Breakaway series is go!

As far as circuits go if it is a breakaway series they will not care if it is up to current FIA F1 quality as long as it is safe enough.
At least for a year or two they probably will not demand the lavish garages they currently have, as long as they better than tents.
In other words circuits that hold LMS or ALMS races, A1GP or even DTM as examples. Why not 2 or even 3 races in the US. Argentina and Mexico are good possibilities as is South Africa. Maybe New Zealand. Bring back Imola.
Zandvroot.
Tracks can be found and if a track can get a confirmed deal for 3 to 5 years, or longer, the money can probably be found to have adequate garages and pits and press facilities etc. If they make money then better facilities can be built.
In addition to Mtl., maybe Toronto would drop IRL in favour of a second FOTA race, or if Mtl. goes with FIA a competing race. I don't think the Quebec/Mtl. people will commit to anything until they see how this plays out. I would love to see Mosport return and there is room for a garage pit complex but the track would be scary fast. Current F1 safety rules do not have to apply as long as it has adequate safety. ALMS runs at Mosport.
However both Mtl. and the return of Indy with FOTA would be likely.
What is needed is thinking outside the box.
There is no need for todays convoluted qualifying and fuel restrictions. Why 2 tire compounds that must be used. Throw that one out. As long as there is only one tire Co. (and that does not need to be) have two or three compounds that the teams can use as they see fit. Real strategy and real racing, maybe.
I can dream can't I?

Bernie has indeed been very quiet recently. And if rumours are to be believed fell out with Max over the whole Nazi sex scandal. So I wouldn't at all be surprised if a new series is established that Bernie will be running it!

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Originally Posted by Knock-on

I think you may be in for a surprise ioan old son.

You have 3 distinct camps in F1. FOM, FIA and FOTA.

I have long predicted that this split is going to happen and my guess is this:

Bernie will be part of the FOTA breakaway series. He is also the commercial rights holder to the name GP1.

Why would he get mixed up with a rival series to F1? Where's Markability when you need hem. Money and Power

Lets admit that Bernie is a master at establishing, promoting and running a racing series. Love him or hate him, he has created the modern F1 with Max.

However, he has seen his power over Max wane as the jumped up little Hitler has begun to overshadow him.

Then we have the sale for $squillions$ to CVC where Bernie only has a minority stake in FOM which is reputed to be in the name of he estranged wife.

Now, if he chucked in with FOCA, he would be able to re-establish his control over the series. GP2 could become a feeder series to GP1 and because CVC wouldn't be involved, money could be re-invested back into the sport and teams.

Then we have the teams. They know they need someone to promot6e and run the series and they know Bernie of old. If they can negiotiate a attractive contract, it would be a no brainer to have him as the series figurehead. His new title; GP1 Supremo.

I would be very surprised if Bernie hasn't got a finger in this pie ;)

But as I say, it's only a guess.

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FOTA were reported to have got in contact with the MotoGP promoter to help them set up the new series. Why would they need Bernie?

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Originally Posted by ioan

It says the major ones, not all of them.

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That's true, but they are likely to have contracts with Bernie/CVC/FOM aren't they, and yet FOTA say they "will all feature in this new series".

Not so long ago Bernie said "Apart from my contracts with teams, if somebody went to any of our contracted people...we would view it very seriously. That would be inducement to breach contracts and I don't do that myself, so I won't stand back and let it happen. Any action could run to hundreds of millions of pounds, who knows how much?"

Now maybe - pure speculation of course - Bernie's view has shifted (wouldn't be a first!) because it's hard to imagine FOTA going ahead with this knowing they faced lawsuits amounting to "hundreds of millions of pounds".

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Originally Posted by ioan

More exactly they survived another 3 years and are collapsing in the 4th, nothing to brag about IMO.
Not to forget that back than they had Ferrari on their side, now they only have WIlliams and FI, both together have maybe 5% of the Ferrari fan base!

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i meant back when Max and Bernie were the teams fighting against Balestre, that was messy and the sport recovered and flourished. i think those 2 clowns forget where they came from

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Originally Posted by ioan

FOTA were reported to have got in contact with the MotoGP promoter to help them set up the new series. Why would they need Bernie?

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I prefer Dorna to Bernie as well. Bernie is as bad as Max. Look all the stupid places F1 is visiting instead of A1, Imola... check the butchered tracks, Hockenheim, even Spa. Both Bernie and Max can go to hell.

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Originally Posted by Mark

The BBC would rather go with the most popular series. But there is the small matter of contracts to consider.

Now I'm sure the BBC can argue that the FIA has broken its contract and the F1 series of 2010 is not the same as the one the signed up to, but it would be an expensive struggle.

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Why wouldnt BBC be able to show "f1" and the FOTA series at the same time? Provided they are in different timeslots of course.

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Originally Posted by ArrowsFA1

That's true, but they are likely to have contracts with Bernie/CVC/FOM aren't they, and yet FOTA say they "will all feature in this new series".

Not so long ago Bernie said "Apart from my contracts with teams, if somebody went to any of our contracted people...we would view it very seriously. That would be inducement to breach contracts and I don't do that myself, so I won't stand back and let it happen. Any action could run to hundreds of millions of pounds, who knows how much?"

Now maybe - pure speculation of course - Bernie's view has shifted (wouldn't be a first!) because it's hard to imagine FOTA going ahead with this knowing they faced lawsuits amounting to "hundreds of millions of pounds".

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What was Bernie talking about there? What "contracted people" of his?

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Originally Posted by Knock-on

You have 3 distinct camps in F1. FOM, FIA and FOTA.

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Exactly, and while one of those could not continue alone, any two from three working together could run a series.

Perhaps - pure speculation again - Bernie is seeing this as an opportunity to cut Max out of the picture. Remember it was Bernie who orignially grouped F1 teams together under the FOCA umbrella in order to have more influence in the sport. It worked back in the 1980's (with the help of Max) and perhaps Bernie sees something of FOCA in FOTA :crazy:

They share 3 letters if nothing else