FERRARI OUT OF F1

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2009/5/9348.html

After a meeting of its board of directors in Italy on Tuesday, Ferrari released the following statement: said: “The Board of Directors also examined developments related to recent decisions taken by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile during an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council on 29 April 2009. Although this meeting was originally called only to examine a disciplinary matter, the decisions taken mean that, for the first time ever in Formula One, the 2010 season will see the introduction of two different sets of regulations based on arbitrary technical rules and economic parameters. “The Board considers that if this is the regulatory framework for Formula One in the future, then the reasons underlying Ferrari’s uninterrupted participation in the World Championship over the last 60 years - the only constructor to have taken part ever since its inception in 1950 - would come to a close. The Board also expressed its disappointment about the methods adopted by the FIA in taking decisions of such a serious nature and its refusal to effectively reach an understanding with constructors and teams. The rules of governance that have contributed to the development of Formula One over the last 25 years have been disregarded, as have the binding contractual obligations between Ferrari and the FIA itself regarding the stability of the regulations. The same rules for all teams, stability of regulations, the continuity of the FOTA’s endeavours to methodically and progressively reduce costs, and governance of Formula One are the priorities for the future. If these indispensable principles are not respected and if the regulations adopted for 2010 will not change, then Ferrari does not intend to enter its cars in the next Formula One World Championship.

BLOODY HELL!

Will the FIA cave and change the rules (deadline for entry is may 29th apparently) or will Ferrari really pull out of F1? if so where will they go? Lemans? Nascar(-Vomit) I dont see them not racing, but what will they do?

so in english.. what happened?

FOTA for the win - screw Bernie and Max, let the teams run their own series of races.

FIA is proposing 2 levels of competitor, ones who are under a 40million GBP budget cap get breaks..

breaks include. moveable aero(asymmetric, no limit to # of movements, 10 degree movement), upper rear aero element movability, no rev limit, unlimited engines per season, double Kers power, opening for AWD,

not under cap get pretty much same rules as this year, (ban on refueling for everyone)

Their ability so spend over £40 million sure hasn't helped this season.

I wouldn't mind a tenth of £40000000. That would be ~$6.1 M.

They should check out what GRM can do with a £1311 budget cap.

How much over 40 mill would Ferrari currently be spending?

Luke wrote: How much over 40 mill would Ferrari currently be spending?

Here's the '08 numbers

Toyota: $445.6m

McLaren: $433.3m

Ferrari: $414.9m

Honda: $398.1m

Renault: $393.8m

BMW Sauber: $366.8m

Red Bull Racing: $164.7m

Williams: $160.6m

Toro Rosso: $128.2m

Force India: $121.85m

Super Aguri: $45.6m

40 Million GBP is 61 Million USD

Quite a lot more, then.

Thanks The Carson.

'Even though we spent a wad more money than the 'lesser' teams, we couldn't keep track of how much fuel we burn and we were embarrassed so we are going to take our toys and go home'. Buncha sissies.

I bet Enzo is beating the E36 M3 out of the coffin lid right now.

I'd love to see Ferrari take a run at some of the other race series out there. Time for another shot at an overall Le Mans win? It's only been 44 years since they won that.

Is it just me, or does the possibility of an AWD F1 car with moveable aero and no rev limit for $61 million sound pretty damn interesting?

Based on those figures, I would say that Red Bull is getting the most bang for their buck.

It's gonna be an interesting season, for certain. As far as the prancing horse dropping out, I feel it's mostly brinksmanship, which is a fancy way of saying a p.......g contest between two mules fighting over a turnip.

You guys are missing the boat here, the underlying reason is the COT everyone running the same engine that's the big deal. Ferrari told them when they introduced the concept that if they couldn't their own engine there was no reason for them to be in F1

both Red Bull and Toyota had already given the ruling czars the same warning

now with Ferrari adding their 2¢ worth maybe they will listen

carguy123 wrote: You guys are missing the boat here, the underlying reason is the COT everyone running the same engine that's the big deal. Ferrari told them when they introduced the concept that if they couldn't their own engine there was no reason for them to be in F1

I'm not sure which boat you are talking about. Maybe Flavio Briatore's, which is reported to be the 2nd largest privaty owned boat in the world (the one that Naomi Cambell trashed).

The truth is that makers like Toyota race for publicity, so they can sell cars. Ferrari sells cars so they can race; you can be certain they will continue to do so. Everyone is ready for Bernie and Max to get the hell out, but apparently, the money's pretty good.

Also, invoking a NASCAR term like COT into a discussion about Formula One is just wrong. Shame on you..

I've never liked F1 much, but... It was the place for unbridled excess. I'm sad that it is coming to the end cause the cars and tech was sooo cool. I never enjoyed the racing, the cars seem robotic on course.

ignorant wrote: ... It was the place for unbridled excess.

You got that right!

Yea that's what sucks.

You either let the teams do whatever the hell they want and win, or your enforce rules to even them out and make better racing.

I always hated the idea that Ferrari, one of the best and more historic teams of F1 just had this opinion of "if we throw enough money at it, we'll win."

PHeller wrote: "if we throw enough money at it, we'll win."

I think Toyata pretty much proved that wasn't the case. They have spent more than any other team, and it's taken them 7 years to make it work.

Its an interesting situation when you think about what Ferrarri pulling out will do to F1. I mean, technically F1 owns the show and controls the rules and Ferrari is simply welcome to race there if they want. However, without Ferrari how many people will be interested in F1? How much $$$ will F1 lose? Where else can a contestant control the rules of the series they play in? What if the Bulls decided they wanted the rules changed when they were at their peak? Or the Steelers?

Meh, F1 has been blowing it for a while now. Its a bigger soap opera than NASCAR and WWE combined.

COT, what else would you call the spec engine series. They've got very tight rules about everything else and then when standardize the engine some/many of the manufacturers will have trouble justifying racing when you lose the "Sell on Monday" aspect. Ferrari has said over and over that's why they do F1.

Bernie has said that he wants Ferrari in F1 and therefore he'll have to deal with it. Now we'll see who has the bigger set.

To me the new rules make for a new series, not an extension of the F1 we know and love

pinchvalve wrote: , technically F1 owns the show and controls the rules

Which basically means the Bernie and Max dog and pony show is running the circus. What they are doing lately is akin to crapping in their own feedbag. I love the series, but hate what they're doing to it.

OTOH, it's a business "too big to fail"; it will survive.

Starting to sound like the feds. "Little Johny doesn't have as much as you do so we are going to give him an advantage and make sure he succeeds." Ferrari is just lucky they aren't taxing them to death to give to the other teams...

wbjones wrote: both Red Bull and Toyota had already given the ruling czars the same warning now with Ferrari adding their 2¢ worth maybe they will listen

Hadn't heard that one.

Ferrari is just the latest F1 team to threaten leaving. BMW/Sauber, McLaren/Mercedes, Red Bull, Toro Rosso, and Renault already have, and they all followed Toyota. That doesn't leave much left.

The FIA should take a note from the WRC, which they already ruined. It is a withered, pathetic shell of it's former self and is only getting worse. F1 will die the same inglorious death.

I for one would love to see Ferrari hit LeMans and try to knock the diesels off!