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#1 - wild
Teams to launch Breakaway series
Quote :The Formula One Teams' Association announced on Thursday night that it is setting up a breakaway championship next year, after stating that it could not accept the FIA's terms to race in F1

Full Article:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/76292
Correct me if I am wrong, but wouldn't something like this give every driver a get out clause for their contracts? So if they didn't agree with FOTA, they could sign for another team. I can't see a driver like Hamilton agreeing to race in anything other than F1.
#3 - 5haz
Ohhh shit, this is bad.
Playing their final hand. This still isn't over.

The repercussions of this could be very interesting. I would say 80% of high level single seater racers are there because of F1. If the breakaway series isn't successful and F1 goes down the pan your going to see a major shift in the whole of motorsport.

I still have my doubts whether this is full on real or FOTA just trying to flex it's muscles.
Surely has to be a bluff; there's no way they could set anything up before 2010.
Quote from Mp3 Astra :Surely has to be a bluff; there's no way they could set anything up before 2010.

Well the FIA would get a total lockdown on marshalls etc... threatening to withdraw licences etc... They do this already so it will eb interesting to see how that all pans out.
It might only now start to get really ugly. :eek:
#8 - 5haz
Stranger things have happened.

Obviosly a breakaway will cause no end of complications, but I think its worth it just to get to see Max and Bernie with a lot of egg on their faces.

Bastards have taken the piss for too long, perhaps this time as its a case of just about the entire grid against them, they will not hang on to their power.
Here we go again...

Acrimony, civil war, backstabbing.
oh and the BBC.... 150million doh! I am hoping that contract was conditional or we are going to have quite a few unhappy licence payers

... and what about Donington.... lol

seeing will be believing however Max is at Silverstone tomorrow for some last minute meetings. No doubt if it does happen the FOTA teams will have enough room in the regulation to be much quicker than the FIA F1 cars
The BBC already have F1, and they could easily arrange to cover GP1 (or whatever it might be called). The drivers would want to race in the championship that is closest to the F1 we know now, which would be the one without Max and Bernie, and without the budget cap or medal systems, or anything silly like that.

The FIA should worry - without the teams and drivers, F1 has nothing. And I don't think some jumped up F3 teams racing under the F1 name will be appealling. Surely everyone would want to watch the series with McLaren, Ferrari, Williams, and all the history of F1 racing... Okay, so maybe not Williams

But I also don't think this will happen. There won't be two series next year. But I don't expect FOTA to lose!
Quote from tristancliffe :The BBC already have F1, and they could easily arrange to cover GP1 (or whatever it might be called).

Well my point was more directed at the ineffectiveness of the BBC at the licence payers expense. I dont think licence payers would want to pay out AGAIN to watch GP1 or whatever. If this happens it's going too Sky no doubt.
Quote from tristancliffe :F1 has nothing

But the FIA version will have those four important words: Formula One World Championship
#14 - 5haz
Are the four important words more important than Ferrari?
Why would anyone have to pay out? The 'New F1' wouldn't want it on a purely pay-to-view service like Sky. Maybe ITV would want it back? But I think New F1 would just do a no-money deal for the BBC to cover their championship.

Besides, don't fall for that licence payers expense crap. Just imagine how shit TV would be if it was 100% commercial!

I don't see those words being important at all. I would have been watching F1 for 20 years even if had been called Custard Freaks Racing, as long as the spectacle is there. And part of the spectacle is the established teams, the history, and the upsetting of the apple cart. F1 may well continue with the new Lotus teams that is in effect three men in a shed that can't even do well in F3. But F1 will continue under a different name, if the breakaway actually happens.

It'll be the best thing to happen to F1 for at least 10 years.
Quote from tristancliffe :Besides, don't fall for that licence payers expense crap. Just imagine how shit TV would be if it was 100% commercial!

Eastenders is awesome as well as Bargain Hunt wwooohoooooo
It's not over until the spanked man sings.

It will be very tough to arrange a new championship in just six months, but I guess FOTA has the strings to pull for that. FOTA will just need to steer clear of the contracted F1 tracks.

The remaining question is the legal battle between Ferrari and Red Bull on one side of the bar, and CVC and FIA on the other. Mosley insists that Ferrari and RBR are contractually obliged to compete, while Ferrari insists the contract has been voided. Even if the legal battle is lost by Ferrari and RBR, it probably won't dint their intention to compete in a break-away series.

