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Prodrive In, Toyota Out

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A budget cap of

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I reckon that the reason for entering as Prodrive for the first couple of years is to protect the Aston Martin brand image should it go tits up. The thinking being that they'll have found their feet and become competitive in time for 2012. That way people will remember that AM were in the mix from day one. Makes sense to me.

I also notice that toyota are having a fire sale. Anybody fancy a few bits of an old F1 car?

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I reckon that the reason for entering as Prodrive for the first couple of years is to protect the Aston Martin brand image should it go tits up. The thinking being that they'll have found their feet and become competitive in time for 2012. That way people will remember that AM were in the mix from day one. Makes sense to me.

I also notice that toyota are having a fire sale. Anybody fancy a few bits of an old F1 car?

I can't see any other reason. Bernie won't be happy. The Toyota fire sale appears to be a reality while the loss of Fuji is still speculation. I believe it may have run it's last GP though.

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I can't see any other reason. Bernie won't be happy. The Toyota fire sale appears to be a reality while the loss of Fuji is still speculation. I believe it may have run it's last GP though.

If the history is useful anytime anywhere, I think Richards will protect the Aston martin brand image for the next 20 years or more. Till now he was unable to deliver any good result despite he zillion of $ pumped by BA Tobacco.

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By the way, Prodrive might have formalized their interest to enter (so have other teams). It doesn't mean their entry will be approved by FIA. We'll see who is allowed to do what and for how much... as always.

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Well, there is nothing solid about Toyota exiting; so I'll wait on that one.

Hopefully Prodrive make the grid, they seem like one of the more credible entries.

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That way people will remember that AM were in the mix from day one. Makes sense to me.

As long as this AM doesn't go the same way as the last AM (Andrea Moda)

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The wait is over. All is lost. The teams have submitted entries for 2010:

http://www.totalf1.com/full_story/view/307...tries_for_2010/

There goes the hope that FIA would reach for a razor, freeing F1 of crookedness.

Of course, the true pity is that FIA will continue to fix races and championships. Soon enough, we are going to be here once again.

But, alas, there is no competition to mess up further this year. Its fate was sealed even before it started.

Well, let's hope for a Land Rover team next year... fingers crossed.

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Basically got the kind of compromise that we were all expecting (for the most part) although it came earlier than I thought it would. I thought the teams would let the 29th go by and have Max come begging when he realised the 2010 grid was going to be empty. I was wrong - they're far too soft.

It's also the kind of result that Max could have achieved 3 weeks ago had he just bothered to ask - that's cheifly what p**ses me off here - they've wasted loads of time and money on something that could have been dealt with weeks ago in a single meeting.

Bunch of incompetents.

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Any sources?

http://www.totalf1.com/full_story/view/307...Toyota_to_quit/

http://www.totalf1.com/full_story/view/307...se_Grand_Prix_/

Despite these reports, John Howett gave the following interview this afternoon:

http://www.totalf1.com/full_story/view/307...th_John_Howett/

However, we must not forget that Honda entered and paid up for 2009 before pulling out. I hope Toyota does stay but I just can't see how they can. They haven't parted with any money yet. As far as Lola, Litespeed, Campos, USF1 and Prodrive are concerned, we await the FIA decision on their eligibility.

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It is but I have heard a dastardly rumour tonight that the FIA may reject one of the FOTA team's applications. The favourite is Toyota. I know little else and it doesn't make any sense unless this is a pre-planned exit strategy conjured up by the team, the FIA and Bernie.

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In depth analysis of the FOTA position from James Allen.

So, the nine FOTA teams have all signed up to the 2010 world championship after all. Or have they? The teams’ alliance made it clear in the statement it issued on Friday afternoon that its commitment to Formula 1 is conditional on the FIA accepting its terms – an outcome which cannot be taken for granted. After examining the statement in detail and consulting FOTA sources, I expect a lot more water to pass under the bridge before this saga is over - Formula 1 is feeling a little bit in limbo this evening.

As I write this the deadline for entering the 2010 world championship closes in a few minutes and we have seen some new teams tentatively placing their entry, we’ve seen Williams boldly asserting their right to move forward as an F1 team on their own, and we’ve seen the nine remaining teams put in a collective entry with more strings attached than a cats’ cradle. For all the chatter this week about the teams moving closer to the FIA’s position, agreeing a ‘glide path’ of reducing costs ultimately to end up with the

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Yeah, I was just going to say that the teams might have signed up but really are only playing by Burnie and Max's rules of loop holes and double meaning.

THe teams have pretty much said to Max: Adopt these rules and we will race for you, otherwise we reserve the right to leave.

this in the end is just rephrasing their former statement from: "if don't do what we tell you we will quit" to: "do this and we will play play"

Its like every parent knows, you tell your child what they can do, they will do it, if you tell them they can't do something they'll just do it to rebel

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Yeah, I was just going to say that the teams might have signed up but really are only playing by Burnie and Max's rules of loop holes and double meaning.

