FIA, Spa-Francorchamps, 2018

F1 Commission meeting cancelled as 2021 deadline approaches

2019 F1 season

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A meeting of the Formula 1 Commission which was scheduled for this Wednesday in Geneva has been cancelled at short notice, RaceFans has learned.

The development is a setback for Liberty Media’s plans to finalise an extensive overhaul of F1’s regulations in time for the 2021 season.

According to a commission source present at this weekend’s Marrakesh Formula E round, the meeting was cancelled late last Wednesday, with no reasons given. However, the source confirmed that the notice indicated Wednesday’s Strategy Group meeting will go ahead as scheduled at the same venue.

A second source later confirmed the meeting had been cancelled, adding “time is now more than tight” to complete all regulations changes, agree commercial and governance processes and finalise budget cap details for 2021.

“Maybe they [commercial rights holder Liberty and governing body FIA] realise they’ll have nothing tangible to present to the F1 Commission as this point,” he added.

“Why fly people here from across the world for nothing? It’s a big mess; I don’t see how they can complete it all in time. Maybe we’ll be forced to change the timeframe…”

Grid, Silverstone, 2017
F1 has six months to avoid its own ‘no-deal’ disaster
As F1’s current agreements with teams expire at the end of 2020, the 2021 sporting and technical regulations need to be finalised by the 30th of June.

According to another source, Liberty has scheduled a broadcaster workshop for Tuesday, with a meeting of the Promotional Working Group called for same day, both in London.

In a separate development, RaceFans has learned that Liberty has offered external broadcast contractors reduced rates for 2019, in some instances by over 30 percent.

“I’ve worked with F1 for over 10 years and never missed a single call, now this from Liberty…” one contractor fumed.

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2019 F1 season

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9 comments on “F1 Commission meeting cancelled as 2021 deadline approaches”

  1. I agree it’s a mess. But maybe because they have something bigger to offer? Like going full electric…

  2. You can take the ringleader from the circus, but you can’t take the circus from the clowns…

    1. @skipgamer – it does seem at times to be that way, doesn’t it? For every instance where people say “Give ’em time, they have a long-term vision and plan”, there is a case like this that makes one wonder.

  3. I wonder if this will affect Racing Point — Otmar had been quoted several times with regards to having their new name finalized and approved by a commission meeting.

  4. Let’s kick that can a little further down the road.

  5. Any feedback on the reasons why @dieterrencken ?

    Perhaps the recent shake up of Ferrari causing them to be a no show while they get their internal issues sorted?

    1. I think the reasons given by my source are accurate…am told the cancellation doc that was sent to teams and F1 Comm members basically stated that there would be nothing of consequence to vote on…

  6. I believe the reason given by my source is accurate…the cancellation notice sent to teams and F1 Comm members started there’d be nothing to vote on.

  7. Thanks for the COTD @keithcollantine/@dieterrencken

    has been a while, though I have also been commenting less, nowadays I tend to get to the round-up a lot later in the day, and often a lot of good things are already said, so I nod and agree (or shake my head and shrug it off).

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