Ferrari officially to quit Formula 1 in 2010 if new rules are enacted
Ferrari F60 - Click above for a high-res image gallery
Ferrari has announced that it won't be on the Formula One grid in 2010 if the FIA's new rules are enacted. As reported previously, Ferrari joins BMW-Sauber, McLaren-Mercedes, Red Bull, Toro Rosso and Renault in opposing the proposed regulations.
In Ferrari's release (posted after the break), the automaker said that it "does not intend [to enter] its cars in the 2010 F1 Championship" and "The Board considers that if this is the regulatory framework for Formula 1 in the future, then the reasons underlying Ferrari's uninterrupted participation in the World Championship over the last 60 years – the only constructor to have taken part ever since its inception in 1950 – would come to a close."
The new FIA regulations would cap spending at $60 million, not including driver salaries, engine costs and marketing expenses, or teams could ignore the cap and suffer from performance restrictions, thus creating a "two-tier" F1. FIA President, Max Mosley, believes that the new spending limits would allow more teams to enter the championship, but at what cost for the existing teams?
Gallery: Scuderia Ferrari F60
PRESS RELEASE
FERRARI'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES
THE FIRST QUARTER RESULTS:
TURNOVER 441 MILLION EURO
TRADING PROFIT 54 MILLION EURO
FERRARI CONFIRMS ITS OPPOSITION TO THE NEW
TECHNICAL REGULATIONS ADOPTED BY THE FIA AND DOES NOT INTEND ENTERING ITS CARS IN THE 2010 F1 CHAMPIONSHIP
Maranello 12 May 2009 – Ferrari's Board of Directors, chaired by Luca di Montezemolo, today analysed the first quarter results for 2009. Despite the current international economic climate, which has hit the automotive sector in particular, Ferrari's figures were in line with the record levels reached in 2008.
Turnover for the first three months was 441 million euro compared to 455.7 million euro over the same period in 2008. The first quarter closed with a trading profit of 54 million euro compared to last year's 59 million euro.
These results reflect the introduction of new models, in particular the success of the Ferrari California and the Scuderia Spider 16M, the constant growth in activities linked to the brand (e-commerce, licensing, merchandising and retail) and the company's continuing efforts to maximise efficiency.
The Board of Directors also examined developments related to recent decisions taken by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile during an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council on 29 April 2009. Although this meeting was originally called only to examine a disciplinary matter, the decisions taken mean that, for the first time ever in Formula 1, the 2010 season will see the introduction of two different sets of regulations based on arbitrary technical rules and economic parameters.
The Board considers that if this is the regulatory framework for Formula 1 in the future, then the reasons underlying Ferrari's uninterrupted participation in the World Championship over the last 60 years – the only constructor to have taken part ever since its inception in 1950 – would come to a close.
The Board also expressed its disappointment about the methods adopted by the FIA in taking decisions of such a serious nature and its refusal to effectively reach an understanding with constructors and teams. The rules of governance that have contributed to the development of Formula 1 over the last 25 years have been disregarded, as have the binding contractual obligations between Ferrari and the FIA itself regarding the stability of the regulations. The same rules for all teams, stability of regulations, the continuity of the FOTA's endeavours to methodically and progressively reduce costs, and governance of Formula 1 are the priorities for the future. If these indispensable principles are not respected and if the regulations adopted for 2010 will not change, then Ferrari does not intend to enter its cars in the next Formula 1 World Championship.
Ferrari trusts that its many fans worldwide will understand that this difficult decision is coherent with the Scuderia's approach to motor sport and to Formula 1 in particular, always seeking to promote its sporting and technical values. The Chairman of the Board of Directors was mandated to evaluate the most suitable ways and methods to protect the company's interests.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
gt-racer 1:04PM (5/12/2009)
GOOD, I hope all the teams and the drivers fight the hell out of Max Moselliney, and get him out of the FIA. He's been ruining F1 for years, as it is moving more and more towards a spec racing series.
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revvo 1:08PM (5/12/2009)
Get Mosley out, cancel those standardization regulations of 2010 and bring back the F1 to Montreal!
br4nd0nh347 2:04PM (5/12/2009)
why stop there, bring F1 to at least one US city also.
Kiiks 2:55PM (5/12/2009)
Exactly! Ferrari needs to come back to sports cars anyway. Come over, give Acura hell in ALMS and Audi and Pug hell at Le Mans!
Al Terego 4:22PM (5/12/2009)
Teams should only agreed to the new terms if Max agrees to whips or chains; not both implements of 'pleasure'. That would only be fair, wouldn't it?
Fernando 1:05PM (5/12/2009)
Great for STR, Max and Bernie's heads are getting way too big and it's just getting to be stupid. If anything they should lift all regulations and let them just go all out, that would be a great thing to see.
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Colin Smith 2:21PM (5/12/2009)
Agreed!
CHINO 1:05PM (5/12/2009)
Do Bernie and Max have any clue what they are doing? The teams are mad and threatening to leave. The fans are mad and threatening to leave. Circuit owners are being forced out by insane event fees (which is why oil sheiks are now building F1 circuits). They're destroying everything and are seemingly oblivious.
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Jsams4131 1:07PM (5/12/2009)
So much for F1 2010 from codemasters...whats the point of a racing sim when none of your favorite teams or drivers will be in it for that year.. =( bernie ecclestone FTW
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ermax18 2:04PM (5/12/2009)
Jsams4131, Hahaha. It would have sucked anyways. But hey, you can always get the GameBoy version based on the 2009 season. It has all the buttons needed to be a true sim. Hahahah
Aki 1:08PM (5/12/2009)
Isn't the whole point of F1 to be cutting edge in technology in development? Just let the teams splurge money if they want to.
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Franz 1:09PM (5/12/2009)
Been saying this would happen for a long time now. Bernie, Max and the FIA have been regulating the hell out of F1 in a very ridiculous manner. What we have here is a classic case of the people in charge of making the rules having very limited knowledge of the thing they're trying to govern, all the while being too pig headed to listen to the opinions of those who are actually in the know. It's ridiculous. As much as I love F1, it'd probably be better if the big teams broke away and ran teams in Le Mans or a completely new series.
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thxcolm 1:13PM (5/12/2009)
This would undoubtedly suck. The only positive changes that the FIA has done in the past have to do with the tech specs of the cars. All the other points/winning system changes and now this are destined to fail.
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ImSteevin 1:13PM (5/12/2009)
I don't even understand what they're attempting to "fix" anymore. And the real reason the new regulations will allow more teams to participate because all but a few are threatening to leave. It's about time the teams stood up for themselves like this.
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Venom 1:23PM (5/12/2009)
If Ferrari does not race, Formula One is as good as dead.
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EJ25RUN 3:09PM (5/12/2009)
Exactly.
Ferrari is Formula 1.
beaz 1:23PM (5/12/2009)
Ferrari: check. your move, Max.
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artso06 1:31PM (5/12/2009)
"Ferrari trusts that its many fans worldwide will understand that this difficult decision"....This is my favorite statement because it is so true. If Ferrari exited it would cause an out rage not towards Ferrari but towards FIA.
Props for Ferrari to have the balls to sticking to what they believe in, now hopefully more teams will follow..........
F1 is the sport of innovation...hopefully that doesn't change
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jgp 1:32PM (5/12/2009)
Ah, Oswald Mosley's son is just like his father...
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Rapid Roo 1:38PM (5/12/2009)
I hope Ferrari goes to Le Mans or Rallying. A prototype Enzo Racer or a Rally Spec F450 would be awesome!!!
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