Was Red Bull F1 engine crisis dreamed up as part of larger power play?

[John S]

Motorsport magazine thinks it just might.

Bernie & Todt, along with strategist 'Mad' Max, may well have orchestrated a long running scheme to get power back from the F1 commission, says Motorsport mag. Seems the only Austrian on the grid who is not pointed at as party to the shenanigans is Toto - but even he has unwittingly played his part.

Recommend you read it, it's long but well worth while. 

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/f1/showdown-todt-ecclestone-and-mosley-vs-marchionne/

[Jericoke]

It certainly reads like a raving conspiracy theory.

However, at no point does the author make an unreasonable statement!

I'm never surprised by anything that Bernie does: if he's making everyone in F1 dance to his tune, I guess I'm only surprised that Max and Todt are playing backup.

[Alianora La Canta]

I reckon Red Bull started off their own crisis, Bernie and the FIA jumped on the bandwagon for their own separate reasons, which happened to lead to them travelling together in pursuit of power at the end of the season. The power brokers orchestrated nothing, but were very quick to manipulate things to benefit them.

Trouble is, the end result (FIA/FOM veto over the teams) is in breach of the Nice Agreement (which strictly mandates separation of governance and commerce in F1 due to previous anti-competitive behaviour on the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone's parts), and might as well be a neon sign asking the EU to levy a punitive judgment against the series.

[Scott]

I like Ali's take on it a bit better.  Makes more sense.  It will be interesting to see if the EU jumps in or not.