http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8044860.stm

Nobody is indispensable but it would certainly be a black day for F1.

I can see where they are coming from in so much that a two-tier system is never a good thing and over complicates an already very complex sport.

As far as I can see nobody wants this change and I suspect that the FIA is really (deep down) included in that and it is being used as a bargaining position to enable less radical but unpopular cost cutting restrictions being imposed. Similar to announcing 10,000 job cuts and being 'talked into' reducing it to only 500 (the original target).

Well in two weeks or so we will know more (29th May being the cut-off date) and I anticipate we will be subjected to more ultimatums until then.

Heartbreaking

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8048112.stm

Renault also.

Again some sort of sanity returns to F1

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8052680.stm
and
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/f1mole/2009/05/a-day-at-heathrow-as-f1-seeks.html

Edited at 01:58 Sun 17/05/09 (BST)

Hang on to your seats guys and prepare yourself for another Ferrari 'toys out of the pram' moment now that they have lost their budget cap appeal....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8058903.stm

Another pole for Button... ZZZZZzzzzz

... and win!!!


Bit of an uneventful race to be honest .... but nice to see Ferrari back on the podium

Just not happening for McLaren at the moment, is it?

Ahhh well

Loved the end where Jenson parked in the wrong place and had to jog the pit straight to get to the presentation .... LMAO

Well hes basically run away with this now. Ferrari are getting closer but still a bit off and its too late now IMO.

The budget cap should NOT happen!

Actually, I agree with the budget cap in principle, because it 'levels the playing field' for every competitor and makes it easier for new teams to be in a position to enter and still be competitive.

However, the current proposal of the FIA is completely ludicrous as it does not fully satisfy the above in that it produces a 'two tier' system which is just not on!

Basically, the FIA and FOTA have to reach an agreement on a mandatory budget cap that is pitched at a level that does not overly disadvantage any of the existing teams. This level could then successively reduced over the next few years to give time for the teams to adapt to the restrictions.

The main problem, as I see it, is that they are too keen to have a low budget cap (£40m) introduced all in one go and therefore it is not surprising that the big teams are up in arms about it.

Well, what can I say, Friday's deadline was something of a non-event really. Basically everybody has entered for next year - under the condition that the current budget cap proposal doesn't go ahead. This means that we now have to wait until June 12th to find out for sure what's going to happen (that's when the FIA confirms its plans for the next season).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8072295.stm

In that article it does indicate that FOTAs proposal is somewhat in line with what I suggested in my previous post, which IMHO is the only viable way forward.

I like the budget cap as it would be less about the manufacturer and more about the drivers.

I disagree with the budget cap mike look at it on this level

Stoke spent £20mil last season on wages, what would it be like if no team could spend more than 20mil a year on wages?

Football would become awful becuase now its the more money you got the better the players

So Ferrari should be able spend more than the rest becuase they have got more and they have earned every penny so if they want to blow 100mil let them do it and everybody else should just keep trying and coping with what they have got.

What I meant to add is that the budget cap should be much higher than what is being proposed.

In rugby League, teams have a budget cap, and if they go above it they get fined/docked points, that is so teams spend within their means, but the cap changes from team to team depending on the money they get coming in (so basically with sucess comes more money).

Exactly and Ferrari are most proberbly the most sucessful in F1 so they should be able to spend what they want on what they want if they double the cap to 80mil thats plenty then nobody can over spend Ferrari most prob spend more than that but its a good start

FOTAvation! - What do the teams want?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A51956733

Just when you think that sanity will always prevail in the end .....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/f1mole/2009/06/storm-clouds-gather-over-f1.html

Isn't F1 politics a wonderful thing?

I may only be 18, but i remember, being brought up around a motorsport orietated family, uncle F3 driver, and im currently progressing, but back to the point, i remember the 'good old days' when there were huge grids and the racing was close and exciting.

Now the FIA have got it half right. There should be a budget cap. 40mil, probably not, i think 50mil is a good figure (we musn't forget the fact that driver wages and external costs aren't included in this figure). This is really the only way which it is possible to boost the grid which, in my opinion is needed. To me, the FIA needed to come out straight away and say that this was compulsory, as I have a feeling this would have been much more effective and more teams would have been behind it as it would have cut out the 'two tier championship' row.

Basically, Budget Caps = Good
Helps new teams and thats what F1 needs, but I want an F1 without these factions and politics, get on with the racing!

(Sorry for the ramble :S)

And yet even more twists and turns....

Now the FIA are playing a couple of games - 'Divide and Conquer' and 'Chicken' ....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8092207.stm

and FOTA have now got reinforcements .....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8098234.stm

What do you reckon Max Mosley's chances are of re-election for a fifth term as FIA President?

Button's shock loss on F1 circuit

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8092000/8092649.stm