F1 at risk of EC investigation

[CNR]

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=38463


Pitpass hears that the gaze of the European Commission may soon fall on F1 and, in particular, the selection process of the three new teams which are due to join the sport next year.
One of the rejected teams told Pitpass' business editor Chris Sylt that it is actively considering all options for redress including making a formal complaint to the EC.
One of the bones of contention is that the teams claim they were told by the FIA that for their entry to stand any chance of success they would have to use a Cosworth engine. This seems to be a case of commercial bias and when the charge was put to the FIA it didn't deny it but instead said that it "has always considered the availability of an independent supply of engines to the new Formula One entrants and the other independent teams to be a priority."
Whether the EC would rule that this is sufficient reason to justify demanding new entrants to use Cosworth engines remains to be seen, particularly given that in 2001 it said "the Commission has been assured that the FIA rules will never be enforced so as to prevent or impede a competition or the participation of a competitor, save for reasons inherently linked to FIA's regulatory role of maintaining safety standards."

[ioan]

About time they stick their nose in Mosley's kingdom.

[Saint Devote]

I would say that the FIA has considered the anti-capitalist European government enforcement regulations.

Taking on Mosely legally when he was head of MARCH was soemthing tricky because he never lost. I would say that a team which goes ahead and tries the FIA now is clearly not seeking a future in f1 anyway.

[AJP]

I would say that the FIA has considered the anti-capitalist European government enforcement regulations.

Taking on Mosely legally when he was head of MARCH was soemthing tricky because he never lost. I would say that a team which goes ahead and tries the FIA now is clearly not seeking a future in f1 anyway.

Why should a proposed team that has already invested money into a campaign to get into F1, whom has possibly penned a contract with an engine supplier, then find out they have to use a cosworth engine, be happy with this???

I would say that a team that takes on the FIA now is clearly seeking a future in F1.

[Saint Devote]

I agree if the conditions were changed then legal recourse may be sought - my point is that to involve government regulators that by their nature act against private interests, that is disingenuous.

The FIA is a sport regulating body, not part of government, and the team should rather use a legal firm and rely on a court outcome to decide the matter.

Trying to use government to ensure one's position cannot be positive towards a desired outcome.

[ioan]

I would say that the FIA has considered the anti-capitalist European government enforcement regulations.

Taking on Mosely legally when he was head of MARCH was soemthing tricky because he never lost. I would say that a team which goes ahead and tries the FIA now is clearly not seeking a future in f1 anyway.

To be honest the EU commission doesn't care who Mosley is, they will dish out a huge fine to the FIA if they find that the rules were broken. Than the team will go to court against the FIA and will ask for huge amounts of money as repairs for them being mistreated.

[Sleeper]

Mauro Sipsz of N.Technology has been making a lot of noise about taking the FIA to court over their handling of the new F1 entrants, my guess would be that this is the team in question.

[ClarkFan]

If they care to excercise common sense, the FIA has an easy answer for this problem. Allow all the teams to enter (if they pass safety minimums) and require any team that does not score points in 2009 to participate in pre-qualifying on Fridays to get down to 26 cars for full practice and qualifying. Problem solved, new teams accomodated and may the fastest cars (relatively speaking) race.

ClarkFan

[Bagwan]

The teams who lost out because of not having a Cosworth engine deal have a right to be angry .
The teams who signed on with Cosworth have lost out as well because they won't be running the 20,000 revs they were promised , so they have as much reason to be angry . Reportedly , the engine is a dog .

I want to hear how both candidates for the election would fix this issue .

[inimitablestoo]

If they care to excercise common sense, the FIA has an easy answer for this problem. Allow all the teams to enter (if they pass safety minimums) and require any team that does not score points in 2009 to participate in pre-qualifying on Fridays to get down to 26 cars for full practice and qualifying. Problem solved, new teams accomodated and may the fastest cars (relatively speaking) race.I'd love to see an open entry list and the return of pre-qualifying, or some equivalent, if necessary. Chances are that if you allowed everyone who'd shown an interest to enter, some of them wouldn't materialise anyway, but as someone who can (just about) remember the days of 30+ cars in Max's early tenure, it'd be nice to think he'd leave us a legacy of a return to those days.

Won't happen of course, but Ari Vatanen's used to large entry lists from his rally days. He could sort it out...