Background Story: In light of more teams finding it difficult to compete with marque names like Ferrari, McLaren Mercedes which have substantial financial backing, over the past year or so, FIA (Motorsport's governing body) had drawn up plans to reduce the spiralling costs of running a Formula 1 racing team including possible budget caps and more technical restrictions to limit spending. This process was sped up following the global financial crisis and the consequent withdrawal of the Honda Racing Team. Shortly, the FIA proposed a budget cap of $40million to be implemented next season. The F1 teams, in a rare sign of solidarity, had greed in principle and signalled their joint commitment to reduce costs but noting the difficulty of the task, more consultation with FIA was sought. The main difficulties being, major manufacturers like Ferrari, McLaren Mercedes and Renault, spend upwards of $300million annually in the development of the car, to reduce that figure by almost 80% within a year was simply unrealistic.
To make matters worse, the FIA then unilaterally implemented a 2-tier system to be in place for the 2010-11 season, which comprises of one with the budget cap of $40million but enjoy greater technical freedom and another, without the budget cap but severely limited by technical restrictions. This unilateral action from the FIA instantly drew widespread criticism from the major F1 teams, led by Ferrari, Toyota, Renault and Red Bull Racing. Their main concern was not of the budget cap, but the manner in which the FIA implemented this ruling without due consultation with the teams involved and that the 2-tier system will create greater confusion and an unlevel playing field where different teams on the grid are subject to different rules. The above-mentioned 4 teams have signalled their intent to withdraw from F1 should the FIA continue with their current plans with the 2-tier system with the deadline for registration for next season being May 29.
Alright, in a nutshell, that's been the story so far, as far as I understand of it.
While Ferrari had hardly been the most popular team amongst the purists for their "off-track antics", many of them have expressed their support of Ferrari on this issue. The rational followers of the sport would realise that the quit-threat of the teams, led by Ferrari, is not an act which placed personal interests above that of the sport. Of course, their financial muscle would have come to naught under the paltry $40million budget cap but that was not their case in point. As brought up by them, the 2-tier system is akin to saying: Manchester United is rich, hence you can only field 9 players. While Hull City is struggling financially and hence will be entitled to 12 players. (They used the Italian Serie A as example). How does that sound?
Formula 1 has always been regarded as the pinnacle of motorsport, where man and machine are pushed to the limits. Such is the speeds of Formula 1 cars that I remember a commentator once said, at almost 300km/h on the straights, these cars would have taken off if fitted with wings. It is not a sport for the faint-hearted, where 0.001s can decide a race. The push for technical innovation does not come cheap and there isn't a magic formula here. With greater financial backing, more money is available for more research, building more state-of-the-art wind tunnels, more track testing, and the list goes on. Never in mankind has research and development been cost-effective, if it was, we would still be taking steam ships across the pacific, much less race around state-of-the-art circuits at speeds of 300km/h. And it is because of such investment of resources that as well as that continual research and development that have culminated in the glitz and glamour of Formula 1 being the pinnacle of motorsports. With the imminent unilateral introduction of those sweeping plans, Formula 1 will never be the same again.
Ferrari, for one, since its birth, is synonymous with racing, and as they put it, "racing is in our DNA". And they are the only team which has been continuously involved in Formula 1 since its inception 60 years ago. Formula 1 is Ferrari. Ferrari is Formula 1. Exaggeration it may be, but it's no coincidence that the commercial rights holder of Formula 1 said, "Ferrari and Formula 1 is like a marriage made in heaven". No less. And it's easy to see why. The sea of red in the grandstands during the Grand Prix is testament to the worldwide adulation for the Scarlet Red cars from Maranello. With all due respect to the 'lesser' teams, it is a rarity to see Formula 1 fans donned in Red Bull Racing Polo Tees and caps, or even Force India for that matter. In fact, you hardly even see fans wearing Toyota or Renault's replica teamwear. Such is the support for Ferrari. On the other hand, several new teams have welcomed FIA's initiatives and have signalled their intent to enter Formula 1 next year and these teams being: Wirth Research, Lola, USF1 amongst others. LOLA? USF1? WIRTH RESEARCH? In my own analogy, it's like telling the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool that they can't spend and invest on good players, managers and training facilities, so that the Premier League can be more affordable and expanded to accomodate more Hull Citys, Burleys and Readings. Hardly inspiring as far as the Premier League's standards are concerned. And not to mention United and Liverpool are 'supposed' to play with only 9 players as compared to the Hull City's 12 on the pitch in a bid to 'level' the playing field between the rich and the poor.
