FIA – Ferrari at loggerheads over budget cap
May 3rd, 2009 by AJ
- Image by IJsselstein via Flickr
The FIA president Max Mosley recent proposed a budget cap for Formula 1 teams once again to reduce costs in F1. This time though, he proposed an increased cap of £40m starting from the 2010 season. In return, those who implement the cap will get greater technical freedom (Movable wings, engines not subject to rev limits) and unlimited off season testing.
Those who do not go with the budget cap will have no fixed penalties but will have their fate decided by the FIA depending how much much over the budget cap they spend (IMO, a very arbitrary sounding process)
The teams at the lower end of the performance spectrum have all welcomed this proposal, and are even supported by the current season leaders Brawn GP and Jenson Button.
However, former multiple driver and constructor champs Ferrari have voiced their opposition to this proposal saying that the budget cap is fundamentally unfair (Ferrari president, Luca di Montezemolo)
Max Moseley’s response to this
“The sport could survive without Ferrari,” he said. “It would be very sad. It is the Italian national team.”
Further:
He added: “I hope and think that when a team goes to its board and says, ‘I want to go to war with the FIA, because I want to be able to spend £100m more than the FIA want me to spend,’ then the board will say, ‘why can’t you spend £40m if the other teams can do it?’”
(via BBC Sport)
The budget cap proposal will be discussed and considered by the Formula 1 teams association (FOTA) on
Personally, I got interested in Formula 1 because of Ferrari and Michael Schumacher. I love the team and would be completely disappointed if they should part ways with the sport. While I can understand the need to reduce costs in these recessionary times, making such confrontational statements is not good for the sport either
Note:
The budget cap does not cover
- Marketing and hospitality;
- Remuneration for test or race drivers, including any young driver programmes;
- Fines or penalties imposed by the FIA;
- Engine costs (for 2010 only);
- Any expenditure which the team can demonstrate has no influence on its performance in the Championship;
- Dividends (including any tax thereon) paid from profits relating to participation in the Championship.
(via Formula1.com)
