What do the sponsors do now ?

[grandprixdiary]

Here's a question. BAR are obviously out of the Monaco GP for some fuel tank thing which I still don't understand, nor do I want to - but Monaco is THE event that all of the teams sponsors will want to go to, so will BAR be able to put up their motorhome for these poor people or are they banned from the paddock as well ? If thats the case, then Honda's yacht is going to be getting a bit crowded.

Just wondering..

Rob

PS: Mr Fry, should you be reading this in this quiet time for you - I'll have some of Mr McNally's Paddock Club Passes off you, will pay up to £100 ? Come on - you don't need them !

[Super Tourer]

Last comment I read was that BAR were 'negotiating' for a presence at Monaco, to accomodate their 250 already invited guests!

[grandprixdiary]

Having been to Monaco a few times, I thinks its fair to say that a lot of guests don't give a monkeys about who's doing what on the track, its all about being there with a decent bit of hospitality - imagine how upset they are going to be at missing out. As for BAR negotiating for a presence, given the fact that Max has threatened Mr Fry with a further smacking for his comments, then I think its safe to assume they won't get far. David Richards must be laughing his socks off at all this nonsense !

Rob

[johnh875]

Why couldn't the sponsors go anyway? They would have more time to enjoy more glasses of hospitality without the distraction of actually having to pay attention to what is going on.

[grandprixdiary]

But if BAR can't put up their motorhomes then where do they eat and drink (and without paying for it) ? All the decent restaurants (and there aren't that many) will have been booked for yonks, and apart from plonking yer backside in a grandstand seat then thats it. If BAR have had their paddock access taken away then I'm not sure that these people could even get into the Paddock Club. Poor lambs....

[ActiveMS]

I thought they were only banned from competing. They are still entered in the 2005 championship, so I would have thought they could provide hospitality at Monaco even if their cars are not there.

No doubt it has already been paid for in terms of planes, tickets, local supplies...... so they may as well pitch their motorhome and have a relaxing weekend people watching.

[ASCII Man]

Well, if BAR can't accomodate their guests then I'm sure Redbull Racing would lend some leftover space for those poor filthy rich VIP's in their exorbitantly sized hospitality unit...

[Dixie Flatline]

Nick Fry was going to negotiate something with the owners of the Paddock Club to accommodate the sponsors of BAR-Honda, I'm fairly sure I read somewhere online.

[Born Racer]

Where in the rules does is state such a situation that allows for teams being exempt for having to run a third card in Monaco?

[grandprixdiary]

Don't understand the question, but if you are asking why we are not seeing third cars for the race (as we have dipped under 20) then that rule only comes in if the season starts with less than 20 cars. As Bernie said - you cannot all of a sudden ask teams to provide three race cars, even though in the case of Ferrari, McLaren and Renault it would not be a problem - all they would argue over is who would pay the costs, and as an F1 meeting would debate the colour of a banana for a week then theres no chance of this happening..

[Logrence]

I don't see why they should be allowed to provide hospitality or anything like that...they've been banned from F1 for two races, full stop. Fair enough if they have a conference room booked in a hotel or something - no-one's going to stop them from going to Monte Carlo if they want to, but I can't seem them being allowed into the paddock to schmooze on the sly.

[Phoenix1]

As far as I can see BAR could bring there trucks to Monaco.

In terms of third cars for other teams Bernie pointed out 20 cars are entered and it is only because a team is banned that there are 18 cars. Thus offically 20 cars are entered into the 2005 F1 championship.

If BAR do turn up then I suspect it would be with minimal presence and no BAR shirts and suits in sight.

[GP Racer]

This has got to be a huge embarresment to BAR. How do you explain to all those VIP's, most of whom have probably never seen a race, that your cars are banned?

I wouldn't want to be in charge of Public Relations for BAR that weekend!

[WebberForWDC]

Well BAR can second their sponsorships on to Minardi for the weekend. I'm sure Paul Stoddart would be happy to do that.

Anyone else's corporate hospitality can take care of their guests with suitable negotiation (does Michelin have a corporate tent, that could be a suitable option), presuming BAR are not allowed to bring their own staff to do so.

