Bernie playing favourites with new Concorde terms?

[John S]

Merc, Williams & newbies left out in cold says Daily Telegrath.       
Now can Bernie afford to let F1 get dragged into legal action by Mercedes under EU competition law?

While Bernie Ecclestone trumpeted that the 'majority' of F1 teams had signed up to a new edition of the Concorde Agreement, thee were several notable absentees from his list.

Although the sport's current 'big-hitters' - Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren - are all understood to have reached verbal agreement with Ecclestone, both Williams and Mercedes have not, and remain on the sidelines along with the three newest teams in the field, Caterham, Marussia and HRT. Ecclestone made his announcement during the build-up to qualifying at the Malaysian Grand Prix, amid various rumours of a possible F1 stock floatation and suggestions that certain teams may have been offered inducements to sign up.

Reports, which first appeared on the Sky News website during last weekend's Australian GP before being pulled by the broadcaster, claimed that both Ferrari and Red Bull - which defected from teams association FOTA late in 2011 - had been offered preferential financial terms and potential seats on the board of F1's holding company. Britain's Daily Telegraph has since revealed that cash bonuses are also being offered to teams who had won the constructors' title since 2000, those that had not changed their name since 2000 and an annual 'double champions' payment for teams who had won titles 'in any two or more consecutive seasons including or after the 2008 season'.

While Williams has a proud F1 history, it has not featured as strongly in recent years, and would be unlikely to qualify for bonuses. The same is true of Mercedes, and the German marque is thought to be particularly incensed with the lack of equality in the deals on offer. The only mass manufacturer left on the grid following Renault's withdrawal, has already threatened to take the matter further, even hinting at legal action, and also holds the card of its own exit, which would potentially affect not only the entry list, but also the plans of engine customers such as McLaren and Force India.

The Three-Pointed Star has declined to comment on the situation, but could go as far as legal action under EU competition law, with respect to restriction of competition and abuse of a dominant position. The F1 giant would still be in a better position than the likes of Marussia and HRT, however, as the sliding payment scale would leave the third-year teams without a penny. Fellow newcomer Caterham, however, has finished tenth in the past two season, earning itself some financial reward.

Crash.net, Today.

[Scott]

Will someone, anyone in F1, please find it in their 'manhood' to take a stand against Bernie and either negotiate him into a hole or sue him into retirement?  What is the problem with these wussies?  They act like they are part of such a big shot club, and then bend down on knee to Bernie every time the Concorde comes around.  The point is someone needs to stop saying 'me too' and start saying 'this is wrong'.

Like every part of the world, the rich get richer (FOM, Bernie, CVC, Mclaren, Ferrari, RBR) off the rest.   

Mercedes might just be the kind of pit bull to take on the F1 club and win.

[F1fanaticBD]

I guess Bernie may be keeping those manhood busy, (people use your imagination) so that he could keep his money making machine alive, still make more out of it. What a pathetic way keep your money making machine alive, instead of keeping it at level playing, and ensuring other teams come forward to make formula 1 more diverse, he stuffing the fat rich people of f1, and squeezing out all the juices from anything that is left...

Rot in hell bernie...

[Scott]

If Merc pulls their safety cars out of F1, we might have to watch the field led around in this during SC periods.  

[rossadopolus]

As long as ferrari are happy Bernie is happy.

Nothing new there!

[Jericoke]

I think that F1 needs Mercedes more than Mercedes needs F1.

If Mercedes decides to take their name off the Ilmor engines, then how long before Renault passes their engines to SuperTec again?

Casual fans might watch F1 because of the Ferrari name, but the people who subscribe to Pay TV packages, or fly to homogenised Aisan race tracks are looking for a little competition to make things interesting.

I don't care if Mercedes' name is in F1 or not, but someone needs to stand up to Ferrari's deep pockets, and it's not the fine men and women at Ilmor and Cosworth

[lkjohnson1950]

F1 Kate Walker covers it pretty well:

http://www.f1katewalker.com/1/post/2012/03/concorde-meets-discord.html


I think the threat of legal action should give Bernie pause.