04/07/2005
NEWS STORY
In the wake of growing speculation - much of it wildly fanciful - regarding a row between various F1 drivers and the FIA President, Max Mosley, a meeting has been arranged, which will take place later this week, ahead of the British Grand Prix.
Over the weekend, there were reports, first of a rift between members of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, then of "threatening" calls made to David Coulthard by Mosley, as a result of the statement, issued by 19 F1 drivers and third drivers, last Wednesday, in which the signatories stated their unhappiness at the failure to find a solution which would have allowed the United States Grand Prix to go ahead, and also gave their support to the proposed - but rejected - temporary chicane.
Speaking on the grid before Sunday's French Grand Prix, David Coulthard refused to be drawn on the subject, but admitted that people were only being given "half the story".
The meeting will take place at Silverstone on Friday behind closed doors, as drivers, their employers and the FIA attempt to defuse another possible explosive situation.
It's understood that Coulthard was approached because his name appeared first in the list of signatories, thereby suggesting that he is the ringleader.
The situation has not been helped by the fact that there is unhappiness that certain drivers - most notably the Ferrari drivers, Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello - did not sign the statement. Indeed, the only other drivers' names missing were the two Jordan drivers.
There was an acrimonious meeting between (all) the drivers on Friday, leading to suggestions of a serious rift within the GPDA, and prompting - according to some sources - rumours of some drivers withdrawing from the 'union' or being asked to leave.
Pitpass has often been critical of the GPDA in the past, mainly because of its failure to speak out, especially over safety issues. However, it is well known that in a sport which is so obsessed with its corporate image - at least until two weeks ago - dissent is not tolerated, therefore drivers tend to shut up, toe the line and keep schtum.
Therefore, one cannot help but feel that the current row is being fuelled by the same political revolution that was the root of the Indianapolis debacle.
Michael Schumacher's claim that he did not know about the statement, was rejected by Jarno Trulli on Friday, while Jean Todt has since denied that Ferrari applied any pressure on its drivers not to sign.