Quote from ATC Quicksilver :I can't see a driver like Hamilton agreeing to race in anything other than F1.

Hamilton has already expressed his exasperation at the politics of F1. If there is a racing series of similar standards and less politics, I think he will step away from F1 and do the alternate series.
Drivers follow the money! The few paid seats that are available in motorsport fund the motivation for quite a large chunk of motor racing.
Quote from Intrepid :Drivers follow the money! The few paid seats that are available in motorsport fund the motivation for quite a large chunk of motor racing.

Ding dong!
Quote from 5haz :Are the four important words more important than Ferrari?

Yes.

Quote from tristancliffe :I don't see those words being important at all. I would have been watching F1 for 20 years even if had been called Custard Freaks Racing, as long as the spectacle is there.

Indeed, you're HC fan. I think that way too. But average fan or average viewer thinks differently. Those four words are heavy. Grand Prixes might be still Grand Prixes in the new series, but that series will never have F1 World Champions.

Quote :And part of the spectacle is the established teams, the history, and the upsetting of the apple cart.

How can the new series that does not exist yet have history?

Quote :It'll be the best thing to happen to F1 for at least 10 years.

Time to judge that in 2019. Hopefully situation is better than in the American open-wheel world. IF it happens.
I would like to add that the major kart manufacturers boycotted the FIA CIK European Karting Championships because of annoyance at the CIK (which is an arm of the FIA). Even though they still support FIA sanctioned championships the growing level of unease has been echoed throughout the whole spectrum. WTCC and WRC other examples.

If this does happen with FOTA the effects it will have on the wider motorsport system will be as if not more interesting.
A breakaway series would be doomed to failure, simply because it won't be the Formula One World Championship. It won't have the history and prestige, it will just be a group of car manufacturers showing off in an attempt to make you buy their product. That's if they can organise a set of rules that they all agree on, can retain their staff and drivers, find tracks to race on, agree a TV coverage deal and then promote the races, all within a year.

I agree with most people in this thread, it has to be a bluff.

EDIT: My point about Hamilton is that he is one of those drivers that grew up dreaming of being the Formula One World Champion, he knows what that means, it's not just about being in the fastest cars built by the biggest teams, or earning the most money, it's sharing the history of F1 with his heroes. Senna was the Formula One World Champion, Hamilton won't follow Mclaren if it means giving up on his dream, especially with the way they have treated him recently, remember that they almost made him quit F1 and it was Max who had to talk him out of it.
Quote from ATC Quicksilver :A breakaway series would be doomed to failure, simply because it won't be the Formula One World Championship. It won't have the history and prestige, it will just be a group of car manufacturers showing off in an attempt to make you buy their product. That's if they can organise a set of rules that they all agree on, can retain their staff and drivers, find tracks to race on, agree a TV coverage deal and then promote the races, all within a year.

I agree with most people in this thread, it has to be a bluff.

It may well be a bluff but it's not doomed to failure.

OK karting isn't as big commercially but still very comparable in regard to F1.

For many years the two main championships have been the FIA CIK European and World Karitng Championships. The Worlds especially as they are 1 of only 4 officially sanctioned world championships. WTCC, F1 and WRC being the other three

HOWEVER a couple years ago a new championship was formed called the WSK. It was FIA sanctioned but it promised better organisation, greater coverage, and better organisation. Similar to what FOTA are proposing.

Even though the Euro's and World's are steeped in history (Senna/Wilson/Fullerton etc...) the success of the rival WSK series has been immense. If the teams and drivers are behind it rival series can become a success. However what is clear both can't be successful.

The Euro's has certainly suffered, but the World Championship still just holds it prestige.... but for how long?

Sorry for the karting reference for those who don't understand what i'm talking about

If FOTA follow through you never know it might just work
#24 - MR_B
Quote from 5haz :are the four important words more important than ferrari?

yes
#25 - 5haz
It'll certainly be messy at best.

Perhaps sometimes people spend too much time looking back and being all nostalgic over things like F1 and all its history, and not making history today, thats human nature though I guess.

If the split does go ahead, history will be made, hopefully it will be remembered as the day that Max and Bernie's empire began to crumble.

Teams to launch Breakaway series
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