10/05/2014
NEWS STORY
There is a tense air about Formula One following the meeting of team bosses at Biggin Hill last week. They gathered at the airfield just outside London to discuss concerns over proposed cost cutting regulations.
Though unanimously agreed at a meeting in January, the cost cap regulations, which had the support of FIA President Jean Todt, were subsequently voted down by the Formula One Strategy Group. The decision has been viewed by many as the top teams, who are all represented on group, protecting their own self-interests rather than looking at what is good for the sport as a whole.
On Friday a number of the smaller team bosses faced the media in what was tipped to be an explosive press conference as they finally vented their frustration to the worlds press.
"Last week's meeting was really a carry-on from Geneva in January," explained Marussia boss John Booth, whose team stands to gain more than most from any cost cap regulations. "I think all teams are working hard to find the best way forward."
"I think it was a very good meeting; very positive," claimed Force India's Bob Fernley. "We shouldn't lose sight though of the fact that in Geneva we agreed a certain protocol in terms of unanimous agreement to look at cost cap and we believe that still applies today and that the FIA should continue that process."
"What gives rise to a lot of concern is what's happened now with regards to the cost decision," added Sauber's Monisha Kaltenborn. "We have our forums I'd say where all teams actually have the same voice and they all agree on something, we do not accept that another group can come up there and just overrule that decision."
For all their hyperbole the inescapable fact is that the Biggin Hill meeting achieved nothing. The cost cap regulations have not resurfaced serving only to reinforce the feeling that the Strategy Group is a private club dominated by the bigger teams.
The only concession was that the smaller teams have been asked to put forward ideas for cost cutting, though with a June 30 deadline for any regulations to be introduced next year it seems unlikely anything will be introduced for 2015.
"I still hope we can agree to it," said a rather optimistic Kaltenborn. "Of course you can achieve certain cost reductions through rules, maybe sporting or technical, but I think you will not achieve that kind of drastic cost saving you want to."
The problem is, even among the sports minnows, there is no agreement. According to Kaltenborn, Booth and Fernley the cost cap is still achievable while Franz Tost has a different opinion.
"The cost cap is dead because the top teams don't accept it," said the Toro Rosso. "It's also complicated for them and as long as auditors are not allowed to look into the books it's useless to make a cost cap."
Without consensus even among their own ranks, though admittedly Toro Rosso has representation on the Strategy Group courtesy of Red Bull, it is no wonder the concept was scrapped. Historically the teams have been unable to agree on the type of water they should have at their meetings, so coming to any sort of decision with so many vested interests is nigh on impossible.
The current situation highlights the tensions between the teams and the selfishness within the sport and is just another example of how multi-layered decision making by committee doesn't work.
Mat Coch