Are we on the brink of a new legal, even judicial, war as F1 is known for? While it is very complicated to reach a consensus among F1 teams, a rare united front is emerging in response to the announcement of a secret agreement between the FIA and Ferrari regarding the operation of the Scuderia’s engine last year.<\/p>\n
When this announcement was made last week, we were surprised by the confidential nature of the agreement. The teams were quick to respond, with the simultaneous release of a joint press statement, co-signed by seven teams. The language used by the teams leaves no doubt about the level of anger on the subject:<\/p>\n
We, the undersigned teams, are surprised and shocked by the FIA’s statement on Friday, February 28, regarding the conclusion of its investigation into Scuderia Ferrari’s engine.<\/p>\n
An international sports regulator is responsible for acting at the highest level of governance, integrity, and transparency.<\/p>\n
After months of investigation initiated by the FIA only following requests from other teams, we vigorously oppose the fact that the FIA has reached a confidential agreement with Ferrari to resolve this issue.<\/p>\n
Therefore, we publicly express our common desire to obtain full transparency on the subject, to ensure that all competitors are treated fairly and equally. We do this for the fans, participants, and stakeholders of Formula One.<\/p>\n
Additionally, we reserve the right to initiate legal proceedings within the FIA procedures and before the competent courts.<\/p>\n
The list of signatories (Mercedes, Red Bull, AlphaTauri, Racing Point, Williams, and McLaren) is not a surprise since they are all teams not powered by Ferrari. Therefore, we can expect that the teams will not stop there as 2020 is a crucial year, with economic and sporting overhauls for the following year. This sporting war could therefore directly influence the ongoing negotiations as the teams might find the ideal leverage to reduce or even eliminate the financial bonus and veto right that Scuderia holds.<\/p>\n
The reunions in the Melbourne paddock are already expected to be very tense…<\/p>\n