14/05/2006
NEWS STORY
Looking around, one could easily draw the conclusion that this week's inaugural meeting of the FIA's new Sporting Working Group (SWG), described as one of the most important F1 meetings in years, went swimmingly and that everyone is delighted with the results.
Indeed, speaking at yesterday's FIA press conference, both Ron Dennis and Nick Fry were clearly happy with the progress that has (seemingly) been made.
However, while Ferrari, Red Bull and Scuderia Toro Rosso always voted with the FIA, occasionally joined by Prodrive, with vote therefore usually going either 9-3 or 8-4, the remaining teams always voted against the FIA.
In line with the process set out by the FIA, and backed by the fact that highly-seasoned F1 experts, the members of the SWG, have placed these votes, the teams (and pretty much the rest of the paddock) now expect the F1 Commission and World Motor Sport Council to rubber stamp the majority votes.
The end result is that that the regulations, which Max Mosley said had to be agreed by 30 June have all been thrown out, which beggars the question what will the FIA President do next, especially in light of the fact that he previously declared that he would accept the Sporting Working Group's vote. Will he respect his own process or will he argue that these majority votes are not in line with the interests of F1 and motor sport in general?
Time will tell.