F1 seems to be intent on reenacting the 1996 Indy season

[Todd McCreary]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/moto...ne/8108488.stm

this may not end until Max and maybe even Bernie are gone.

[AJ14]

This could get real big . The team owners insist they have the backing to start their own series . They also seem to have the blessings of the manufacturers ( Mercedes , Renault , BMW , Ferrari ) and there are a number of tracks like Indy , Silverstone , and plenty of others who have been dumped by Bernie and Max and would happily put on a race for the new series . The drivers also seem unanimous in wanting to go into anything elae besides the current FIA series . Could just be bluffing on everyones part , but the insiders say this one is for real .
This would be different than the Cart / IRL split in that apparently ALL of the top teams , drivers , manufacturers , and even sponsors are planning to go with the new series leaving only Wiliiams behind , and the Williams drivers plan to leave as well .

[AJ14]

Besides , the fans seem to be completly behind the new series .

[Todd McCreary]

people like Bob Varsha love to sit around and bloviate about how they're sure everybody is just posturing and they'll all eventually join hands and sing kumbaya.

but tonight on Wind Tunnel, Varsha said something that i think almost guarantees that a deal will NOT be made. and he isn't even aware of the implications.

Varsha stated that both sides will reconcile because Bernie Ecclestone has to make $500 million every year just for debt service. now debt service isn't how much you're in hock, that's just how much you pay on your loans every year.

question: so how much did Bernie hock the company in the credit bubble over the last couple of years?

answer: it looks like $2.5 Billion http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=aOCyOzVuoWmY

and i don't think the new "owner" is very happy:
"The world’s most-watched motor sport faces an 80 percent decline in corporate hospitality guests at some races"

so the question for the teams, tracks, sponsors, fans and drivers is this: why the hell do they want to burn $500 million every year ( for probably the next 10 years ) to pay Bernie's bills? and continue to deal with Max Moseley?

sure, Bernie wants to deal. sure, Bernie is a paper tiger who can't back up any threats Max makes. but so what? at the end of the day, the teams are still staring at $500 million per year which could be split their way. Bernie may wind up rolling over and giving the teams everything they "want" but even that may not be enough to keep them in line.

F1 fans love to think they're so superior. makes you wonder how Varsha could miss something like that when he's talking about it on national television.

[AJ14]

Its also possible that this whole mess will be straightened out by Wednesday when the World Motorsports Council meets . The team owners will call for dumping Max , and if that happens there is no need for a breakaway series .

[Todd McCreary]

The team owners will call for dumping Max , and if that happens there is no need for a breakaway series .

who put Max in charge and has been keeping him there?

[AJ14]

You're correct , its good old Bernie . You know , maybe this will come to the attention of one Bruton Smith . Maybe he'll get inspired and start his own stock car series . He already owns plenty of tracks , would happily build more if necessary , many if not all of the teams might go with him , he has existing relationships with the biggest sponsors and tv networks , owns his own racing radio network , and lord knows hes got as much or more money than the France family .

[andre]

Maybe he'll get inspired and start his own stock car series .


This would be the deadly bullet to pro stock car racing as we know it. You do not remember IRL//Cart, the 90's Nascar Winston Cup tire war Hoosier//Good Year. Just look at local level how it goes when teams are torn apart with choices to go here or there???!?!?

[straight up]

f-1 ? good riddance ! bunch of boring snobs

[Todd McCreary]

f-1 ? good riddance ! bunch of boring snobs


well, there is that.

maybe if they would do a full field invert?

[AJ14]

It was announced today that the war is over , the teams will stay with the current series , and in exchange the insufferable Max Mosely will finally go away for good in October . Now they just have to come up with a plan to get rid of Bernie . Until they do , F1 will probably not return to North America . Bernie makes giant amounts of money off of each race , he keeps jacking up the fees that tracks pay to put on an F1 race , and now the only tracks that can pay those ridiculous amounts are the new tracks in the Middle East . So Montreal and Indy are out , so are a number of the best tracks in Europe . Sad .

[AJ14]

Maybe a full field invert and double file re-starts SHOOTOUT STYLE .