Bernie gives teams V sign over Concorde breach issue

[John S]

They're lucky to have races says Ecclestone over calendar dispute.             
Why the hell didn't Todt just check with FOTA before ratifying the new calendar?    

Formula 1 teams are to seek clarification from Bernie Ecclestone about the state of the 2012 calendar, because they insist that it was ratified without their support. As part of the Concorde Agreement, the document that binds F1 together, teams have to give approval to a calendar if there are more than 17 races and if more than half the races take place outside of Europe and the United States.

The Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) has written to both Ecclestone and FIA president Jean Todt to explain that it believes the calendar was implemented without the Concorde Agreement procedure having been followed.

AUTOSPORT understands that Todt has replied to FOTA stating that it is purely a matter for them and the sport's commercial rights' holder to sort out, as the FIA simply rubber stamps the schedule that is put forward to it by Ecclestone.

FOTA vice chairman Eric Boullier told AUTOSPORT that discussions with Ecclestone were now likely to resolve the matter - amid some concerns about the logistics and costs of the final sequence of races. "There is a process for the validation of the calendar, especially with more flyaways, and we will be involved in this because there is a cost issue," he explained. "There are different proposals at the moment, but it is not so easy to move one date."

Ecclestone himself brushed off the issue – and said that if the teams were not happy with the calendar then they had the option of not taking part. "They don't have to go if they don't want to," he said.

When asked about the teams being unhappy that the procedures were not followed, Ecclestone replied: "Then they should go to the police. They are lucky we have got races. Otherwise they would all go out of business."

By Jonathan Noble and Dieter Rencken, Autosport.com, 25th Sept.

[Jericoke]

It's nice to see that advancing years haven't made Bernie soft.

For all the bluster, we know that FOTA is going to roll over on this... especially since their only complaint is they never put their own rubber stamp on it.

Bernie needs FOTA more than FOTA needs Bernie.  (Although I continue in my belief that Bernie's hobby is bullying FOTA, and laughing when they come back for more.  He seems to know exactly how far he can push them.)

[Scott]

For all the bluster, we know that FOTA is going to roll over on this... especially since their only complaint is they never put their own rubber stamp on it.

Isn't that the truth... 

[Alianora La Canta]

Bernie's belligerence is likely to be more dangerous than his actions. I was under the impression that under the current Concorde Agreement, the teams only had to be consulted if the calender exceeded 20 dates. With that impression, the teams would have to have liked the calender or lumped it.

Now Bernie's revealed that it's not so simple, then contractually the teams really could decline to show up for 3 races and legally face no consequences whatsoever. The FIA wouldn't be allowed to do anything either because of Concorde. None of the title chasers would use the loophole, but I wonde if Hispania would?

[Scott]

So Red Bull can pack up their cars after next race and just show up and party all weekend for the last races 

[Alianora La Canta]

Unless Bernie was mean and says Bahrain's non-happening meant nobody could count it as one of their 17 events. Otherwise Red Bull would have to carry on until the Indian Grand Prix, along with every team bar Hispania (who'd have to get a 1-2 in Brazil before taking their one remaining event off).