[Nicholosophy]

I know it might be a harsh line to take, but BAR are not competing. The reason they are not competing is because they are banned for breaking the rules. Whether intentional or otherwise, they broke the rules.

If you are banned from competing at Formula 1, you should not be entitled to use the special things that entry into Formula One brings (paddock club access, transporter parking, etc).

And if I was a sponsor of BAR, I wouldn't want to go anyway. Why associate yourself further with a team which is currently suffering bad publicity than your contract makes you. Sure, you may want to stay with them in the future, but right now it's not a positive spin your getting.

[GP Racer]

That's abit harsh NickoGP for a sport that's in desperate need of car's, teams, and sponsors, don't you think?

The amount of money that team's and sponsors pay to be in this circus is already way to high when they do compete, but it becomes totally ludicrous when you can't compete at all. The idea of banning all associated with BAR from the races is just bad business, and will only lead more sponsors and even teams, to think twice about competing in F1.

Punishment yes, but it has to be reasonable. It's not like there are new teams and sponsors knocking down the door's to get in here...

[Logrence]

Originally Posted by GP Racer

That's abit harsh NickoGP for a sport that's in desperate need of car's, teams, and sponsors, don't you think?

It's like saying murders should be set free because the land could be used for trees, what with the ozone layer being in trouble.

If a team breaks the rules or cheats, which clearly isn't the best thing for the sport, do you think that they should be punished...as long as it isn't a punishment? BAR broke the rules, the got banned.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by grandprixdiary

and as an F1 meeting would debate the colour of a banana for a week then theres no chance of this happening..

Any bananas at an FIA meeting would be Red,or Ross Brawn's.

[thejester]

Originally Posted by Logrence

It's like saying murders should be set free because the land could be used for trees, what with the ozone layer being in trouble.

If a team breaks the rules or cheats, which clearly isn't the best thing for the sport, do you think that they should be punished...as long as it isn't a punishment? BAR broke the rules, the got banned.

Settle down a bit...murder?! Barely worth commenting on the inappropriateness of that comparison.

They broke the rules, they were punished - they lost points and the ability to score a whole bunch more. It has probably cost them any real success this season. They were banned from competing. Paddock hospitality is NOT competing. As championship entrants they are entitled to have a corporate prescence.

That said, the embarassment factor will be enormous, it'll be an excruciating weekend for all their PR people, and they'll have to approach it as damage control. Head honchos will have to front up and deal face to face with their financial backers, and it won't be pretty.

I imagine the booze tab will be even more gigantic than usual.

[Logrence]

Originally Posted by thejester

Settle down a bit...murder?! Barely worth commenting on the inappropriateness of that comparison.

They broke the rules, they were punished - they lost points and the ability to score a whole bunch more. It has probably cost them any real success this season. They were banned from competing. Paddock hospitality is NOT competing. As championship entrants they are entitled to have a corporate prescence.

Then I'm afraid you miss my point, but anyway...paddock hospitality surely has everything to do with competing or else I'd be allowed to stick my caravan in there between the McLaren and Williams piles. If you're not competing as a team then you don't have any business in the paddock...?!

[TomS]

Surely that comes with entering the championship

[thejester]

Exactly. If BAR had been withdrawn from the championship then I'd agree with you, but they have only been suspended. Unless Team Logrence has paid to enter the FIA Formula One Championship I'd advise against taking your caravan.

IT's about the difference between F1 the sport and F1 the business.

[Logrence]

It will be a very sad day indeed when F1 the business finally bumps off F1 the sport.

[Dog Faced Boy]

BAR Have been banned from racing. IMO this means so long as their cars dont turn a wheel they can do what the hell they wan't. There will be many people milling around the Monaco GP paddock that have far less reason for being there than them.

[andy_b]

Originally Posted by WebberForWDC

Well BAR can second their sponsorships on to Minardi for the weekend. I'm sure Paul Stoddart would be happy to do that.

Think of the publicity Minardi and BAR would have got from a BAR/Lucky Striike liveried Minardi. Probably would have earned BAR a further ban for bring the sport into disripute.