this is gonna get nasty !

All that's left to see is if the Scuderia/Renault/Toyota/Red Bull and Toro Rosso were bluffing, or if they feel strongly enough to march off in a different direction.Either way, I hope this tears the FIA apart........they and Bernie are the direct reasons the sport is in the state it's in....no stability, greed on the part of the promoter( Bernie ),and one man dictums over rules the FIA really have no mandate to write.He who blinks next - loses.

All that's left to see is if the Scuderia/Renault/Toyota/Red Bull and Toro Rosso were bluffing, or if they feel strongly enough to march off in a different direction.Either way, I hope this tears the FIA apart........they and Bernie are the direct reasons the sport is in the state it's in....no stability, greed on the part of the promoter( Bernie ),and one man dictums over rules the FIA really have mandate to write.He who blinks next - loses.

jonelsorel....wake up, smell the coffee.....it's not just Ferrari.....or have you still got on the blinders from Max's last party ?

summerss....you're right...things wil get messier....regardless of who signs up and to what set of rules. Thanks to Max and Bernie we have had no real stability in F-1 for a decade......THAT'S what's driving costs. Every whim that issues from Max's head costs the teams millions, and then he has the temerity to proclaim a budget 'cap'....I wonder where his is?

I don't see any post by anyone acknowledging that it's Max who created this mess, this constant upward cost spiral. Now, when Max decides it's time to put a 'legacy stamp' on his tenure as president of the FIA, it somehow becomes a single team's 'problem' because they don't agree with 'Herr Max' ? Let me remind all of you that (1) Max's CONSTANT rules changing is the biggest single cause of the ever increasing costs in F-1 and other classes of FIA 'endorsed' motorsport.(2) It's MAX who insists on raising licensing fees, and 'membership fees', and yet I have yet to read what the FIA have done to REDUCE their 'budget', nor have I seen anyone take them to task for their spending....oh, that must be because their books aren't open to the public view? Hell, Max can't police himself, but yet thinks it's his purview to police an entire sport? It's time for Ferrari, Toyota, Red Bull, Toro Rosso and whoever else to make a complete and clean break with the FIA....as the FIA adds NOTHING to the sport other than headaches and cost.......theyu have faileds on the front of providing stability, open leadership, and transparency in their dealings with teams. All the FIA does is provide a good income to lawyers that serve no purpose to the sport other than to feed the media mills. Enough is enough...the FIA must be left behind......

Someone need to talk to Kimi's publicist......that hat around his ears makes him look retarded. As for a podium...at the rate the Italian fire drill team has been screwing up, his best bet is to allow Brawn to call his race strategy instead of the Scuderia. They'll probably drop the car off the jacks while the tires are off.......bound to happen, they've managed to screw up everyting else imaginable. Reminds me of Ferrari before Schumi/Brawn came on board. Made the Keystone Cops look like a championship pit crew by comparison.

You're right Max...but then again, it'll be a hellava series with only 4 or 5 teams running, won't it? And who do you and Bernie intend to pay to come see your silly show? ....just because a team leaves YOUR verion of Formula racing doesn't mean they can't go elsewhere without baggage the likes of you and Bernie create. How's THAT for 'cost cutting' ?

Atta boy Ross.........just cause it's ' on the shelf' doesn't make it a bargain worth getting. McLaren have been using it, and their performance is hardly 'sparkling', is it ?

How in the hell does Max figure that the FIA have ANY right to check any rules 'for safety'? What a crock....which part of 'break-away' does he not understand ? I have only ONE question to the editors and the readers of these columns......why does Max think that ANY motorsport series need the FIA or the FOM ? There is NO formal 'Concorde Agreement ' in place at this time......Max and Bernie are playing chicken and the gun aimed at them IS loaded. This dolt needs his meds changed...the hallucigenics he's taking now are putting him at risk of a 'benevolent confinement'.

race...get your legal history right....at NO POINT in time were the FIA ever mandated the 'right' to formulate rules.....only as regards to safety. All they have ever been given as a 'right' is REGULATION , not the FORMULATION of rules....now Max is taking it upon himself to meddle into the INTERNAL BUSINESS affairs of the teams...... it's time to leave the M & B boys behind.

A 'break-away series' can and should be done....completely out of the FIA's purview. There is NOTHING agreed ANYWHERE that says the FIA have ANY hand in any series that chooses not to come under their sanction.....it's time that FOTA went their own route, and bid Max and Bernie good-bye.

Chippsie....you are correct...but only for 2010, once the budget'cap' goes into effect....that 40 million is 'it' for the year....I doubt it will matter that you're spending on next season's car or not....you get the 'capped' limit to spend and that's it. So in 2010 you can only spend the 40 million- and if it goes towards the 2011 car so be it, but that's all you can spend....you STILL wind up being budget 'capped'. However....your point IS well taken for 09 and 2010, as well as pointing to this season as a PRIME example of why the Bernie Medal system would be a farce....Button already has 4 wins. So, inless the wheels fall off the wagon at Brawn and another team show a tremendous leap in car development( unlikely, as on track testing is non-existant ), the championship is , in effect, 'in the bag'. Now come the track promoters to Bernie and say....how do you expect us to be able to sell tickets to a season that is already wrapped up?.......especially the guys at the end of the season.....who would put up the venture capital to bring the show to town if, say, at 6 races to go, it's obvious that no one else stands a chance at the WDC ?

Wake up folks...the ONLY thing Ferrari and the other 'break-away' teams are asking is for a SINGLE tier formula.......the objection to the 'cap' is because it co-exists to ANOTHER set of rules 'without cap'.....that's your 2 tier formula, and THAT'S where the issue lies. Further to this The 6 teams object to the dictatorial manner that Max has handed this down...have any of you 'experts' ever run your own business? How sympathetic would you be to an outsider telling you how and how MUCH to invest in your business? At what point would you finally say enough is enough, and simply walk away.....especially in this case, where the 'governing body' is now trying to not only tell you what to build ( technical regs ) but how much you can spend to get there. Since WHEN has it been in the FIA's purview to dictate each individual business's investment.....and make NO MISTAKE , each team is a for profit business.....wanna play, be prepared to pay what it takes to succeeed at whatever level you choose. Don't like it?, then you invest elsewhere...... Oh by the way.....Levi369...your math is really lousey. Further to that how is it that YOU are privey to what Ferrari spend?

Wake up folks...the ONLY thing Ferrari and the other 'break-away' teams are asking is for a SINGLE tier formula.......the objection to the 'cap' is because it co-exists to ANOTHER set of rules 'without cap'.....that's your 2 tier formula, and THAT'S where the issue lies. Further to this The 6 teams object to the dictatorial manner that Max has handed this down...have aly of you 'experts' ever run your own business? How sympathetic would you be to an outsider telling you how to to and how MUCh to invest in your business? At what point would you finally say enough is enough, and simply walk away.....especially in this case, where the 'governing body' is now trying to not only tell you what to build ( technical regs ) but how much you can spend to get there. Since WHEN has it been in the FIA's purview to dictate each individual business's investment.....and make NO MISTAKE , each team is a for profit business.....wanna play, be prepared to pay what it takes to succeeed at whatever level you choose. Can't afford/don't want to spend at F-1 levels....that's why they have A1GP, F3, etc. Oh by the way.....Levi369...your math is really lousey. Further to that how is it that YOU are privey to what Ferrari spend?

BRAVO........time for a break-away series that is NOT 'governed' by FIA lawyers......they bring NOTHING to the sport, they only take-away.........the same for the FOM.....FOM should be paying the track promoter and the teams money for broadcast rights and events, not CHARGING money for someone elses work and investments.We are seeing a sport in an upside down world, and hopeful;ly, before it's all over that will be righted.

This will be an interesting day....deep down, I'm sure the teams would rather stay in F-1, BUT, I feel that this time there will be MAJOR changes to the 'business as usual' attitude of the FIA, and the FOM. The teams ARE F-1....no cars, no stars, no race...simple as that. It's high time that those who actually do the work and act out the performances we call F-1 races get the lion's share of the pot, and have the right to decide what rules they choose to run with. Like Flav says, the FIA are to be only the referees....and to my knowledge, in NO ORGANIZED SPORT do the referees make up the rules. Maybe it WOULD be best if FOTA just skipped the meeting and instead announced the formation of their own series....there is no existing agreement to bind them to either the FIA OR the FOM......now let's see what the 'commercial rights' are worth, and how little power the FIA REALLY has.

Simple solution...break off from the FIA AND the FOA. Those two 'governors' of the sport are why the costs have spiraled to absurd levels.....the FIA keeps changing the regulations and that little greedy dwarf keeps jacking up the fees to promoters to bring his show to town. As things are now,there is NO Concorde agreement in effect....the teams have been co-operating with FOA based on a note of 'understanding, which is at best a 'gentlemans agreement' and has no real 'teeth'. Now is the time to get rid of this absurd ballast, and allow the series the freedom to grow without these non-value added costs.

