F1 » Ferrari vows to quit over budget cap

Having been a fan of all kinds of motorsport over 40 years, it's interesting to note that when things aren't going well at Ferrari they start making threats to quit. Many years ago Senna made a similar threat,FIA said OK goodbye, because the sport is bigger than one person. That also applies here, if Ferrari want to go because they don't like the proposed rules that others have already agreed to, bye,bye. If the recession is hitting those who supply money to the sport, the teams will have no choice anyway. New teams have always sprung up, as we understand between 4 and 6 are already on the sidelines waiting, and will hopefully join in 2010 because they like the new rules!

Why are people talking like Max knows what he is doing and it is the dissenting teams who "can't win except by spending more than anyone else"? Max has dreamt up a figure from somewhere and not done any sort of consultation with the teams.

Why do people think Ferrari has an unfair advantage if there is no budget cap? Ferrari need sponsors just like everyone else. Its pockets are no deeper than Toyota's or Honda's. Honda poured plenty of money into what is now Brawn.

Budgets wouldn't be an issue if the proceeds of F1 went back into the teams and tracks that deserve it instead of more than half the revenue going to Bernie Ecclestone and FOM.

Here s to the new wave of F1. Let the vulgar irresponsible spenders out the door and lets have intelligent streamlined race teams in their place. Let the manufacturers throw the toys out of the pram.

Alan D, Brawn GP didn't get anything aside from a mercedes engine....... don't be so complecent. Mercedes have an awesome engine, but Brawn have used it better, with Brawns knowledge. Its all about who is the best driver, and Jenson is clearely better this season. Lewis was not the best last season, but was awsome and should have won the world championship should be won by the driver who kicks the mist ass. Go Jenson and Lewis

Lots of people here spouting quick and easy answers supporting a budget cap. If you like watching Lotus cars with Cosworth power, go watch a vintage race. The era of $50k F1 cars is over. Get over it.

The simple fact is that a budget cap, in any amount, is unenforceable. I a team is inclined to (heaven forbid) cheat, there is little liklihood that the perv, the dwarf, or the FIA can prove that the budget cap has been exceeded. The only enforceable requirements are measurable technical requirements.

My next two posts will include accounting and covert wind tunnel testing. I'm sure that many of you can think of other ways of avoiding detection of above-the-cap spending.

Ferrari should have issued a quit threat for the difuser issue. Brawn are clearly cheating, it's not a mere work-around.

keech998 - did you just fall off the turnip truck? Brawn got a fully developed car and money to run the team from Honda. They also were allowed to run the diffuser that the majority of teams believed to be illegal. If you think that Jenson all of the sudden woke up on January 1 and went from almost the worst to the best without any help from a better car you should stick with Nascar.

The perv and his buds would need a team of accountants to review each F1 teams' records to verify the total spent and correlate expenditures to car enhancements. Forensic accountants would need to look for hidden F1-related expenditures in the team owner's non-F1 business records. I don't think automobile manufacturers would allow access to all corporate records - especially advanced development records for future models. A privateer with deep pockets could mount a covert R&D program in a foreign high tech company. This has grown beyond 2 posts - next cost considerations.

@ Mark

You shud NEVER contradict any Keech comments ... within 5mins there will miraculously be 40 000 people that log on to agree with him & similarly disagree with anything you say.

Its amazing to watch ...

But I know you're 100% right.

Several years back, nearly all Initial Public Offerings (stock sales) for startup compainies occurred in the US. Then came the Sarbanes-Oxley bill out of congress which levied extensive accounting requirements on IPOs by startup companies. The unexpected problem was that most startups couldn't afford the $5million required to accomplish this accounting enema. So now, most IPOs occur in merrie olde England. This a great example of the law of unintended consequences. The point is that the cost of policing the budget cap will be significant and no one, especially the perv, can predict the impact of these costs on F1 racing.