THe teams have pretty much said to Max: Adopt these rules and we will race for you, otherwise we reserve the right to leave.

this in the end is just rephrasing their former statement from: "if don't do what we tell you we will quit" to: "do this and we will play play"

Its like every parent knows, you tell your child what they can do, they will do it, if you tell them they can't do something they'll just do it to rebel

FOTA have bought some time, that's all. The game is still on and there could be more rows yet. Toyota seem to have pretty much to have dampened all speculation that they will leave. I'm taking that one with a pinch of salt.

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So, this is what FOTA expect the FIA has to swallow according to Stefano Domenicali:

Q. The FOTA press release talks of conditional entries: what does that mean?

A. It's very simple. The nine teams – Williams membership having been suspended – that currently make up FOTA, have put in entries for the 2010 championship that will only be valid if the Concorde Agreement is signed and if the regulations will be those currently in use, but modified as per FOTA’s suggestions. The action taken yesterday is completely in keeping with Ferrari’s principles, as stated at the Main Board meeting on 12 May and with those of FOTA.”

Q. What will happen if these conditions are not met?

A. Once again, the answer is simple: the entries from the nine teams will be invalid.

Q. Why is there a deadline of 12 June?

A. Because that’s the date when the FIA must publish the list of teams entered in the 2010 championship and we want everything to be resolved by that date.

Q. Does the decision to conditionally sign up imply an eventual acceptance of the budget cap?

A. Absolutely not. The request to make the 2009 regulations the starting point, means there will be no budget cap.

Q. And what plans are there then to reduce costs?

A. It should be done by implementing a self-regulating procedure within FOTA, so that the body itself and the teams carry out the monitoring. We know exactly what must be done and we can do it on our own, as can be seen from what has been achieved so far. In fact, this is exactly what has been happening for years as regards testing, where it is the teams that have reached an agreement among themselves to manage the situation and it works well.

Q. Can you go into more detail about how costs will be reduced?

A. First and foremost, our starting point is the decision already taken by FOTA, to make available to the independent teams an engine-gearbox package at a cost of 6.5 million Euros for the entire season. Then, further reductions have been defined in the area of aerodynamics, with restrictions imposed on the amount of development work, for example, restricting the number of different wings that can be used during the course of the championship. In this way, we maintain the technological competition but without it spiralling, thus having a beneficial effect on costs. One could also reduce the structure of the team over a race weekend, for example, by doing away with refuelling during the race. There are many other points, but for the moment we prefer not to go into further detail, given we are in discussion with the FIA.

Q. With this system, will it be possible for new teams to come into Formula 1?

A. Yes, because the considerable reduction in costs which will follow, means it will be possible to take part and be sufficiently competitive in a discipline which remains the ultimate form of motor sport, both as a competition and a business, given that its worth and its visibility will not just remain unaltered but will actually be strengthened by the efforts of all the major constructors to stay for the long term.

Q. Over the past few weeks, there has been talk from Ferrari and FOTA about requesting solid rules of governance for the sport and stability as a condition for reaching an agreement. How would this request work in practice?

A. The signing of the Concorde Agreement would be confirmation of the usual rules that have governed the running of the regulations of Formula 1 over the past years – I refer to the role of the Formula 1 Commission as the only forum in which the rules are established – and at the same time, it would contractually bind all the teams to stay in the sport at least until 2012.

It is quite true that the F1 Commission is the only forum within which rule changes can be implemented and Max has clearly foregone that procedure with the FIA's current proposals for 2010. For me, FOTA's position is exceedingly reasonable considering the way in which Max has driven a horse and cart through the rules in the past two years. How did Ferrari manage to persuade their fellow competitors to sign up to this position? I mean, I really can't see the Tokyo board allowing Toyota to continue without a rule cap in place and I should think BMW's management may take the same view. It also strikes me as highly coincedental that Flabbio should be reported, as taking an interest in purchasing Renault F1 from the Regie within hours of FOTA lodging their entries. BGP will need to raise at least

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I smell blood................lots of it.

SOURCE

What remains mistery to me is why BGP and FI play along other big teams? I still think they all have collective backup plan if FIA rejects their demands. That is the only reason I can see. Because if all 9 teams leave and start racing somewhere else then they have commercial chance. If the alliance start to crumble then all lose.

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compromise will come.

why the FOTA and FIA have to go through this every ****ing time is beyond me.

it's like bartering for clothes in China.

the salesman starts high, I start low, we haggle, we end up on the price that we both know is fair.

my problem with this?

we could have avoided the whole charade had he just put a normal price on the clothes to start with.

what a waste of bloody time - bickering school children in the playground - I'm geting increasingly tired of all this nonsense.

I place the lions share of blame on the FIA. FOTA have little choice but to play it this way when given the ultimatum of the FIA proposals.

Let's hurry up and get onto the next race eh. Better for everyone.

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I can't see why they would do that unless they know Toyota will pull out.

What are you talking about?

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What remains mistery to me is why BGP and FI play along other big teams? I still think they all have collective backup plan if FIA rejects their demands. That is the only reason I can see. Because if all 9 teams leave and start racing somewhere else then they have commercial chance. If the alliance start to crumble then all lose.

I would be gobsmacked if they don't have an exit strategy.

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