Simple solution...break off from the FIA AND the FOA. Those two 'governors' of the sport are why the costs have spiraled to absurd levels.....the FIA keeps changing the regulations and that little greedy dwarf keeps jacking up the fees to promoters to bring his show to town. As things are now,,,ther is NO Concorde agreement in effect....the teams have been co-operating with FOAQ based on a note of 'understanding, which is at best a 'gentlemans agreement and has no real 'teeth'. Now is the time to get rid of this absurd ballast, and allow the series the freedom to grow without these non-value added costs.

eggnham has it right....NO RACING series has ever survived for long with the type of turmoil we have seen in F-1 over the past 3-4 years. Constant changes to the regulations aren't free, and then to 'curb' costs, Max changes everything again!.......I , for one, hope that this brings about the end of FIA dominance over motorsport. Lawyers have NO BUSINESS trying to 'govern' racing, as they genrally know nothing of the business. The rules for the sport should be coming from the teams , as they are the ones that live with those decisions. The FIA should be relegated to simply the application of the rules under which the races themselves are run. The technical application of those rules governing the cars should be outside the FIA's purview. Better yet.....time for a break-away series.......be done with the evil twins.........

Well, at least Jens will have the honor of being the LAST F-1 WDC................

Hey, 'race'...who's pleading poverty? And no , you nit, the Scuderia's fan base is by far the largest in the sport....probably over a half of the folk at a race are Ferrari fans...the rest of the field divides the crumbs left over. leeh3011.....no this sort of nonsense is NOT going on in the Indianapolis Racing League(IRL).....that's because for the first time since the mid-90's they have unified CART and the IRL under ONE set of rules. As for Ferrari releasing this statement if they were leading the chase?....sure they would.....what most of you are missing is that Ferrari are NOT adverse to cost cutting measures----they just want it to continue through FOTA, with a concensus from the TEAMS.....not coming down from the the FIA's lawyers who know NOTHING about actually running a team. Why should they-[arguably the MOST SUCCESSFUL team in F-1 HISTORY -check the books boys...they are]- want to have these sort of rules imposed upon them? This , if anything, is a very high stakes game of cards....the next guy who blinks , looses. Watch Max closely, as he's going to feel a LOT of heat from Bernie......who has probably MORE to loose than the FIA. Max's deadline for entry submission for the 2010 season at the end of this month is now the albatross around Max and Bernie's neck......Ferrari sell cars because of the name, and while racing in F-1 is a significant part of the image, that is NOT the only venue their cars appear.....so all they need do is get into sports car racing in an 'official' capacity.....probably cheaper, they can get some excellent results at a much lower expense.....and that would tie into their production sales in a MUCH more direct manner....probably actually boost sales if the factory races what they actually sell.

We'll see if Max allows this to pass......and we'll see how strongly Bernie feels about loosing the #1 fan base for the TV rights they own.....it's all about the $$$ folks and when the 'fat lady' sings, the rest do and WILL pay attention. This wil be ironed out(mediated) between all parties QUICKLY....too many $$$$ at stake.

Yeah...remove ANY team that makes 'underhanded deals'-like McLAREN !

Once again...it's time past for a FOTA Championship Series.......let Bernie and Max hang on to the F-1 name....what good will it be if all that's left is JUST the name? Where Ferrari and McLaren go, so goes the series. This year is curiously interesting because those two powerhouses both played the same game last season and allowed '09 development to suffer for wanting to win in '08. IF they, Toyota, RedBull, and perhaps another team or two walk away from the FIA, how will the other teams react? Will they stay with status quo, or will they jump ship to a FOTA series? Personally, I think it's time to be rid of Max and Bernie, that ALONE would translate into a HUGE cost savings for the entire sport, as their money , not being paid out, would lower the cost of producing a race...allow lower ticket prices, which should increase attendance.Likewise on the TV end of things....lower expenses mean lower ad costs, means more stations may be interested in carrying the programming. Just my personal not too humble opinion..........

Short version....Brawn puts his money on the horse of HIS choice.

Pole positions, shmole positions, team orders DO exist, and there is NOTHING anyone can do about it. If the team decide to run one car or another in slightly different configurations, on a different tire strategy,or set tires at different pressures, short or full fuel one car while doing timed fueling on the other, these can and DO affect the outcome......and yet NONE of this is 'visible' or protestable. IF, and I do mean IF, Brawn gave Jens a 'benefit ' by swithcing him to a 2 stop strategy, then it's their business. Rubens , as an experienced racer has value to Brawn, but he should be under NO misconception as to his role within the pecking order. While he is a good driver to have, he is by no means indispensable. He, like Jens, are ONLY employees, and serve 'at the pleasure of' their employer. Keep your boss happy and you keep your job. Air your laundry in public, and watch your 'luck' get worse on raceday.

Maybe Ferrari should have offered Ross Brawn additional incentives to RETURN? It seems the Italian team is back to it's pre-Brawn antics.....sounds like a trackside management issue......bad timing, bad strategies, poor trackside execution....no one watching the show from the top. Add to that , a car that is either under-performing 'on purpose'....(as their pre-season results showed thay should have been ahead of Toyota and Williams), to which conspiracists will have a field day. Or, something came completely undone just before the start of the season. Either way, Maranello needs to re-group.....I have seen locally based SCCA teams perform to a higher standard than this.

About time FOTA came out in a more unified manner to the evil twins....the medals are gone( Thank Goodness - I'm sure the track promoters had a STRONG voice in that....look at this season...at the rate it's going, by race 9 or 10 the season is done for the Driver's Title....who's going to buy tickets to a race that settles nothing....especially if you're last on the calendar ).....that gets Bernie out of the way, now to do the same with Max and the FIA. It's time for a non-FIA governed series.....call it whatever you choose,,,the NAME is meaningless.....the competition is everything.

As a Ferrari fan, I would be very dismayed were they to leave F-1....BUT, in the end, if the remaining teams still managed to put on a good show,got rid of the politics, stabilized the rules, and got back to racing rather than 'protesting'....F-1 would survive. So what I guess I'm saying is that F-1 should be equated to FOTA, not the FIA. It's time to bring sanity back to the sport,boot the lawyers, and turn the affair over to racers.

What do the FIA and Bernie bring to the party? Why are FOTA fooling around with these dolts.....Max and Bernie need the TEAMS, not vice-versa....time to do the break-away. Budget caps with ANOTHER round of what will surely be VERY expensive rule changes is simply unrealistic and STUPID. The Max and Bernie show are past due for their final curtain.

Actually, F-1 would be sorely hurt with Ferrari's departure......think not? ....look at all of the hub-bub when HONDA announced it's withdrawal.....and THEY were backmarkers!......the lose of af a perennial favorite would devastate the sale of advertising for the TV people....which would hurt team income-if Bernie decides to pay out per existing agreements. IN REALITY, the lose of the FIA would really allow F-1 to survive without the annual spending sprees they dictate ( called rule changes - advanced and promulgated on a whim, no other reason - logic having nothing to do with it - like KERS - which the MB engineers have already proclaimed as having 'no real transferable benefit to road cars' .) So - short version DUMP the FIA, and then see how LITTLE you'll need to spend !

We are confident (as are our accountants and lawyers)....hmmm, of course 'they are confident'....this new measure ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEES work for the buraeucrats......neithr accountant nor lawyers make a dime unless they are 'investigating' something. Now if Max were to offer to pay for this work from the FIA coffers, it would sit better with all concerned....

Wow, on top of everything else that is simply untenable with a 'budget cap'....which by the way has YET to find successful implementation in ANY other series of motorsport, the FIA are forming ANOTHER 'commission' that the TEAMS have to pay for?.....out of what, the last few $$$$ of their budget? If Max wants this 'commission', let him pay the costs.....after all, this commission is part of the FIA's INTERNAL policing structure, so WHY would the teams wish to pay for it?How come Max and Bernie are the perennial problem children....always part of the problem, rarely if ever part of the solution? It's time for FOTA to realize that all of this clap-trap is simply another wedge the FIA are using to assure a division of the ranks among the teams. If they can keep FOTA squabbling, there will be NO 'break-away' series. FOTA are being played for fools.

let's see....if I 'adhere' to the budget cap, I can develop a 'super KERS', test all the heck I want off season, develop, test ,and run with moveable wings and can change gearboxes seemingly as often as I want......and HOW the heck is all of this to be paid for with a budget cap? Is Max, in his munificence, going to pick up the tab?.....is Bernie? Gentlemen,I think it's time for your medication to be changed....the stuff you're on is obviously a hallucigenic.

