A fearsome battle is brewing in F1 between Bernie Ecclestone – the man who has the biggest say in where money goes in the sport – and the teams, who want a bigger slice of F1’s revenues. Money is always a hot topic in F1 as too little of the enormous revenues the sport generated … Continue reading Where the money goes in F1
Cost cutting articles archive
Cost cutting
Max Mosley and the art of distraction
Posted onSteven Roy reckons the fuss over ‘medals’ is just a big distraction: I have come to the conclusion that it is a grand deception. There is a technique in business where you take a small problem and make it a big problem. Then solve the big problem using the extra resources you have been given … Continue reading Max Mosley and the art of distraction
Williams gets £14.5m from Ecclestone
Posted onWilliams told the world it had the budget in place to compete in F1 in 2009 and 2010 at the launch of its FW31 earlier this week. But the true scale of its financial plight has been made clear as it emerged that part of that money came in the form of a £14.5m advance … Continue reading Williams gets £14.5m from Ecclestone
The state of Formula 1 in 2008
Posted onThe 2008 Formula 1 season ended on a high on the track – but the shock withdrawal of Honda was a sting in the tail. With 2009 almost upon us it’s time to take stock of F1’s position as one season ends and a new year begins: the quality of the competition, the future of … Continue reading The state of Formula 1 in 2008
Curtains, romance novels, bacon… is there anything NASCAR won’t brand?
Posted onIs there any kind of product you can’t buy with a NASCAR logo on? After a few minutes searching it turns out probably not…
The cost-cutting plans: engines
Posted onAmong the proposals agreed by the FIA and the Formula One Teams’ Association to cut costs are a range of money-saving measures targeted at the engines. The changes include an extension in engine life and severe restrictions in development. Will they achieve the goal of cutting costs while keeping F1 at the technological forefront?
The cost-cutting plans: refuelling ban
Posted onTwo months ago Max Mosley rubbished FOTA’s suggestion that refuelling during F1 races could be banned. Now a refuelling ban is on the cards for 2010. What has brought about the happy change of heart at the FIA?
The cost cutting plans: tyre warmers ban
Posted onOne of the surprising changes to be announced by the FIA and FOTA was the ban on tyre warmers from the beginning of 2010. These were originally going to be banned for 2009, but the change was dropped following objections from drivers. Why are they now slated to be banned again?
More signs that manufacturers are starting to favour specification racing
Posted onWhile Honda joins Audi and Seat in scaling back its motor racing programmes for 2009, Porsche is doing the opposite. But the German premium marque isn’t joining rivals BMW and Mercedes in Formula 1 – it’s chosen the American Grand-Am sports car championship. What, if anything, does this tell us about F1’s appeal to car … Continue reading More signs that manufacturers are starting to favour specification racing
Honda: a one-off or the first of many?
Posted onDid Honda drop its F1 team because it was performing too poorly to be worth keeping? Or are car manufacturers going to begin cutting their F1 teams, irrespective of how well they’re doing, to save money?
$4,378,133 – the price of a point in 2008
Posted onFerrari is the F1 team that made the best use of its budget in 2008. The constructors’ champions spent $2.4m per point this year – less than any of its rivals. At the other end of the scale, Force India and Super Aguri (deceased) failed to score at all, giving no return on their comparatively … Continue reading $4,378,133 – the price of a point in 2008
F1 2009: 10 questions for the off-season
Posted onAs the 2008 F1 season ends on a high we now look forward to what should be one of the most fascinating off-seasons for many years. With radical changes to the technical rules, fraught political tension between the rule-makers and the teams, and two holes suddenly appearing in the calendar, these are the questions that … Continue reading F1 2009: 10 questions for the off-season
Ferrari and Toyota threaten to quit F1 if Max Mosley forces standard engines
Posted onFerrari, F1’s oldest team, has threatened to quit over standard engines First Toyota, now Ferrari is threatening to pull its F1 team if Max Mosley persists with his plan to make all F1 teams use the same engine: The Ferrari Board of Directors expressed strong concerns regarding plans to standardise engines as it felt that … Continue reading Ferrari and Toyota threaten to quit F1 if Max Mosley forces standard engines
FIA-FOTA agreement: Teams’ proposals accepted as Mosley backs down on KERS
Posted onDetails are emerging about the agreement reached between the FIA and FOTA, representing the F1 teams, following their meeting at Geneva today. A joint statement from the two declared “significant cost savings for 2009 and 2010” had been agreed but added no further detail. However Autosport has published details of some points of the agreement … Continue reading FIA-FOTA agreement: Teams’ proposals accepted as Mosley backs down on KERS
Max Mosley and FOTA meet for crunch talks on F1 costs in Geneva
Posted onMax Mosley and the representatives of the Formula One Teams Association are meeting in Geneva today to discuss future rules that could transform the face of Formula 1. It comes after several weeks of leaks, off-the-record briefings and the usual subterfuge that occurs whenever F1’s political tectonic plates start to shift. Central to today’s discussion … Continue reading Max Mosley and FOTA meet for crunch talks on F1 costs in Geneva
Links: Mosley vs FOTA on costs
Posted onPlus, GP2 Asia returns this weekend
The future of Renault’s F1 team
Posted onA few developments in recent weeks have planted seeds of doubt in my mind about Renault’s future in Formula 1. Fernando Alonso seems to want to leave the team and they’ve admitted their engine programme has fallen behind their rivals’. The general economic outlook remains gloomy and it seems particularly poor for Renault’s car making … Continue reading The future of Renault’s F1 team
Flavio Briatore admits Renault have fallen behind on engine development
Posted onThe F1 team bosses have been meeting at Ferrari’s headquarters in Maranello to come up with a set of proposals for F1’s rules for 2011 and beyond. Speaking before the meeting, Renault’s Flavio Briatore gave a frank assessment of his team’s problems: The problem is that us, Renault, have stuck to the letter of the … Continue reading Flavio Briatore admits Renault have fallen behind on engine development
First drivers, now teams to pay more?
Posted onDuring the French Grand Prix weekend more rumours emerged about the behind-the-scenes discussions over the future of Formula 1 between the teams, the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone. According to Autosport the FIA is urging Ecclestone to increase the amount of money the teams receive from promotion and television rights. But with the FIA’s World Motor … Continue reading First drivers, now teams to pay more?
Engine rules and the F1 monopoly
Posted onOver at F1 Insight Clive is concerned about possible future F1 engine regulations: The FIA seem to want every engine involved to produce the same amount of power. Where is the logic in that unless what they really want is a spec formula? There are rumours the FIA wants to extend its control over F1 … Continue reading Engine rules and the F1 monopoly