FOTA Announces Withdrawal, FIA Announces Legal Proceedings
The FOTA teams late Thursday night announced that they had not been able to find a compromise in their battle with the FIA and that they would start a breakaway series. On Friday, the FIA announced it would launch legal proceedings against the eight teams. It will also delay the announcement of next year's teams - which was supposed to happen tomorrow - until it has a better idea of its legal rights.
"The FIA’s lawyers have now examined the FOTA threat to begin a breakaway series. The actions of FOTA as a whole, and Ferrari in particular, amount to serious violations of law including wilful interference with contractual relations, direct breaches of Ferrari's legal obligations and a grave violation of competition law. The FIA will be issuing legal proceedings without delay."
Preparations for the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship continue but publication of the final 2010 entry list will be put on hold while the FIA asserts its legal rights.
I'm wondering which of the sides in this battle might best be saying to the other: "This is another fine mess you've gotten us into."
Needless to say, the atmosphere here at Silverstone before the British Grand Prix is horrendously strained!
Comments
The sport of Formula 1 has been heading for a total meltdown for some years now and I suspect that it is the only way that it can resurrect itself as an entertaining sport. I grew up obsessed with Formula 1, frequently attending GP’s all over Europe. Now I don’t even know who’s who, but if you ask me about MotoGP, I can provide all the details of teams and riders. Entertainment sells!