Too bad it's RD who left the sport and not the 'Dynamic Duo' of Max and Bernie.....

petefrombristol.....mate, you need to give Indy Car a LONG look....the racing at the front of the pack is close, start to finish, with the top 5 rarely being seperated by more than 4-7 seconds to the flag......what makes THIS season in F-1 so neat is that technical INNOVATION is BACK. The FIA are SO concerned about 'equality that it's been the same pecking order for decades......good to see the rules allowing 'something different'. Personally, I'd just as soon see the FIA bugger out of the technical rules business as they seem not to have any knowledge of the impact of their decisions. Want to bring the excitement back? Look at the old CAN-AM rulebook.....minimum constraints on the cars, powerplants etc. Basic safety requirements were fixed and DID NOT CHANGE for the sake of change.....only if there were proof that the intent of the safety rules weren't sufficient.That, in my not so humble opinion was some of the BEST road racing EVER!And, yes, there was a TON of innovation in that series.Follow THAT lead and F-1 will become a more exciting, technically advanced, and commercially more viable 'show'.

Naughty,naughty.....don't do it again.....the FIA are pansies !

LH 'welcomed' his new Boss?....what, - like he has a choice? What drivel...........this is about as newsworthy as a description of the surface finish on a USED tire !

F-1 is certainly more interesting with this season.....nice to see what used to be called 'also-rans' in contention for the podium, both practice and race.

OKAY, the talking part is done....again.....we'll see what transpires next.

Oh gee....I simply CAN'T WAIT for F-1 to become a TRUE SPEC SERIES....won't that make it fun to watch? Yeah, right !

Briatore's antics are exactly what FOTA does NOT need. They are in a position, with a bit of common sense and restraint on the part of ALL, to actually become a 'force' within F-1.....if they ignore Flav's rants, he'll shut up for lack of audience. All will be better off for it.

Good to see SOMEONE has personal standards that rise above the 'tabloid' level........

So crudder, you want to go back to the old CART rules for fuel useage? Gee, I can see it now, 90mpg F-1 cars with a top speed of 12 mph because of fuel limitations.....WOW, novel concept. How about this- change tires as often as you like, you do NOT need to use 'both' types in a race, refuel or nor, depends how your car like to be set up, and drive like a bat out of hell. Of course, that means that strategy becomes important again..........

You want a 'level'field?......race in Nascar.....a wonderful example of a well marketed 'spec' series.If that's NOT what you want, then you had best keep your thinking caps on, and stop your silly playground whining when you lose. Back to the drawing board boys.....you got 'out thought'........

If I recall, the 'Diffuser 3' were never a part of the technical working group that, in effect, set up their own parameters for the diffuser designs......why were not ALL teams included in this group? So now you have 7 teams that somehow think they can decide what is and isn't legal and withold their thoughts from Brawn, Wiliams, and Toyota? I'm glad to see the FIA did NOT side with the TWG.....if innovation is to be an end goal in and of itself in racing, then that has been done. These types of incidents will never go away as long as you have lawyers making the rules and F-1 hasn't become a 'spec' series. Now can we get back to RACING?

Nice to see the top of the order change......well done Ross.

What's in Vairano?....a test TRACK, or some sort of wind tunnel? What forms of 'testing' are banned? How about computational fluid dynamics? Each iteration of a design can be put through a series of simulations without ever leaving the design room....is that 'testing'? Here we go again...........

Good to know that this is done......now the whiners should be made to pay the costs for this mess, including re-imbursement of costs incurred by the accused. Maybe this way with the impact of being responsible for the 'winners' costs in a court case frivolity will take a seat at the back of the bus where it belongs. Might even show a cost save by reducing the number of lawyers(!)

I have had the priviledge of knwoing quite a few people in my life that others judged as 'brilliant'....and to misconstrue their IMPATIENCE with those less technically adept or knowledgeable would indeed lead one to assume these brilliant people are arrogant. Far from it....IMPATIENT, yes, arrogant?...no. I'm afraid the Ferrari council has made the same error in judgement, only he's done it from a point of view that makes HIM appear arrogant, and unyielding because someone doesn't share his client's point of view. Face it boys.....the FIA's representatives at MelBourne AND Sepang have 'blessed' this component...let's not cry over spilt milk...cost to change? What of it....who will cover Brawn/Toyota and Williams costs?...Ferrari and McLaren ? Besides, as screwed up as Ferrari seem to be, it might be a blessing! It's time to take out the pencil and paper and go 'back to the drawing board'.....let's go racing !

Unless the contracts between McLaren and their sponsors include some sort of 'morals' clause, NOTHING will happen on that front for the duration of the contract.After that, it will be difficult if not impossible to determine why a sponsor chooses not to re-sign with the team. As for all of this LH to Brawn nonsense....don't you think it's a bit premature? What happens if the 'budget cap' goes into effect?.....Do you really think Ross needs the burden of LH's contract added to his operation?. Obviously, if the car is good, most any F-1 driver can put it up front......to that, let me only add LH's comments of last season how he'd be with McLaren for the duration of his F-1 career.....oops, I didn't mean to say THAT, hope the stewards didn't hear me.

After the disastrous start to this season, I'm a bit surprised that this is their only move...........

Given Bernie's track record in the US, I'd say we can do nicely without his emminence . Were I a promoter, I doubt I'd risk the investment to have the gnome sign a deal. Thanks to the TV broadcasts, I don't need to travel hundreds upon hundreds of miles to see only a portion of a race 'live'. Oh, and to pay through the nose to do so to boot. Thanks , but no thanks, Bernie

Must be a slow week in F-1 news..huh ? WHY would Brawn want this kid? He's doing quite nicely without the expense.............

KERS is a death trap waiting for it's first unsuspecting victim. This stuff has a LONG way to go before it's 'road ready' for F-1.

Evidently, the massive fine McLaren paid in 2007 didn't teach them much, did it ? It's really a shame thatthis team has reacted so poorly to something that could have been simply 'slap on the wrist' sort of correction. Oh well, if the fabric of management includes lying, then what comes their way is deserved. LH on the other hand is a serious disappointemnt, as the lad is showing every sign of not having any personal values worth discussing.

dezbo1960......man, talk about a true dyed in the wool conspiratist!....Get some help son.......

As I said months ago....KERS has no place in racing....it's NOT a 'mature' technology, and poses risks that are FAR greater than any possible benefit. To have such technology brought on board by the whim of one man is inconcievable. The FIA need to take FULL responsibility for this nonsense. You'll note that not all teams are using this stuff.....smart on their part .

I wonder what other 'cost saving' ideas Max has?.....3 Crumpets for the price of 2 ?

Yep, this is starting to look like the pre-Brawn eera at ferrari again...makes a Chinese Fire Drill look orderly.....shame.

More spilt milk.........for a series that is SUPPOSSED to be the 'pinnacle' of motorsport this is the biggest bunch of cry-babies I have ever come across. Waaa-waa-waa, his car is faster, let's have the lawyers make it 'illegal'. NEVER have I seen a sport allow itself to be dominated by lawyers to the extent F-1 does. Grow up boys......THREE teams out did you in the brains department...get over it, and get on with it. Stupid is as Stupid does........... By what 'rationale' is Renaults 'poor start' the 'fault' of ANY OTHER team? What the heck sort of 'logic' is that?

Worst case scenario....the FIA put Ryan on 'parole' for the duration of '09....no other fines or 'penalties' assessed unless he does something silly again. Losing the points for Oz is sufficient given the offense....and this from a Ferrari supporter.

So this car is Max's idea of cost cutting?,,,,,,KERS, ( extra cost ), new chassis ( extra cost ), new tires ( extra cost ).....yeah, I'd say Max has the right idea.....sure he does ! From an engineering stand point, KERS simply CANNOT be justified on these cars....it probably has redeeming value for cars in an urban driving cycle, but in racing? What are we racing...tractors? As for the diffuser row, as much as I like Ferrari, my reaction is simple....back to the drawing board boys....you got out-thought......should have hired Ross back !

geoff........in F-1 there is a 15 minutes, and then 10 minutes before re-start warning...SO, if the race WERE to be getting going again, ALL personnel would have a minimum of 2 notices. If a driver wants to have an ice-cream while NOTHING is going on what's your problem with that?....are you jealous, or just plain in need of venting? Use what knowledge you may have of the sport before you spout off about this.

Here we go again......evidently the McLaren Roadside Assistance program is well under way....regardless if LH slowed because of a 'problem' in his car or because of pit orders, the result is the same....he slowed....deliberately.......read the rules and suck it up. McLAren goofed 'big time', and the stewards went for the bait....I hope this is overturned.....

Agreed ABSOLUTELY......just because you haven't 'invented it' doesn't mean it's illegal. Ferrari ( and I am a HUGE supporter of them ), Red Bull, and Renault just have to face the fact that their thought/design process wasn't terribly innovative on this point....now be good little boys, go copy it, and let's get this season rolling.

