news

F1: Ferrari Blames Mosley For Toyota Exit

FERRARI HAS LAUNCHED an astonishing attack on the FIA following the announcement of Toyota’s exit from Formula 1, blaming former President Max Mosley for sparking the mass departure of car manufacturers from the sport.
BMW, Toyota and Honda have all wi


FERRARI HAS LAUNCHED an astonishing attack on the FIA following the announcement of Toyota’s exit from Formula 1, blaming former President Max Mosley for sparking the mass departure of car manufacturers from the sport.

BMW, Toyota and Honda have all withdrawn from motorsport’s ultimate category over the last 12 months, citing the pressures of the Global Financial Crisis, while Renault may be poised to follow.

However, the Maranello-based company has singularly laid fault on the FIA, claiming the governing body has waged a war against manufacturers in Formula 1, attempting to force multi-nationals out of the sport in favour of pure racing organisations.

In a statement released on Ferrari’s website, the team compared F1’s current state of affairs to Agatha Christie’s crime novel ‘Ten Little Indians’, where the identity of the murderer remains unknown until the last victim is claimed.

Ferrari’s statement reads: “It could be seen as a parody of ‘Ten Little Indians,’ the detective novel by Agatha Christie, first published in England back in 1939, but the reality is much more serious.

“Formula 1 continues to lose major players: in the past twelve months, Honda, BMW, Bridgestone and, only this morning, Toyota, have announced they are leaving the sport. In exchange, so to speak, we will now have, Manor, Lotus (at least in name only, as this incarnation has little to do with the team that gave us Colin Chapman, Jim Clark and Ayrton Senna to name but a few,) USF1 and Campos Meta.

“Can we claim that it’s a case of like for like, just because the numbers sitting around the table are the same? Hardly and we must also wait and see just how many of them will really be there on the grid for the first race of next season in Bahrain and how many will still be there at the end of 2010.

“The reality is that this gradual defection from the F1 fold has more to do with a war waged against the major car manufacturers by those who managed Formula 1 over the past few years, than the result of any economic crisis.

“In Christie’s work of fiction, the guilty party was only uncovered when all the other characters died, one after the other. Do we want to wait for this to happen or do we want to pen a different ending to the book on Formula 1?”

Toyota’s exit has prompted the FIA to consider taking legal action after the Japanese company signed the Concorde Agreement, committing it to Formula 1 until 2012.

The FIA admitted Toyota’s snap withdrawal has caused concerns, saying it will now seek clarification regarding its future plans and if it intends to follow the path of Honda in selling the team to a new owner.

“Bridgestone has given almost 18 months' notice of its intentions, thereby allowing the necessary arrangements to be made for the future supply of tyres to the championship,” the FIA said.

“Toyota's decision, however, comes just weeks after its F1 team signed the new Concorde Agreement until 2012.

“Urgent clarification is now being sought from the Toyota F1 team as to its legal position in relation to the championship. This will have a direct bearing on the admission of any future 13th entry.”

Renault meanwhile has confirmed its future is also under review, with Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn stating a decision on its future F1 participation will be made before the end of the year.

After escaping severe punishment from the FIA for orchestrating an accident at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, Renault appeared set to remain in the series in a bid to repair its severely damaged sporting image.

The French car maker signed highly rated Polish driver Robert Kubica as a replacement for Fernando Alonso, and was also poised to secure the services of German Timo Glock.

However, Ghosn’s revelation has placed a serious question mark over Renault’s F1 future.

Chat with us!







Chat with Agent