Group Of Nine Follow Up

More news on GrandPrix.com here and here that follows the GPWC meeting last Thursday.

Interesting notes include certain clauses of the Concorde Agreement that have been made public. Some of these clauses apparently "make it impossible for any rules to be made for 2008 without them [the other teams] being involved in the decision-making process" and the teams might just push this to International Chamber of Commerce arbitration. If it does then no rules can be made by the deadline of 31 December 2005 since arbitration usually takes a year.

The second article comments on Ferrari's isolation in Formula 1. But that is really Ferrari's own doing. But whilst the GPWC makes provisions for some teams to receive extra cash for "historical" contributions to grand prix racing, in my opinion there shouldn't be any such extras for any team.

The GPWC does welcome Ferrari into the rival Grand Prix Racing series. However, they would hold no special privileges and vetos. I seriously doubt the current FIAT/Ferrari management would agree to such a thing and simply be a team player. I doubt whether they come back to fold with their tail tucked between their legs like that and ask to simply be good members. After all, they think they are the "stars."

Potentially then, we would be facing the loss of the oldest grand prix team in existence. But we've lost other glamorous names like Alfa Romeo, Brabham and Lotus and the sport still continues. For 20 odd years in the 80s and 90s Ferrari were decimated. But the sport still survived and thrived.

Perhaps if Ferrari want extra considerations for their past, then its time to let them go and let them live in the past.