The rules makers will decide. Look at the Chapparel, areal 'ground breaker' in design sense in USRRC racing....it took many years, but finally, an 'aerodynamic' device was deemed illlegal if it was adjustable from the cockpit. If the cars pass scrutineering, then they should be allowed to race, with NO penalty assesed later. If the rules are further defined to dis-allow these designs, then it's up to the teams to produce an alternative. By passing scrutineering, the FIA is, in fact, saying the cars are 'legal'.

Short version....3 teams interpreted the rules in a way that 7 didn't.....does that make them 'wrong' ? I doubt.If the stewards gave them a 'go' at inspection, then any changes to the rules will have to take effect AFTER Oz......much like the floorboard bit of years past. To me this is a case of to-may-to/ to-mah-to......

thomas998....if the fans don't show, the promoters of the race ( the track itself ) will loose a lot of $$$$$....watch thaty get to Bernie VERY quickly, as no promoter will tolerate those loses. But, the BEST 'boycot' would indeed be the teams not showing up.....NOW what's Bernie to do? Writing letters to Fiat and Renault, McLaren, Toyota, etc. is a very S L O W process, and probably would take MONTHS to have effect.......of course if you threaten not to buy their product you had better follow up on that or your 'threat' is meaningless.....as much as I dislike the gnome....he IS one heckava poker player....Flav and Ron found that out very quickly.

thomas998....if the fans don't show, the promoters of the race ( the track itself ) will loose a lot of $$$$$....watch thaty get to Bernie VERY quickly, as no promoter will tolerate those loses. But, the BEST 'boycot' would indeed be the teams not showing up.....NOW what's Bernie to do? Writing letters to Fiat and Renault, McLaren, Toyota, etc. is a very S L O W process, and probably would take MONTHS to have effect.......of course if you threaten not to buy their product you had better follow up on that or your 'threat' is meaningless.....as much as I dislike the gnome....he IS one heckava poker player....Flav and Ron found that out very quickly.

I will GUARANTEE that Max will find a way to put the screws to the drivers yet. All he's done is postpone any real action. As 'a number of other issues were discussed', I'll also bet that the drivers probably offered to withold their services if they weren't met at least part way. NOthing coming from the gestapo of motorsport can be trusted until you have it in writing.

Call it what you will, I'm glad to see the FIA proposal placed firmly where it belongs......in the toilet. As one stand up comedian says....you can't fix stupid.....and personally, I think the FIA is beyond 'fixing'.

Lewis essentially has only ONE problem....he's very young .....and with that level of inexperience come mistakes.....probably not'intentional', but nonetheless, in the eyes of the world as delivered by the media, opinions get formed, and to change those opinions takes a massive effort. Let's give the kid a few years .......

Only 2 things can save F-1....the FIA stop their CONSTANT meddling and rule changing, or better yet, FOTA simply tell the FIA that they are no longer going to operate under the FIA's auspices.....ie.e. , bye bye Max and Bernie.

What if, what if, what if........it DIDN'T happen, you can't 'wish it' to happen....only the RESULTS can be counted a fact. Massa would have gotten the chaampionship.......'what if' makes the discussion POINTLESS..........

damn, you people sure are paranoid.....aren't you ?

Hey, the cap is great...if you're running 'go-karts'.

Bernie may be MUCH more agreeable to do a MUTUALLY profitable deal, now that the 'ex' has got a sizeable chunk of the gnome's accounts. F1 also need to look at the American pricing structure for cost of tickets.....we are accustomed to paying 'X' dollars for a 'major' event.....to go to a road race that might last a whole 2 hours and be asked to pay the same or MORE does NOT provide 'value'.......whether it's F-1 or not....I'll not pay the equivalent of an Indy 500 ticket ( worth about a 4- 4.5 hour event ) to see a race of only 2 hours.....Bernie wants my money, he'll have to show me at LEAST equivalent value......or I'll forgo the travel inconvenience,expense, etc., and simply watch on the TV.

....not only in F1, but in ALL forms of motorsport, the principle function of the engineering staff is to interpret the rules in a way that will allow them to WIN......or for those who need a 'street level' definition....cheat but don't get caught ! BECAUSE, if everyone builds everything the same, you wind up with a 'spec' series.....in which case you simply buy/rent your ride, and show up to drive it.

Let's remember that NONE of this 'counts'.......the real show is on March 29th......let's see who has what then.With the cars running this close on the htime sheets, all it takes is an extra 10-15 liters of fuel to make this happen.........or aero settings, or suspension settings, or engine management settings ( fuel/air ), or.....well, you should get the point by now. That said, it IS good to see someone beside Ferrari and McvLaren at the top of the time sheets......let's hope this is a precursor.

Let's remember that NONE of this 'counts'.......the real show is on March 29th......let's see who has what then.With the cars running this close on the htime sheets, all it takes is an extra 10-15 liters of fuel to make this happen.........or aero settings, or suspension settings, or engine management settings ( fuel/air ), or.....well, you should get the point by now.

The races are,to be quite frank, a bit of a bore.....high technology notwithstanding, they ARE, for the most part a 'procession'. That said....we can lay the fault of this SQUARELY at the feet of the techno wizards. If the driver is no longer the main computer on board, the cars will behave in a very rational manner, ie.e, given things like tire grip, slip angles, braking capabilities, and acceleration curves, your only result will be ....are we ready for this?....a 'procession'. Lose the techno crap, get a high torque engine, no more 'driver aids', and lets see some racing. I for one am starting to get BORED with early dawn broadcasts of video games. Oh, and heaven help if a driver should accidently make contact with a fellow competitor while trying to overtake on the track( isn't that the main idea behind a race? )....oh my......let's all just start a fuss. PASSING is what's it's all about, out-thinking the other guy, and when need be, having bigger cohones. THINK ABOUT IT....the 'best' races of the past several seasons have been when drivers overtook for position, out drove their opponents through shear will power, and delivered the goods with a victory. Like it or , FOTA need to understand that 'technology' is for the most part 'invisible' to the audience, and it's 'benefits' have added NOTHING to the show. If the human element is further excluded from a race event, the parade becomes inevitabley a BORE. Leave refueling, tire changes and race distances alone......we have a system in place that has provided some of the most interesting action in recent memory, but it's all been OFF TRACK......so let's address the ON TRACK portion of the event and get the computers out and the drivers back into the game.

The BEST of LUCK to Brawn GP....here's to seeing them on podiums this season !

This is why you test....NOW is when you want your weaknesses to come to the fore, NOT in Melbourne. Let's hope this is the worst of it for both teams......it would be great to see some 'new' cars dicing for the podium along with the usual suspects.

I agree Graham669....this should not even go to the FIA......let FOTA handle this.....that's all that's really necessary. The FIA had no problem when 90% of the field ran Cossie motors 'back in the day', so what's the big deal now?.....ah yes, there IS the opportunity to have Max's paws greased to 'expedite' matters....isn't there ?

I look forward to several podiums for this fledgling team......

Let's see.....Williams F-1 is OK, but USF1 is not? WTF ?

I don't know why anyone gets all worked up over testing either.....unless you know WHAT the teams are doing DURING the test, none of this stuff is relevant.......cars running with last years equipment on them, cars with only pieces of the '09 stuff, cars on 2010 tires.....this is TESTING.....ergo....no 'base line' for comparison among teams.

I can tell you this....Bernie will be 'out' in 2012....Montezomolo's response is a not what it appears on the surface....it's a warning to Bernie and the FIA....watch it happen.......there is no reason that the teams need Bernie OR the FIA to 'do their thing'. The only reason they are holding off is to lay solid groundwork for the next move.

TGovender....let's try this approach...HONDA are OUT of F-1, lock, stock and barrel. Brawn GP need engines.....and they've done a deal with M-B......ya got a better answer ? It's NO LONGER a HONDA TEAM...got it ?

Brawn Racing Mercedes......now that IS cool ! I'd buy a hat or shirt....no problem..... BRM, good name ! Good one domformula1......

nrb78....get over it, son......Senna couldn't even BUY a ride in F-1!.....that's what he was trying to do. Just because he has a name doesn't make him a worthy candidate foe a race seat......what EXACTLY, has he accomplished?

Gotta consider ONE ITSY BITSY thing......$$$$$$ ! Don't know what Danica is getting paid, but Kyle is knocking down $13 Mill + !........I'm SURE THAT 'unspoken' factor has MUCH to do with any decision being rendered. Believe it or not folks, not everyone thinks that F-1 is the 'pinnacle' of motorsport......more like just another series that happens to travel a lot !

Hmmm, cut costs, but jack up the license fees.......yeah, I can see where that makes sense...HA ! First costs 'must continue to be radically reduced by limiting opportunities for technical innovation' while the FIA cranks out ream after ream of new rules every year.......then out of the SAME mouth, 'turn things around completely ,granting technical freedom with budget limits'.....this guy has lost it......it's the FIA that are redundant.

