Formula 1 News

FIA-FOTA dispute goes on 

FOTA teams walk out of FIA meeting

The members of the FOTA (Formula One Teams’ Association) had a meeting earlier today at the Nurburgring with FIA representatives to discuss the 2010 F1 Sporting and Technical Regulations.

However, the meeting ended prematurely as the FOTA members walked out of the meeting after being informed by Charlie Whiting that, contrary to previous agreements, FOTA teams ‘are not currently entered into the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship and have no voting rights in relation to the technical and sporting regulations‘.

“Following the decision of the World Council on 24 June to revert to the pre-29 April version of the 2010 F1 Sporting and Technical Regulations, the FIA today met the teams which have entered the 2010 Championship to seek their agreement to these changes,” said an FIA statement. “All changes have now been agreed subject only to the maintenance of the minimum weight at 620 kg and the signing of a legally binding agreement between all the teams competing in 2010 to reduce costs to the level of the early 1990s within two years, as promised by the FOTA representative in Paris on 24 June. The eight FOTA teams were invited to attend the meeting to discuss their further proposals for 2010. Unfortunately no discussion was possible because FOTA walked out of the meeting.”

“During the course of this meeting, the team managers were informed by Mr Charlie Whiting of the FIA that, contrary to previous agreements, the eight FOTA teams are not currently entered into the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship and have no voting rights in relation to the technical and sporting regulations thereof,” said FOTA in a press release.

“It will be remembered that all eight active FOTA members were included on the ‘accepted’ entry list as endorsed by the FIA World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) and communicated by FIA press statement on June 24.”

“In light of these claims, the FOTA representatives requested a postponement of today’s meetings. This was rejected on the grounds that no new Concorde Agreement would be permitted before a unanimous approval of the 2010 regulations was achieved.”

“However, it is clear to the FOTA teams that the basis of the 2010 technical and sporting regulations was already established in Paris.”

“As endorsed by the WMSC and clearly stated in the FIA press statement of 24 June ‘the rules for 2010 onwards will be the 2009 regulations as well as further regulations agreed prior to 29 April 2009′. At no point in the Paris discussions was any requirement for unanimous agreement on regulations change expressed. To subsequently go against the will of the WMSC and the detail of the Paris agreement puts the future of Formula 1 in jeopardy.”

“As a result of these statements, the FOTA representatives at the subsequent Technical Working Group were not able to exercise their rights and therefore had no option other than to terminate their participation.”

“The FOTA members undertook the Paris agreement and the subsequent discussions in good faith and with a desire to engage with all new and existing teams on the future of Formula One.”