Only a week before the May 29 deadline. Watch this space, or we wouldn't be watching Ferrari round Marina Bay next year.
To make matters worse, the FIA then unilaterally implemented a 2-tier system to be in place for the 2010-11 season, which comprises of one with the budget cap of $40million but enjoy greater technical freedom and another, without the budget cap but severely limited by technical restrictions. This unilateral action from the FIA instantly drew widespread criticism from the major F1 teams, led by Ferrari, Toyota, Renault and Red Bull Racing. Their main concern was not of the budget cap, but the manner in which the FIA implemented this ruling without due consultation with the teams involved and that the 2-tier system will create greater confusion and an unlevel playing field where different teams on the grid are subject to different rules. The above-mentioned 4 teams have signalled their intent to withdraw from F1 should the FIA continue with their current plans with the 2-tier system with the deadline for registration for next season being May 29.
Alright, in a nutshell, that's been the story so far, as far as I understand of it.
While Ferrari had hardly been the most popular team amongst the purists for their "off-track antics", many of them have expressed their support of Ferrari on this issue. The rational followers of the sport would realise that the quit-threat of the teams, led by Ferrari, is not an act which placed personal interests above that of the sport. Of course, their financial muscle would have come to naught under the paltry $40million budget cap but that was not their case in point. As brought up by them, the 2-tier system is akin to saying: Manchester United is rich, hence you can only field 9 players. While Hull City is struggling financially and hence will be entitled to 12 players. (They used the Italian Serie A as example). How does that sound?
Formula 1 has always been regarded as the pinnacle of motorsport, where man and machine are pushed to the limits. Such is the speeds of Formula 1 cars that I remember a commentator once said, at almost 300km/h on the straights, these cars would have taken off if fitted with wings. It is not a sport for the faint-hearted, where 0.001s can decide a race. The push for technical innovation does not come cheap and there isn't a magic formula here. With greater financial backing, more money is available for more research, building more state-of-the-art wind tunnels, more track testing, and the list goes on. Never in mankind has research and development been cost-effective, if it was, we would still be taking steam ships across the pacific, much less race around state-of-the-art circuits at speeds of 300km/h. And it is because of such investment of resources that as well as that continual research and development that have culminated in the glitz and glamour of Formula 1 being the pinnacle of motorsports. With the imminent unilateral introduction of those sweeping plans, Formula 1 will never be the same again.
Ferrari, for one, since its birth, is synonymous with racing, and as they put it, "racing is in our DNA". And they are the only team which has been continuously involved in Formula 1 since its inception 60 years ago. Formula 1 is Ferrari. Ferrari is Formula 1. Exaggeration it may be, but it's no coincidence that the commercial rights holder of Formula 1 said, "Ferrari and Formula 1 is like a marriage made in heaven". No less. And it's easy to see why. The sea of red in the grandstands during the Grand Prix is testament to the worldwide adulation for the Scarlet Red cars from Maranello. With all due respect to the 'lesser' teams, it is a rarity to see Formula 1 fans donned in Red Bull Racing Polo Tees and caps, or even Force India for that matter. In fact, you hardly even see fans wearing Toyota or Renault's replica teamwear. Such is the support for Ferrari. On the other hand, several new teams have welcomed FIA's initiatives and have signalled their intent to enter Formula 1 next year and these teams being: Wirth Research, Lola, USF1 amongst others. LOLA? USF1? WIRTH RESEARCH? In my own analogy, it's like telling the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool that they can't spend and invest on good players, managers and training facilities, so that the Premier League can be more affordable and expanded to accomodate more Hull Citys, Burleys and Readings. Hardly inspiring as far as the Premier League's standards are concerned. And not to mention United and Liverpool are 'supposed' to play with only 9 players as compared to the Hull City's 12 on the pitch in a bid to 'level' the playing field between the rich and the poor.
Only a week before the May 29 deadline. Watch this space, or we wouldn't be watching Ferrari round Marina Bay next year.