Uhh....guys, as a 'Yank', I surmise that Mr. Anderson was trying to make a sound akin to what he thought was 'southern' ( Charlotte N.C. IS in the 'South' ). And, actually, for a Brit, it was 'close enough'.....at least he TRIED !.

Daedster.........you have 'hit the nail on the head'. It's the bloody damned rule CHANGES that cost TONS of money to implement [by the teams]. If the Federation of Idiots would leave well enough alone, the costs would stabilize, nay, perhaps even DROP, as new development would be significantly reduced. Of course, Max and his cronies can't do that, becasue without the constant changes, the perception would rapidly show their true worth, which is NOTHING. Why do the teams even BOTHER to deal with the FIA? Who are the players that actually compose the F-1 series?....the teams, of course.....having a 'fancy' title like FIA F-1 World Championship does NOTHING to embellish the show.....you could call it the circus-circus, and the show would be the same. It's time, especially in view of the $$$$'crsis' to cut out the 'middle-men'....Max and Bernie.....now THAT would be a fantastic cost reduction!

This MUST be Max's idea of 'cost reduction', right?

Well,since Honda sold to new owners, and the purported engine supplier is to be M-B, I guess we can presume a name change for the team? Like it or not, the Honda name is gone unless they ( Honda ) will continue to supply engines.

Scary thought.....what , EXACTLY, do 'funds from Bernie Eccelstone' come attached with? Is this a conflict of interest ?........hmmm, inquiring minds want to know.

What happens in Melbourne if the drivers DON'T pay ? The whole concept of 'license fees' is backwards......the FIA only makes revenue IF there are teams that race, and drivers that drive. Why would I, as a driver want to pay a bureaucrat a 'fee' so HE can get a paycheck off MY work ? For those who still cannot grasp this piracy....how would YOU react if your job depended on you paying a fee to someone who really has nothing to do with you getting your work? What does the FIA 'offer' in return for the money?.....nothing really.

OK, as an American, I need to add my two cents.....(1) Read the article (2) do NOT read things into the article. They have stated that they will build a car in the USA. Do NOT go past this 'fact'. Also, for all of you europhiles, believe it or not, there IS a LOT of technology here, even in the heart of Nascar Country.And yes, you DO need to be good at what you do to succeed in American motorsport.......I distinctly recall how this board foretold the demise of 'Merican drivers once the likes of JPM decided to 'show them how it's done'. Well folks, it ain't happened yet.....and it's been years now. As for Astonmartin....get a grip man....just because a driver doesn't come from Europe doesn't mean he/she can't succeed. Using YOUR criteria, where would Ayrton Senna have been ? Why not just let things sort themselves out? These guys aren't buying someone else's 'hand-me-downs', and aren't starting off with a chassis that is uncompetitive. Let's see what they are capable of....shall we?

Ah yes, Sir Jackie....hasn't been quoted in over a forthnight, so he comes out with this. This gentleman needs to wake up....his 'assesment ' is nothing more than the obvious, which has been re-iterated over and over. Poor man......get a hobby or a life.

alfie....wake up man...YES, you CAN 'Fed-Ex' a car....have you even ever seen some of the ships Fed-Ex and UPS fly?.How is it that you think the current teams get their 'baggage', cars included,,from one race venue to another,....especially as in many case ( like Australia ) they have to go intercontinental. You probably still think the delivery trucks have already left for the drive - huh ? As for the drivers....the article clearly states that they were 'linked' to the team....but by whom? As for buying the Honda team, the answer there should be obvious....these guys don't want anyone else's 'baggage'.....this is a 'clean sheet of paper' approach. Is it the fastest way to the podium? Time will tell, but they have experience, and they obviously have decided on a plan, rather than a whim. So before all of you nay-sayers jump in, why not see what develops? Further to that, I don't recall any of your names being 'linked' to this project....so let these guys at least give it a go before you start the wake....shall we ?

Let's see, ANOTHER case of 'do as I say, not as I do.....so F-1 is a MAJOR pollutant?....WTF is a Boeing 747 blasting off the ground?....and sucking 1000's of pounds of fuel per hour? Sir Richard, are you telling me that the dark smoke coming from your aircraft is perfume? I 'think' your credibility is weak, at best.

If F-1 is so 'hugely attractive' even today...then where does the que form for the new Renault sponsors?...or for that matter for Honda?.....wouldn't that solve their problem?

Oh, so now we're going to 'legislate flap/wing adjustment frequency? Why not just stop all of this BS, put an end to Max and Bernie, and put the whole circus on the tube via some electronic game? My God people, you complain about Max's silly regulations, and then you add your own bit of micro-management to the lot. Limit engine size, tire size, and set a minimum for impact protection....after that, let'er rip. F-1 is getting to be one of the most 'spec controlled series' in motorsport.......how can any of you claim that this is the pinnacle of technology when it's the FIA that dictates what the technology will be.......ah, yes, the science of technology through legislation....now THAT'S 'innovative'.

If it is Branson, the question becomes whether or not that will cause a team management upheaval.Obviously, some of the team are NOT in positions that suit them......one need only look at results over the past year(s).

These are tests...they can use whatever they choose.....it doesn't matter until you get to Melbourne....right? BESIDES....who arbitrates the rules...the FIA or Toyota/McLaren/BMW ? Geez, you people need to get a life.

We'll see how it goes.......tough time to be a 'start-up' team.

Sounds like a retirement speech.....I can understand the frustration.

While Patrick is a very attractive bit of eye candy, she has yet to demonstrate the physical stamina required to drive at 10/10ths as the event goes past the half way mark. No disrespect meant ,but she has had 'good rides', up to and including last season, and simply doesn't seem to be able to pull it all together for a rare podium. After all her years in Indy car, only 1 win, is a bit disappointing( and, while not detracting from the win, it was a fuel strategy move that did it, not her ability to pass the field under green). Her value to a team is in attracting sponsors, rather than striking fear in the hearts of competitors. From a PR standpoint, not a bad idea, but from the standpoint of garnering points to make your team credible, one could do better.

Hey GUYS....how else do you think Max will be able to retire to a lifestyle he wants?......as much as he presses the drivers to expose their earnings, I'd encourage Mr.Mosely to show some true leadership by making his income transparant to the public.....after all, it's the ticket buyers that actually pay in the end, no ?

Like all of these results say...these are TESTS.....each team will use whatever combination of parts they choose.....when you get to OZ, now the games afoot, and your stuff need be up to 'spec'.

THussey...the REASON Schumacher still gets the press coverage is because he managed to pull off something that has never been done in F-1....7 World Titles. When you get to that point, we'll be talking about you.Get over it, the man is the best F-1 has ever seen.

Obviously, summerss, you've never watched, much less attended a CART/Indycar/IRL/DP/ALMS road race event......just because it wasn't made in England doesn't mean it can't turn left or right.

The engine 'freeze' will mean that instead of developing new engines, they'll spend about 1/2 of that budget to enhance the pereformance of what's already there.....ie. the elusive 1% performance enhancement. So, using a typical CEO's line of thinking, that's a 50% 'cost save'. The fact that the 'saved money' will not bring back any jobs is immaterial...Ronnie will get a bonus for his 'brilliant' financial leadership.

This test will only reveal what the teams WANT you to know.....you'll still have NO CLUE as to fuel loads, tire pressures, suspension settings, et.al. It's a TEST session.....all of you grand stand team owners need to get a grip! The reason you do these sessions is to TRY things. Some will work, some won't....but NOW is the time to find out....ya think ? Geez.....

mnwj:-Considering the very early stages of this topic, I'd say they have plenty of time to determine who may drive for them. As for a test driver, there is a plethora of damn fine road racers in the USA that can fill that shoe very nicely. We'll see how thing s develop. As it stands now, this outfit is evidently planning on the 2010 season, so I'd bet the Cossie lease package covers the engine, and whatever will be the trans. That takes care of one hurdle. People skills are rather plentiful in the Charlotte N.C. area as that is the home of many a race team, and a fabricator is a fabricator, no matter what he's doing.

IF the fee can actually be justified, perhaps simply tying it to points earned ONLY would be a lot fairer. Failing that, maybe Max should just get out. This simply REEKS of common blackmail. The 'proper' response to the FIA would be to not have ANYONE renew their license. I wonder how they would respond to that?.......I'll bet Max/Bernie and company would poop their collective shorts if no one were allowed to drive at Melbourne. I can't see the teams putting the cars in just anyone's hands, and if they try to hold a race with maybe only test drivers that would be disastrous for the FIA/and Bernie. It's time to disolve the connection between the FIA and F-1......as a 'governing' body, they have exposed themselves to ethical issues that have shamed the sport, and the commercial side of the venture is just a money grab. I'm sure the teams could easily put on their own show outside the FIA.

DanG90...so you're saying that Planet F.1 have fabricated this story completely? OK, so now who has credibility.....the PF-1 staff, or Max ?

