02/02/2005
NEWS STORY
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It is widely acknowledged that had he gone into politics, rather than the law, Max Mosley could have risen to the very top.
Today's letter to the team bosses, "which autosport.com has seen", as has Pitpass and just about everyone else in the free world, the FIA president pulls off a masterstroke.
Not only is he telling the assembled team bosses that if changes are to be made they need to be made now, by making the letter, and the minutes from last Friday's meeting public, he is allowing us all to see what is really happening rather than allowing us to be fooled by a few well chosen quotes handed out to a few, equally well chosen, journalists.
Max Mosley recently accused the team bosses of "huffing and puffing", and in all honesty that is exactly what they've been doing.
Suddenly, having decided that unity - especially in the face of Ferrari - is strength, the teams go public and voice their fears for the sport. They want testing restricted, they want a single tyre supplier.
This band of brothers has existed only since Brazil, that's little over three months, shortly before that these people couldn't agree on what type of mineral water should be served, now they expect us to believe that they are acting together for the good of the sport.
Not only has Max made the minutes of last week's meeting available to all - a meeting that the teams opted to shun, and then went ballistic when Ferrari turned up - he has also released various other documentation in chronological order, which makes it clear that had the teams acted back in July a single tyre could have been introduced for 2005. Instead they preferred to p*** about, failing to make any workable proposals of their own and poo-pooing any suggestion from the FIA or, far worse, Ferrari.
It is clear that the FIA is strongly in favour of a single tyre - though it remains to be seen how the tyre manufacturers will react, they are also more than happy to restrict testing.
What the FIA wants is consultation, and that means everyone sitting down together and coming up with sensible proposals. This is not anything to do with Bernie Ecclestone, the money issue is entirely separate and should not be confused with what the FIA is proposing.
Formula One needs to be looking ahead to 2008 and a new stability, and in the meantime the teams must work together now if the proposed cost cutting measures - measures that the teams claim they want - are to be in place by 2006.
By making the documentation public, we all know what's happening and who is really dragging their feet.
Games over boys, you've been caught out. Stop huffing and puffing, start talking.
Full minutes of last Friday's meeting - only attended by Ferrari - can be found here