The End of Formula One As We Know It?
The negotiations have come to the final straw and things don’t look good. FOTA and the FIA cannot agree. Is this the end of Formula One as we know it? Yes, it probably is.
The brawl to end them all is coming to an end in F1. Max Mosley is trying to force new draconian rules and regulations upon the teams. The teams, in turn, have finally had enough of his antics and have announced they will form another series. All that appears to be left is the screaming, yelling and lawsuits.
So, what does all this mean? Formula One will continue, but as a ghost of its former glorious self. No Ferrari. No McLaren. No BMW. Not even Red Bull. The only current teams that will race in Formula One will be Williams and Force India. In turn, the big eight teams will be forming another series. They are interested in bringing in other teams, but it is currently unclear how this will play out.
Everyone is bringing up the split in American open wheel racing, but this split is different. F1 has been taking the wrong track for a few years. The circuit has become far too political. Perhaps more damning, the championship has left some of the iconic tracks of Formula One to start racing in boring spots like Singapore. How lost is Formula One? There is only one race in the Americas – Brazil.
Formula One can continue in this direction while the new FOTA series returns to the more traditional circuits. There is an audience for both. Many of us prefer to see racing on the great European tracks. We’re tired of the threats of the loss of the British Grand Prix, the loss of France and so on. Heck, let’s bring back the Neurbering!
The split in Formula One is not a done deal. Many are saying the ball is in Mosley’s court, but this is incorrect. The true power in F1 is Bernie Ecclestone. The ball is now in his court and the situation is clear. Max must go and he must go now. Will Bernie do it? Yes, he has to. If he doesn’t, the final nail will be in the coffin. How many people will come watch Force India and Williams duke it out for the win at Monaco? Not very many. In fact, none. Bernie knows this and he’ll step in to save the situation. If he doesn’t, the split is inevitable.
Lemmy