multi21

Although not a manufacturer, Williams has broken ranks with the FOTA and filed for the 2010 F1 WC. Could this be the crack the FIA is looking for?

FOTA suspends Williams
27 May 2009


The Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) has temporarily suspended the Williams team from its organisation after the English outfit became the first of the current constructors to submit its entry to the 2010 World Championship.



Team owner Sir Frank Williams
With more meetings taking place in London on Wednesday between FOTA and F1 governing body the FIA, Williams - by putting its entry forward - has already gone against the view of the association in that regulations should be modified to remove the £40m budget cap from next season onwards.

"FOTA's decision, although regrettable, is understandable," stated acceptant team owner Sir Frank Williams. "However, as a racing team and a company whose only business is Formula One, with obligations to our partners and our employees, submitting our entry to next year's championship was unquestionable.

"In addition, we are legally obliged under our contract with FOM (Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One Management, commercial rights holder to F1) and the FIA to participate in the World Championship until the end of 2012."

stuttgart46

That will make for some interesting looks from the others in Turkey.

ltc

Williams is having a good season so why not continue it forward to next (assuming they understand the rules package for next season).

Also, there are 2 other teams (who are not currently in FOTA) who have already filed papers for next season (one of which is the Andersen/Windsor US F1 team)...so Williams is not alone.

MTosi

Part of me wants F1 to do the same thing IRL/CART did so NASCAR can capitalize on it once again and take over the entire world. The French thought McDonald's was bad....

Flying Finn

There's not enough rednecks outside of US for NASCAR to become popular, bunch of same cars with different paint job going around circles is not what appeals to Europeans.

Besides, this is nothing, FOTA is little pissed for Williams for breaking out and signing for next season but it's understandable for them to do so but this is more to just show that they are serious.

Tweaking of the new rules and FIA & FOTA coming to agreement is very close, it won't be too long until we have an agreement and everything settled.
Up until the next "Bernie & Max moment" of course.

dmoffitt

you'd better be f-----g kidding

MTosi

The, "and the french though McDonalds was bad" didn't give it away? Although in all honestly I'd rather watch the F1 drivers race stock cars (no TC, handle like poop, 850hp +, low downforce, manuals) arounds the current circuits than the 2009 cars.

dmoffitt

nice ninja edit. heh

MTosi

?

I mistyped hp as 950 instead of 850 and didn't realize it until I went back and read it a few minutes later (hence it showing up as an edit).

dmoffitt

you also took out the bit that read ", maybe there would be some passing." - which is dumb, as we DO see passing... and if the FIA has their say re: budget caps we'll see more as the cars' limits will be lower no doubt (donno how I feel about it, the capitalist in me wants the pinnacle of motorsports to be allowed to go all out and out-spend each other too, but I'd also love 24-26 or even 28 car grids).

MTosi

Ohhh, your right on that one, I did think that was ninja quick and no one saw . I didn't want to start a debate about the level of passing this year. Compared to the prior few, yes there is a bit more, but compared to any real race series it's still pathetic. Just wait until everyone gets there fully done cheater diffuser installed. In the last few races it seems like the Red Bull is the only car anyone has been able to follow closely (no cheater diffuser).

dmoffitt

Did you WATCH Monaco? They had a double-diffuser and um.... well they made a joke about the "for once not a Truli train" LOL

MTosi

Yes and apparently I missed that, but with all that "excitment" and "passing" I was having trouble staying awake (literally).

Flying Finn

OK, your bull**** about how bad F1 is is r e a l l y getting old.
WhyTF do you watch F1 since it's so boring and bad when compared to "ANY REAL RACE SERIES"...

We get it already, you know everything and F1 & their drivers just suck.
Some people even think it's the pinnacle of motorsport and that those drivers are the best in the world but boy are they ever wrong, but you of course know the real pinnacle and best drivers are in Grand-Am and in NASCAR.

I mean seriously, since NASCAR & Grand-Am (and I'm sure any other US spec series there is) are "god" to you and the million passes they make in an oval (although none of them except the last one means something) is the only way to have a "real race series", not to mention when everything is "spec", why don't you just watch & get exited about them and quit bitching about F1, their drivers and how bad everything F1 is.

And why stop there, you know the REAL REAL race series is spec Miata. It might be slow as hell and the drives are club lever but it's very close racing so obviously it's great.
So, start watching that and don't bother with all those bad F1 drivers at all, OK?

MTosi

Good question as to why I still watch it, I've been asking myself that and it's more for nostalgia than entertainment.

In regards to comparison between series, I think they all suck. You should know by know I hate the idea of spec series, and the BS that goes on in NASCAR and Grand Am, but if I'm going to have to deal with ugly cars, and idiotic rules makers, I'll watch the one that has good racing. I have no extra love for NASCAR and GA, but blowing off those series as a joke while ignoring the fact the very same things go on in the "proper" race series is obnoxious.

The hollow shell many of the classic race series have turned into bothers me. If people keep watching (I'm guilty as charged) and following with blind loyalty they won't change. The state of motorsports in the world is pathetic, and IMO for the most part it has nothing to do with the economy.