So, let's see, now they want cars carrying more fuel at any given time, so if a accident occurs the damage will be greater due to the physics involved. What is the big deal about re-fueling?.......even today, if a team can get a car to go the distance, they are allowed to do so. 'The FANS' say they want more racing on track....how much more do you suppose you'll see if the cars are laden with extra weight?. Further....if you're going to come in for tires anyway.....add fuel while you're at it.....this only adds about 3-4 seconds to a pit stop.....think this stuff through before you jump on the bandwagon. The problem with the 'show' now is that it's so tightly controlled by regulation that only the last 0.02% makes a difference between teams.....hell, scrap half of the rules, make the regs MINIMAL, and allow the 'big boys' to play....THAT'S how you'll see racing, instead of todays administratively arranged parades.

Any race series that gets this tightly controlled will lose the one thing that defines it as unique. To even suggest that there should be a 'cap' on team budgets is ludicrous....how, in heavens name, do you propose to police this bit of inane legislation? Further to this, if the FIA and Bernie really want to help the teams/sport...how about giving them a bigger share of the pie? After all the FIA and Bernie are merely agents for the real players......I don't know about the rest of you, but I've not seen this sort of pay split in any other form of sport entertainment. Where else does the agent get 1/2 of the cut ?

when it gets to Melbourne, then it counts.......

Bernie, Bernie, Bernie....you daft little troll. A championship that reflects performance over the course of a SEASON shouldn't be decided by only WINS, but rather over a consistant solid podium level performance.....How would it look if you had a group of winners of only 1 GP each at the end of the season? I'm sure, that even a munchkin like you has some sort of a 'tie breaker' in your system. Given that, what's wrong with the system in use today? If the win is to be more valued than a 2nd place finish, then add a few points to the winner's tally. But to award a season long championship on wins alone lacks merit, lacks incentive for consistancy, and will not promote passing as you think, as these guys are professionals and it's doubtful they will put themselves and their fellow drivers at risk in an extreme manuever. After all, they have to face the same bunch a few weeks later.....and to add icing to the cake....already many of the F-1 community have publicly oppossed this goofy ploy of yours. As a commercial rights holder, I can understand your frustration when you see your income being limited by the economy, and your desperate need to fatten your accounts so the 'ex' can then empty them for you, but to do this so you can corner the medals manufacturing business for yourself?......wake up man, take your meds and let them guide you in a more alert state thru a day.You're acting like a spoilt brat.....get over it, your idea has been rubbished, and you need to go away.

Why not just pay the drivers in line with everyone else?....the likes of Kimi, Lewis, Massa, Fernando, etc. are all getting paid beyond understanding.....over $1 million per race? The thought staggers the mind.....just like other professional sports, the pay scales are way out of line with the value of the 'entertainment'.

KERS, as a means of providing 'extra passing power' is , from a cost standpoint - STUPID. IF it's goal was, indeed, to give the cars a means of having 'extra' power' then it was a poorly thought thru exercise. This is what happens when administrators think up 'stuff'. Bernie and Max both should be taken behind the wood shed for this fiasco. Want to have 'extra' power to pass , but want to limit it? Simple....each car gets a regulation sized bottle of nitrous to plug into the fuel system before the start of the race......how you use it, and when,is up to the driver....but once that bottle empties, that's it. Total cost per team, probably less than $2000 per car for the system, + the cost of the nitrous....which isn't all that expensive. Locally, a 10 lb bottle goes for about $45-60. You could probably run 4 or 5 seasons of this system before you approached the cost of KERS And that's without any develpoment costs factored in.

KERS, as a means of providing 'extra passing power' is , from a cost standp[oint - STUPID. IF it's goal was, indeed, to give the cars a means of having 'extra' power' then it was a poorly thought thru exercise. This is what happens when administrators think up 'stuff'. Bernie and Max both should be taken behind the wood shed for this fiasco. Want to have 'extra' power to pass , but want to limit it? Simple....each car gets a regulation sized bottle of nitrous to plug into the fuel system before the start of the race......how you use it, and when,is up to the driver....but once that bottle empties, that's it. Total cost per team, probably less than $2000 per car for the system, + the cost of the nitrous....which isn't all that expensive. Locally, a 10 lb bottle goes for about $45-60. You could probably run 4 or 5 seasons of this system before you approached the cost of KERS And that's without any develpoment costs factored in.

Dear Spacemansplif - you obviously have never been involved in a 'real' test schedule. The ENTIRE PURPOSE of testing is to check things like new systems, find weaknesses and strengths. If something goes badly in a test, then it's up to the staff to determine if it's a design, manufacturing or simply an assemby issue and put it right. You obviously aren't ready to accept this , else your anti-Ferrri bias wouldn't be so obvious. Grow up lad....it's called TESTING for a reason. When they get to Australia, then it's 'real'.

To I_Say_Chaps : I must agree completely....Bernie needs the TEAMS, not vice versa.... I'm SURE the guys doing the racing ( the teams ) are better qualified to write their own rules and run their own series....even if it means starting an alternate 'FIA' as a neutral policing agency. I equate this to an athlete or actor being unhappy with their current 'agent'......they simply go get another one that will do a better job of looking after the athlete's business......the same should be happening here.

WOW !........like him or not....he HAS left a mark on F-1, and his accomplishments are laudable.

Dear spacemensplif....POSSESION of stolen goods is a FELONY....same as if you stole them yourself.....ask a lawyer. McLAREN were guilty of ILLEGALY trying to gain an 'edge', got caught and got their 'pee-pee' slapped...get over it.

Kubica and Elvis....why don't you BOYS take your petty little feud off-line? Neither of your comments posted here even attempt to address the article re: Massa and the F-60.....play nice children.

Dear 19kRPM.....you've obviously never driven an Abarth, have you?.......noisey as all heck.....built in 'anti-snooze' system.

Cost cutting?...How about the FIA and Bernie SUBSTANTIALLY lower their fees to the promoters( tracks ). Now that's 'walking the walk', as opposed to the hot air we've been subjected to by Max and Bernie.

Summerss-when you deal with partners in any way , shape, or form, it's always more comfortable to know that both sides of the table have a clear and concise understanding of each other. Besides, who is to say that the Cossie engine will be cheaper, or a better performer?.....that's still largely an unknown, and obviously Brawn has a HUGE 'comfort zone' dealing with Ferrari. If (Honda ) continue in F-1, then Brawn is taking the 'safe' bet.

The launch of a 'generic' version of a 2009 car has HUGE value for PR, if nothing else.....first out of the gate bears heavily on sponsorship demands as well as internal wishes. Further to that, 'not race spec' can mean any nummber of things, none of which we'll be privey to.

Regardless of the outcome of any negotiations between bernie and FOTA, it's time for Bernie to leave....the man has proved to be extremely recalcitrant, and unable to face the real world beyond his cell phone. His comment about 'paying the teams less' because the teams have founs a way to cut their costs is absolute nonsense. Bernie needs to ask himself jsut exactly who needs whom. The 'show' can go on WITHOUT Bernie OR the FIA.....it's the players who put on the show, not the lawyers.

Yet again we have proof positive that, unfortunately, Darwinian theory doesn't always produce results quickly enough.

Bernie-wake up man......have the meds worn off already?....Take more. If only the top 3 places garner any value,and I'm running 5th....the hell with it, my engine needs to last3 races , so does my trans, so with 12-15 laps to go, I'll just park it and save wear and tear....and, further to that you will be POWERLESS to stop me....I can easily claim an onboard malfunction...... OR, is it that you've bought into a medals manufacturer and now need an outlet ?

What a jack-ass ! Does he think that 'other' manufacturers aren't paying attention to his comments? With this sort of attitude, he'll rue the day he made this comment when the field continues to shrink, and no one else wants to play in his sand-box. Further to that, he isn't exactly a 'shining example' of cost containment.

The title has already gone to LH's head......to quote the article 'I hope we make less mistakes and the team make less mistakes' ? WTF, now it's the plural 'royal' WE.....this guy's audacity and ego are out of control. Further to this who gives a rats rear what any driver thinks....for the money being paid out, they are but the 'hired gun' with the simple task of shut up and drive. Again, Planet F-1 must be on a cost cutting mission, as they can only find quotes from 'His Highness' as news material. The off season must be a real bear for the editors, eh?

The short version....the FIA instigate the rules, which has the effect of controlling spending....and ACTUALLY, it's not just the rule itself that has that effect, it's the frequency of CHANGES that cost MILLIONS. What F-1 needs is rule STABILITY. Change for the sake of change only gets costly, it does NOT necessarily mark 'progress'. Bernie and Max need to face the music on this one.

This is 'news worthy'? Come on Planet F-1, SURELY you can 'fill the gap' with better material than this.

