10/06/2011
NEWS STORY
Prior to the World Council meeting of 8 March 2011:
Taking into account the unrest in the country, the organisers of the GP (Bahrain Motor Federation), having expressed their inability to host the GP on the date of 13 March, were given the opportunity by the WMSC of proposing, no later than 1 May, an alternative date for the Grand Prix. The President of the FIA asked the commercial rights holder (FOWCL) to finalise this date proposal.
1 May: at the organisers' request, the President of the FIA agreed to extend this deadline until 3 June, the date of the WMSC meeting.
Prior to the World Council meeting of 3 June 2011:
In order to provide the WMSC with precise information on the conditions for organising a GP in Bahrain, the President of the FIA commissioned one of the FIA Vice-Presidents for Sport, Mr Carlos Gracia, accompanied by his assistant, Mr Carlos Abella, to meet individuals from various horizons and draw up a report of recommendation.
WMSC meeting of 3 June: the President of the FIA informed the members of the WMSC that the FIA had received numerous letters, both against and in favour of staging the GP of Bahrain. After reading and discussing the content of the report, the WMSC approved by a unanimous vote (i) the proposal submitted by the commercial rights holder for the Championship (represented by Bernie Ecclestone (ii), who is also the representative of the Formula One Constructors, appointed by the World Council) to hold the GP of Bahrain on 30 October in place of the GP of India and to postpone the latter until December (a date to be determined between 4 and 11 December).
7 June: letter from FOTA (iii) (representing the majority of the Formula One Teams) to the FIA, expressing a position hostile to the staging of the GP of Bahrain.
9 June: letter of reply from the FIA (link)
9 June: the commercial rights holder (FOWCL) proposed to the FIA that the GP of Bahrain be rescheduled for 4 December, with the GP of India reinstated on its original date of 30 October. The FIA replied the same day, asking FOWCL to provide guarantees that any new date proposal is acceptable both to the teams and to the organisers in Bahrain.
10 June: the organisers in Bahrain decided to abandon their plans to hold a Grand Prix in 2011.
10 June: Bernie Ecclestone (FOWCL) proposed to confirm the original calendar (Indian GP, 30 October). The FIA asked the WMSC members to express their view on this proposition via a fax vote (answer to be received no later than 12:00 Tuesday 14 June).
i: In a vote by a show of hands, provoking no objections or abstentions (according to the Internal Regulations of the FIA, voting can be carried out by secret ballot if at least one Member of the World Council so requests).
ii: At the World Council, the Formula One teams also have a Delegate from the Formula One Commission, who is a member by right and votes on all matters relating to Formula One (this Delegate is designated by the Team that has been taking part in the Championship the longest: Stefano Domenicali - Ferrari).
iii: In its letter of 7 June, FOTA invoked Articles 65, 66 and 198 of the International Sporting Code.
Formula One is governed principally by the Concorde Agreement and the Sporting and Technical Regulations. The International Sporting Code is only relevant insofar as it does not conflict with the Concorde Agreement and the Formula One Technical and Sporting Regulations. Both the International Sporting Code and Concorde provide that in the event of conflict, Concorde prevails.
Concorde and the Regulations provide that the FIA approves the calendar proposed by the Commercial Rights Holder.
Articles 65 and 66 refer to "Supplemental Regulations". [These are a compulsory official document issued by the promoters of a sporting competition requiring the approval of the FIA.] There are no "Supplemental Regulations" in Formula 1. It is, therefore, wrong to suggest that the teams have a power of veto over any calendar decision made by the FIA.
Article 198 of the International Sporting Code is clearly inapplicable. Article 198 states "Any event withdrawn from the calendar once it has been published will lose its international status for the year in question." Firstly, the Bahrain Grand Prix was not withdrawn from the calendar, it was merely postponed
pending reconsideration at a later date. Secondly, and more importantly, Article 198 conflicts with Article 5.5 and 5.6 of the F1 Sporting Regulations and is, therefore, not applicable to the FIA Formula One World Championship.