The FIA ​​had warned FOTA

The waltz of press releases seems to be resuming its course between FIA, the governing body of world motorsport, and FOTA, the association of racing teams. Formula 1. On Wednesday, on the sidelines of the Formula 1 Grand Prix on the Nürburgring circuit, FIA and FOTA met for the future of the 2010 championship. But, having learned that they were not registered for next season, and that? They therefore did not have the right to speak, the FOTA member teams deserted the meeting. A situation that the FIA ​​wishes to clarify this Thursday.

The federation thus states in its press release that Luca di Montezemolo had been warned that only the five teams registered unconditionally for 2010 would be consulted on the modifications. “ Before this technical meeting, the president of the FIA ​​wrote twice to the president of FOTA to notify him that several amendments to the regulations for the 1 Formula 2010 world championship were going to be submitted for the unanimous approval of the five teams already registered for the next season, as the rules have been published. (?) Imagine the outcry if, after FOTA teams signed up, the world board changed the rules without asking them. (?) It follows that the agreement of the five teams registered for the 2010 championship is necessary for the change in regulations. »

This clarification from the FIA ​​therefore does not seem likely to lead to a new standoff. But the FOTA teams (the eight teams on the current field except Williams and Force India) could consider themselves wronged once again in this episode. The FIA's approach is, however, logical. The five teams registered without preconditions must accept the change in regulations, which FOTA now thought was acquired. Indeed, announced that they would be renewed in 2010, the eight “rebel” teams thought that their demands had been accepted en bloc. But, for the FOTA member teams, a new negotiation is taking place in the paddock.