BobH....you are very right on the cost of engine development point. Why have engines that will last 2 or 3 races, then come forth with a 'customer standard engine program' ? The money spent to make an engine last thru 2 events far outweights the cost of bbuilding an 'extra engine for each race. Further to your point, for 2009, the engines need to go to 3 races(?)....anothere wad of money shot to heck,with no real payback. The FIA need to stop mucking about weith the rules, and leave well enough alone....that removal of required change alone will save many, many $$$$$ ! It's too bad that both Max and Bernie seem to think kthat unless the spotlight shines on them , they will likely loose control of the series. As it is, because of their combined antics, we have lost Honda, and I'm sure we'll lose another team before long. technical innovation is fine, but MANDATED 'technical innovation' is nothing more than an exceedingly expensive buraeucratic paper-shuffle.....it's like government....produces nothing, costs a bunch to operate, and creates more problems than it solves.

Rusty.....are you old enough to remember the 70's ?....some of the best damned actual racing in the history of the sport, and with the much of the grid running Cosworth power...........

Whoa guys....this may actually be a 'God-send' to the small independent teams......at about $7.2 million pounds, this will be substantially cheaper than what the indies are now paying per season. AND, you'll notice Max has NOT shut the door on manufacturer proprietary engines, i.e. Ferrari, Renault, Toyota,Mercedes. This actually brings in ANOTHER engine manufacturer into the mix, which can be a good thing. The only thing I see here that may be the 'fly in the ointment' is a 'standard' transmission......suppose my engine puts out so much torque that the 'standard' trans can't hold up?....then what do I do ?

The man is stating an opinion, which, much like everyone else's is PERSONAL. I do not understand some of the vehemence. I do not fully agree with some portions of his statement, but it's nice to have a feel for his thoughts.

No trophy wife, so now Bernie wants to sell just trophies?..........without further detail, on the surface of it, this idea has no merit. As andrewkd points out......you had this when the points were 10-6-4-3-2-1.....which can easily be modified to pay points over the first 8 places. Personally, I'd favor a points system that pays out over the entire field....you never know when only 1 point can make a difference, do you ?...... :-) !!!!

We're seemingly in agreement....how can you award a 'championship' which is to represent the achievements over an ENTIRE season to the guy who only WINS the most?......same as before....one guy wins 4 races, and has NO OTHER podiums.....another wins 3 races, but has 3 or 4 podiums.......do you mean to award a championship to the 4 race winner? His 'accomplishments' are far less than that of the 3 race and 3 podium winner.......Bernie, did you buy a trophy shop now that the trophy wife has announced her departure?....get a grip man.

I've been forced to 'attend' a motorsport event using this concept of 'arrival'.......and even though the bus ride was short, it's still a pain in the *** ! I wish the Donongton organizers all the best....they'll need it.....nothing like returning from a sporting event being crammed onto a bus with some loud mouth drunk vomitting his lunch all over you on the ride home.As I mentioned, I did this public transport thing ONCE.....I'll NEVER do it again.

sss2512...EJ makes a VERY valid arguement for the point system....at least for themanufacturers, this is how it is decided which teams get their transport costs paid....as for the driver medals, that's pure crap......I've already posted to this once before....a 'champion' is NOT who wins the most races, but the one who CONASISTENTLY delivers a strong performance over the course of the season....that's why you are crowned the 200X F-1 SEASON Champion. Go back to 2008...Massa wins more than Hamilton, yet LH gets the title....why?....because over the season he was more CONSISTENT.....Bernie proposes to award a title to a 4 race winner instead of a 3 race winner ignoring the 3 race winner's other podium finishes.....If the 'champ' has ONLY wins, while the next guy has wins AND podiums, who should wear the crown ? The pending divorce obviously has Bernies brain all a-twitter.

JPM says he's happy...so be it. Let the man be. He has yet to make a 'real' mark in Nascar, but the money in the sport is good, and obviously, his team owner and sponsors feel that he is 'media-genic' enough to satisfy their requirements/needs. He's doing what he says makes him happy, and that's not an achievement all of us can claim. Good on ya mate !

The 'slowest' driver would be disqualified after EACH LAP....thus, for the first 14 laps, they would be running full tilt....can't simply cruise around and burnoff fuel like they do now.....today's format is a total BORE until the last 2 or 3 laps of a segment.Personally, I'd just as soon see the old 12 lap format return. The real trick of the new system will be to figure out how to control the fuel level INSIDE each car after you get them on the grid......watch the 'electronic' games then !... :-) !!!!

I'm surprised no one has spoken the obvious....WHY do es F-1 need the FIA OR Bernie?. It's the teams that are the sport......I'm sure they can find a way to put on a season without the likes of Bernie OR Max.Not that this will decrease costs dramaticly, but it would be a start. By the same token, to put the blame of rising costs squarely on Bernie's shoulders is also somewhat un-fair, as the teams get a chunk of that, and I'm sure they've been getting more recently ythan say 5 or 6 years ago. Second to this, those that are qualified to have their transport paid have seen those costs go up, so it's NOT all in one 'pocket'. But, I do stand by my first contention...who REALLY needs the FIA and Bernie?

Hmmmm....maybe that's why Bernie was pressing the Canucks for 'his' money....need to pay for the barristers on this one..........

Have to agree fully with axoo.......WRC drivers , as a group, have the biggest cohones in professional sport. Combine that with cat-like reflexes, and they are deifinitely at the top of my pyramid.........

OKAY Bernie...how would yu score 'value' for 4 golds, 3 silvers, and 3 bronze?, vs. 4 golds, 2 silvers , and 5 bronze? Which becomes more 'valuable'- 10 podiums or 11 ?You still need an arithmetic formula to assign ordinal value to your 'totals'....what a dimwit !

Bernie has buffaloed the Canucks too......'he just wants to get the money to which he thinks he's entitled'. Hmmm.....sounnds like there may be a question of the 'legality' of the 'payment'. And, it sounds like the Canucks are willing to fork over the cash first, in the name of expediency, THEN determine whether it should have been paid. Things that make you go 'hmmm' ?

Istereo needs to look at the statement....Max wants cost cuts, the rules say you need all new cars, and the engines now need an additional 50% service life.....and then there's KERS....which at best is of dubious value in a racing series. Oh, yeah, let's cut costs while we're at it. Which of these are of greater importance? Where do you cut costs, and what do you keep? F-1 should be , first and foremost about great RACING. The technology is of little value or concern if it's application yields result inverse to it's cost. I hate to write this , as I do not coount myself a 'fan' of Nascar....but in a relatively 'low-tech' series, they put on a great RACE.....lead changes are common every few laps, and not because of pit stops.Engines still are carbuerretted, and use OHV valve trains that only get to about 9000 rpm. The cars are heavy ( 3500 lb MAX ) and yet these things roll around a track like sumo wrestlers with jet propulsion. And PLEASE, don't give me any arguement about how 'easy' it is to be in the series....JPM, a recent F-1 fugitive has YET to break into the top 10 in points after 4 years.....so much for 'fancy boys' driving in the USA.

Scarier still is the apparition of the TEAMS breaking away and trying to run the sport themselves......we saw the results of that hear in the USA with CART.....great for a few years, then dissension and disaster. One can only hope that that portion of 'breaking away' from Bernie, and perhaps, while you're at it, the FIA, doesn't lead to a complete collapse of F-1 racing in the near term. HOpefully FOTA can look at CART as the way NOT to do business. That said.....I pose a 'simple' question....why does F-1 need Bernie?, or for that matter, the FIA? Hell, the circus is the teams....and Bernie or Max notwithstanding, I'm sure the race promoters can as easily sign deals with FOTA as anyone else. Unless Bernie or Max own controlling interest in the tracks,what keeps the teams from providing those 2 with a proper 2 finger 'salute' as they move out on their own?

Uhh.....gingercat....if I pay for your to drive for me, give you equipment that wins, then it WILL be I who dictates what happens to the trophies....don't like the terms?...drive elsewhere. Ever hear of the 'golden rule'? Those who have the gold......

Roobbie08....the 'hand-off' of Ferrari info was done by MUTUAL agreement....but the real guilt is to KNOWINGLY accept stolen goods.........even the 'real' world will make you give that sort of stuff up. Go buy a stolen TV, if the constabulary catch up, do you think you'll be allowed to keep it? You've missed the point of the transgression COMPLETELY.

Ferrari27 has it right.....F-1 is getting more and more 'rules bound' and the lawyers are running the game, not the teams and drivers. Professional stewards are needed, much as we have in American football, basketball, hockey, and baseball. Yes, these referees report to their respective leagues and get their pay from the leagues, but their decisions are on film, they can be reviewed, and only the best of the best get to work the series championship matches. A fitting reward for being brutally ethical.The stewards will ALWAYS be a part of the FIA....the trick is to make them true professionals. Ex-drivers don't necessarily make good stewards just as ex-players don't necessarily make good referees. Wouldn't hurt to bring back some gravel in the corners either. :-) !

