What is going to happen in 2008?

By Parminio
February 9 2005

The GPWC was founded by the manufacturers in an effort to get what they think they deserve. Most fans agree that they deserve more of the TV revenues.

This story has been dividing F1 fans lately, namely the galloping hoards of the Tifosi and the fans of the other 9 teams. It’s a situation that fans look at and get so disgusted (depending on what side you’re on) that it can’t do F1 any good at all.

The GPWC was founded by the manufacturers in an effort to get what they think they deserve. Most fans agree that they deserve more of the TV revenues. No other sport that I know of has such a lopsided dispersion of funds in favor of the organized governing body of the sport over the participants in that sport.

So why then did Ferrari sign an extension to the Concord Agreement when the other teams did not? Ferrari have been insisting that they deserve the most money as they have the most fans, the logic there being that if it weren’t for Ferrari nobody would be tuning in. Although most fans take that sort of statement personally, it does have some merit. Ferrari have the largest fan base by far. On the other side of that coin however, one must consider the fact that were it not for the other manufacturers, nobody would tune in either. In reality, who’s going to race Ferrari if not for the other manufacturers?

The whole thing has gotten ugly, and stinks somewhat of favoritism, if not out and out partnership. Now, this doesn’t mean that the FIA are setting up the system for Ferrari to win, but it is painfully obvious that the FIA pays a great deal more attention to the wishes of Ferrari than any other team. Going back to the last paragraph, it can be understandable why the FIA will bend over backwards to give Ferrari what they want, as Ferrari are the most marketable team in F1. The only problem with that is the fact that once a governing body goes down that road (showing favoritism towards one team) there’s really no going back. No matter what happens, it’s going to seem as though the FIA are Ferrari’s lacky.

So what will happen in 2008? That’s going to be very interesting. One can only hope that the same fate of CART/IRL doesn’t befall Formula 1. It is a distinct possibility though. With two series running, one will ultimately fall into the abyss. So which one will fail?

Formula 1, for one reason: Who will they race?

If the other 9 teams stay together and go with the GPWC, there will be nobody left for Ferrari to race. There are those that say the manufacturers would run teams in both leagues or just supply teams in F1. They’re dreaming. They don’t supply other teams in F1 now, so what makes anyone think they will in the future? Not only that, but it would not be in the interest of the GPWC to make any effort at all towards F1 as the GPWC will be competing against F1 for TV contracts.

Then there are those that say, “Other manufacturers would come into F1, so it’s not a problem.” That will not happen either. Between BMW, Mercedes Benz, Toyota, Renault and Honda, just about every other manufacturer is owned by one of the conglomerates in the GPWC. They simply wouldn’t allow it. The only other manufacturer not owned by that group that would have the money and power to enter F1 would be the companies owned by General Motors. General Motors has already stated for years that it is not remotely interested in F1. (Pretty much for the same reason Ford left: there’s no money to be made.)

All of this will come to a head by the 2007 season, which sounds a long ways off…but it’s a lot closer than any of us would really like.