Home
News
In Focus
Business
Metro
Nation
World
Sports
Feature
Opinion
View more »Opinion Columns
Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
Restaurants get off to a quick start thanks to game-changing policies
High service charges on event ticket refunds call for further regulation
Sunday
- Subscribe
Related News
Home » Sports » Motor Racing
F1 teams seek deal tospice up race
Source: Agencies |
June 26, 2009, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
FORMULA One could soon have a new commercial deal to make races more entertaining, team bosses said yesterday after winning their first battle over the immediate future of the sport.
The Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) had threatened a breakaway series in a long-running row with International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Max Mosley over a budget cap, but an agreement on Wednesday ended the crisis. A new deal has yet to be signed with commercial rights holder CVC, represented by Bernie Ecclestone, but an agreement is close with Renault boss Flavio Briatore in charge of spicing up the already glamorous sport.
"Flavio will be busy working with the commercial rights holder to improve the show of the sport, we hope we can find agreement with CVC in the coming days," Ferrari president and FOTA head Luca di Montezemolo said.
The teams feel empowered after largely achieving their aims on Wednesday in Paris, where the budget cap was dropped and Mosley said he would retire in October.
This year's rules will remain in place next season but costs will still be cut to the level of the 1990s.
FOTA members think the fresh start and ideas they came up with when pondering a breakaway can bring fans closer to the sport.
Teams have criticized the lack of supporters at new tracks like Istanbul and believe fans are best served by traditionally exciting races at the likes of Spa in Belgium.
"What we want is a Formula One and in the end we achieved that. We want to work for a better show, better entertainment," Briatore said after a FOTA meeting which was originally called to plan the breakaway series.
"Even if the likes of Turkey are paying more money, we would rather have stadia that are full," Briatore said.
"It is better for the spirit of the sport. We want stands full of fans. There is no point spending all that money on an empty cathedral. We need to talk about sport again. After many years of president Max Mosley, we want to wish him a good retirement," he added pointedly.
Ignored suggestions
McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh said the FIA had largely ignored team suggestions for changes following a fans' survey and he hoped that now they could push their ideas through.
"There is no singular point. It's listening to what the audience wants and making sure we respond to it," he said.
Despite the fledgling FOTA group showing its combined muscle in negotiations, the teams want to leave Mosley's replacement up to the FIA.
"The federation is an independent body with its own constitution it's their business who they appoint as president. From the teams' point of view we'd like someone independent... independent of any of the teams," Toyota's John Howett said.
The Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) had threatened a breakaway series in a long-running row with International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Max Mosley over a budget cap, but an agreement on Wednesday ended the crisis. A new deal has yet to be signed with commercial rights holder CVC, represented by Bernie Ecclestone, but an agreement is close with Renault boss Flavio Briatore in charge of spicing up the already glamorous sport.
"Flavio will be busy working with the commercial rights holder to improve the show of the sport, we hope we can find agreement with CVC in the coming days," Ferrari president and FOTA head Luca di Montezemolo said.
The teams feel empowered after largely achieving their aims on Wednesday in Paris, where the budget cap was dropped and Mosley said he would retire in October.
This year's rules will remain in place next season but costs will still be cut to the level of the 1990s.
FOTA members think the fresh start and ideas they came up with when pondering a breakaway can bring fans closer to the sport.
Teams have criticized the lack of supporters at new tracks like Istanbul and believe fans are best served by traditionally exciting races at the likes of Spa in Belgium.
"What we want is a Formula One and in the end we achieved that. We want to work for a better show, better entertainment," Briatore said after a FOTA meeting which was originally called to plan the breakaway series.
"Even if the likes of Turkey are paying more money, we would rather have stadia that are full," Briatore said.
"It is better for the spirit of the sport. We want stands full of fans. There is no point spending all that money on an empty cathedral. We need to talk about sport again. After many years of president Max Mosley, we want to wish him a good retirement," he added pointedly.
Ignored suggestions
McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh said the FIA had largely ignored team suggestions for changes following a fans' survey and he hoped that now they could push their ideas through.
"There is no singular point. It's listening to what the audience wants and making sure we respond to it," he said.
Despite the fledgling FOTA group showing its combined muscle in negotiations, the teams want to leave Mosley's replacement up to the FIA.
"The federation is an independent body with its own constitution it's their business who they appoint as president. From the teams' point of view we'd like someone independent... independent of any of the teams," Toyota's John Howett said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
