Champions Red Bull Racing and Ferrari have withdrawn from the Formula One Teams’ Association (FOTA) over disagreements with the Resource Restriction Agreement (RRA), which is about cost cutting in the sport. Despite this latest development, both teams insist that they are committed to finding a solution.
“Red Bull Racing can confirm it has served notice to withdraw from FOTA. The team will remain committed to finding a solution regarding cost saving in Formula 1,” RBR’s statement read.
“It was a difficult decision and a great deal of thought went into it. It was taken reluctantly after analysing the current situation and the stalemate when it came to debate on some issues that were at the core of why the association was formed,” Ferrari said.
“Some of the major achievements of the association during these years…centred around cost reduction, which was of significant benefit to everyone, the big teams and the small ones. Now however, it is necessary to find some new impetus to move it along because FOTA’s drive has run its course, despite the excellent work of current President, Martin Whitmarsh.
“Ferrari will continue to work with the other teams to make the current RRA, aimed at controlling costs, more effective and efficient, modifying it to make it more stringent in key areas such as aerodynamics, to rebalance some aspects such as testing and to expand it to areas currently not covered such as engines,” added the statement.
Still in the dark? This final parting shot should make it clear. “We must return to a situation where F1 is really a test bed for advanced technological research, the results of which can be transferred to Granturismo cars,” the supercar maker said.
“In addition, we must not forget that this sport must become more user friendly and more accessible to the general public and furthermore, it cannot be the only professional sport where it is practically impossible to do any training: the number of days of testing must be increased so that the drivers, especially the young ones who lack experience and the teams, can be adequately prepared, as well as providing more opportunities for them to come into contact with spectators and sponsors.”
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Protong looking for buyers and yet still pour so much to F1…dont tell me there is no abuse of $$ spent here to dry the company $$ to someone’s pocket or some party’s pocket..
There should be more testing allowed. Good for the rookies too.
Their idea to limit the dominant team’s performance. Remember the years when Michael Shumacher and Ferrari were Kings? And after that a law was passed to limit Ferrari’s winning ways. Same idea now. Cost = money = performance. More cost involved = more performance. Less cost involved = less performance but better playing field. Might as well watch a touring car race now. Sniff sniff.
Cut the drivers’ salary, I’m sure they’re paid A LOT…that will save them a HEAP of money…..
Come on, be realistic, nothing is cheap about Formula 1, technology such as KERS, designing new engines in preparation for new regulations, upgrading parts; cost a lot of money….
Wanna save money, be like NASCAR (I don’t mean race in circles), where everything is way simpler, in fact, minimum number of staff, low tech, example;NASCAR have only recently move on to using fuel injectors instead of carburetors….etc2….
It already exist -> F2
Nascar is not the best example though I understand what your’re getting at. Nascar is not ‘cheap’. Although there is heavy restriction in the configuration of the engines and aero etc, teams are spending money in other areas of technology. The engineering in nascar is not ‘low tech’, given the very restrictive rules they work with.
A better example is same spec single seater series like GP2, A1GP etc. though there isn’t much that teams are allowed to do to engineer the cars. Better example may possibly still be Le Mans. I think there is a better balance there for cost controlling and innovation.
More Regulations = A1GP = Total Failure. Just saying.