Ferrari27 has it right.....F-1 is getting more and more 'rules bound' and the lawyers are running the game, not the teams and drivers. Professional stewards are needed, much as we have in American football, basketball, hockey, and baseball. Yes, these referees report to their respective leagues and get their pay from the leagues, but their decisions are on film, they can be reviewed, and only the best of the best get to work the series championship matches. A fitting reward for being brutally ethical.The stewards will ALWAYS be a part of the FIA....the trick is to make them true professionals. Ex-drivers don't necessarily make good stewards just as ex-players don't necessarily make good referees. Wouldn't hurt to bring back some gravel in the corners either. :-) !

Poor,poor senna27.......you haven't a clue you poor bloke, do you? If you were paid what Eddie was being paid, you'd not only move over for your team-mate, but you'd probably wear out the brakes pads in the process.

Lewis will 'repay' McLaren's loyalty as long as McLaren PAYS. After all folks , like it or not, no one goes through the crap any of these guys do for 'the love of the sport'........it's all about the $$$$.......how else does our world measure 'success' at the 'professional level' ?

Lewis 'getting' Nicole?....please....she's hopefully not 'stupid' and fully understands the magnitude of HER 'catch'....after all with two season's of McLaren pay + fringes under his belt, she's fully aware that LH is no 'pauper'.

I am continuously baffled by the arm-chair racers contributing to this column.Had ANY of you ever been in a race car under compeetitive conditions, you'd know full well, that driver reaction time, and CAR reaction time are two different things. In the case of Japan, it was both drivers job to stay on course....don't want a repeat of Belgium, do we now?....given that, when you run out of road due to momentum, you've no option but to go where the car will take you. As good as the brakes are on an F-1 car....going into a corner at speed, and then expecting to shut down halfway thru so as to not run off course when another car crosses your path just ain't gonna happen children.....ever hear of physics?....momentum?......energy?....mass? It's called a 'racing incident'.......too bad the stewards are like the infamous 3 mice.

Yep, Jodie is certainly showing his 'bravery'...like Stewart,Montoya, Jordan, Hill, and I'm sure a few other 'ex' F-1 personna. It's easy to criticize when you have nothing at stake. Where were these mouthpieces when they were part of the circus? As far as I'm concerned, these type of comments have no place in a news repport.....better leave them for the tabloids.

Uhh...Steve.......LH is no champion either. We'll see which one gets his first title Sunday, won't we? As for 'cheating'.....uhh....who was it that used the technical read-out of their competitors car? Your memory is appropriately 'selective'.

Another F-1 has been tossing in his 2 cents......who cares what Montoya says? I guess they're all queueing up in case the BBC starts a new 'reality' show for ex F-1 personna.

Aha....so now it's the Ferrai board that were 'mis-informed'....let everyone reading this board understand that the FIA know full well that IF Ferrari quit F-1, the circus may as well pack up their tents and go to winter ground. No Ferrari, no McLaren, no F-1.

Grell...yep, McLaren don't need the stewards in their 'pocket'...they have the entire Ferrari technical readout instead..........the only thing McLaren are good at is hiding the stolen technology from the FIA inspection team last spring.

THIS from a team principle that shouted from the mountain tops last season that there were 'no #1 drivers' at McLaren? No wonder Alonso left..........Dennis is a sham......and yet he's being lauded for 'honesty'.....you people have some strange sense of credibility. The hyena is finally showing it's true colors......

So EJ now knows what Massa is thinking, and LH as well? Good on ya mate......lets sell some commercials and we 'll get the EJ show back on the air. Why do comments from 'ex' F-1 people garner this sort of attention? Heck, even Stewart and Lauda are on someone's call sheet, as whenever things get a bit quiet, we seem to get a comment, however meaningless, from the likes of them. Who cares what EJ thinks?, besides EJ, that is.

KERS?...how in the heck is that 'vital' to F-1? It's not even being seriously considered by any major auto manufacturere for production use. At this stage of the game, it's a HUGE unknown, and safety factors have yet to be determined. What's 'vital' to F-1 is $$$ STABILITY. Maybe it's time Bernie was less the Sheriff of Nottingham, and more Robin Hood.

Dark Defender....OK, so you're being a 'prat'....but some of your comments have serious merit. Does the steering wheel HAVE to communicate that much info to the driver?.....whatever happened to good old fashioned, not to mention CHEAP, radio from the pits? Why not go back to manual linkage gearshifts? Unless you're buying a rather expensive sporty car, paddle shift mechanisms have had virtually NO impact on the 'man in the street'. A LOT of the high tech stuff F-1 so proudly wraps itself in is VERY purpose specific, and most of it has little to do with 'better' racing....only higher cost. Do you actually need 18-20K rpm capable engines to have a good 'race'?....I doubt it. Do we actually need all of the aero stuff to have a good 'race', I doubt it. Want to cut costs and 'improve the show' ? Try getting back to BASICS.While everyone brags about the 'high tech' that is supposedly the back-bone of F-1, we also hear many complaints about the races becoming a procession. Let's get back to less complicated cars and mechanisms ( and by extension-much cheaper ) , and let's get the drivers back into the equation to a greater involvment. Less 'aero', more 'macho'.....I'll bet the races will be more exciting to watch, and probably more fun for the drivers as well.

Crappy decisions aren't 'putting people off'....just look at the increase in volume of e-mail traffic on this site alone.What's putting off the FFSA is the $$$. Plain and simple, they are looking at the business side of things , and with the world economy being what it is, the number of people willing to go to a track that's a good bit away from any major city, not the easiest track to get to, and I'm sure there are local factors as well. Why do you think that Bernie is willing to go to Abhu Dhabbi with a reported seating capacity of 50K ?- God I hope that's a misprint.....why build a track for only 50K seats?, unless you feel you can sell them at a massive premium. So , since the FFSA were watching numbers dwindle for quite a while now, they have decided to pull their support. This does not necessarily mean that the race can't go on. All Bernie would need is a substantial $$$ 're-assurance' that his fee is covered. I doubt he gives a rat's arse WHO pays it.

In all fairness Rusty, if Alonso , 2 time champion, is a 'has been', then LH is a 'never been'?

Brain fade on the part of both McLaren men...hell fire...if you haven't a clue when to brake for a turn by this stage of the game, and you BOTH screw it up, then I'd say either the fresh air vents to their helmets were closed, or they cooked this up before the start..........either way, raw rookie screw ups.No better than Massa hitting LH later.......you're on the inside, and BEHIND ( in BOTH cases ) and you plow ahead anyway with locked tires? Pitiful example of exuberance overcoming 'the long game'.

Ahh yes,...the old 'sophmore jinx'......the F-1 answer to Paul Tracey..talented as hell, but over confident, and impudently over aggresive.

Yep, 'standard' powertrains will CERTAINLY make for more exciting racing....right ! If costs are a concern, then other options need visiting. Standardizing components will make F-1 more of a 'spec' series, and all that will do is make on track racing even less likely to occur. While this thinking works to a good extent in oval racing, it does NOT translate well into road racing. If they wish to lower cosrts, then globe hopping need be cut back....what is the sheer cost of transport alone? Why can't the series run their events in a smaller geographical area?....why do teams transport from China to Brazil? Why all of the cross global movement? Why not plan the schedule so teams can just move a short distance from event to event? Run 4 or 5 races in Europe, then 4 or 5 in the Md-East, then 4 or 5 in Asia, and then on to North and South America. As for powertrains, why not have them 'production based' rather than race specific? Hate to use this example, but a NASCAR engine makes near the same power as an F-1 ( I know it has more displacement )but it also costs FAR less....and pulls a car weighing 3500lbs!...on the order of about $100K ready to run. What does $100K buy you in F-1?....Bernies autograph? Shorter events....hell, if I wanted that, I'd attend my local track and watch the sprint car heats......for about 10% the cost of an F-1 ticket. While they are so devoutly paying attention to the money side, decisions had best be made on the racing side....let's face it, unless someone getes hot-headed, the on track action in F-1 race can, and often does get downright processional.

I agree with jlgarbutt.....LH is the F-1 version of Paul Tracey....another open wheel racer hot-head.....had the distinction of taking his own team-mate out of 2 races in one season !

PUHLEEZE people......Bernie AND the FIA are orchestrating this circus......how the heck else will you have a 'sell-out' crowd at the LAST TWO events of the season if the championships are wrapped up prior? Cannot any of you remember the 'empty' bleachers when Schumi was kicking butt with 3 or 4 races to go? Which race track/organizer/promoter wants to shell out millions and then take in only thousands? This is NOT about 'fairness', it's about motorsport ENTERTAINMENT....not about Ferrari, or McLAREN, but rather Ferrari versus McLAREN.....understand? It's the stuff that gets you so hot under the collar that you actually get P.O'd enough to post assinine comments.....and you know what, the 'plan' IS working !.....get that thru your pointy little nation centric skulls and all will become clear.You're being 'played', by master manipulators.....and you don't even know it or care......shame.