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Domenicali: Crisis to make F1 strongest ever |
Formula 1 will weather the current financial crisis and come out of it 'stronger than it ever was' – that is the opinion of Stefano Domenicali, with Ferrari having insisted that there will be no 'radical decision' when it comes to making possible redundancies over the coming months.
All teams in the top flight are having to make significant cuts in order to reduce expenditure to the level stipulated by the FIA over the upcoming two years, in an effort to bring costs back under control in a sport in which they have escalated to a dangerous level, particularly in the light of the global economic climate at the moment.
Domenicali, however, is confident that in collaboration with the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA), the governing body's approach is the right one to be taking.
“We're optimistic even in this difficult period for the whole system,” the
Scuderia's team principal affirmed. “I'm convinced that when we manage to pass this critical situation Formula 1 will be stronger than it ever was.
“Ferrari stands in the front row to save Formula 1's scope; I think that under Luca di Montezemolo's presidency there has been a strong input as far as the future is concerned. The goals, the structures and the teams' realities are different, but we're all working for the good of all – that is why the teams are very united, which is a new element in this sport, considering that we are in a very particular period.
“Nobody wants to oppose the FIA, but there is a constructive logic, where everybody wants to have a strong and constructive voice, because we live Formula 1. In 2009 we've seen the impulse given by the teams and we could immediately find an agreement, which is very important. We're just at the beginning, and together with the technical development we're working every day on also improving the political aspects of Formula 1.
“What this sport needs now is great stability and to make clear which direction and future programmes it will take, because those who invest in Formula 1 need to know where Formula 1 is heading. We have sponsors, who have been with us for a long time and who believe in racing. 2009 will be a dense year in terms of sport and politics.
“[The cuts are] different for every team. We're working with FOTA to determine if and how much we can reduce the costs. At best we can talk about percentages, because the organisational evaluations are different for the teams.
“It is clear the aim must be to do it in a way where it doesn't affect us from a technical point-of-view. Formula 1's re-organisation must not touch the technological part but, as in our case, has to relate more to a contribution to production vehicles. The excesses of the past years have to be cut; now we have to understand how.”
