Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Mallett
As discussed here, http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=116523 with FOTA breaking away what does it mean for the circuits? IIRC the FIA has the right to the title Grand Prix and indeed Formula One (although that may be Bernie).
So, it raises the question of what these breakaway races will be and where will they be held?
I suspect we may well be looking at the traditional circuits, such as Monza and Silverstone, not to mention Nurburgring, but I suspect Monaco will be dropped because of it's links with the FIA and Bernie. |
I dont think it means anything for the circuits except more business if there are two series.
You have to remember what the FIA's role is. Regardless of MM's personal opinions, the FIA is the sports international regulator. It does not directly run F1 or any other series. Its role is actually very similar to the government regulators you see in some business sectors i.e. setting standards etc. If the FOTA series applies for FIA recognition and adheres to FIA rules (which are very high level sporting and safety issues, not commercial) then the FIA is obliged to recognise the FOTA series as it is with any proposed series at any level that adheres to its rules.
With regard to the circuits - you have competition law at work. It would not be permissable for F1 to have a contract with a circuit that excludes a competing series. In any event, most of the current F1 circuit contracts are already in place and are multi-year deals. And as the FOTA series did not exist when the deals were signed, then it is impossible for it to be mentioned in the contracts. So if an existing F1 circuit signs a deal with FOTA, there is nothing F1 can do about it. In the current climate, no circuit owner is going to agree to amend his contract to put him in a less favourable position. F1 will have no option but to either stage the F1 race as scheduled or pay the circuit owner millions in compensation to buy themselves out of the contract. To be honest, if I were a circuit owner, I'd take the millions in compensation now if it were on offer because there is no guarantee that Bernie and F1 will be around in the future to perform their contract with me.