Is it official? Toyota signed the Concorde Agreement, BMW did not. Toyota could potentially sell the team, thus keeping those spots on the grid, and keeping Sauber off.Well Peter and Mario must be wiping the sweat from their brows. With Toyota out, Sauber's provisional entry is now official.
As for who can be the new F1 tire supplier, how about Hoosier? 😛
Is it official? Toyota signed the Concorde Agreement, BMW did not. Toyota could potentially sell the team, thus keeping those spots on the grid, and keeping Sauber off.
Is it official? Toyota signed the Concorde Agreement, BMW did not. Toyota could potentially sell the team, thus keeping those spots on the grid, and keeping Sauber off.
As if the FIA is going to sue the Toyota corporation., and/or Renault. 🙄 🙂Not official in the dictionary sense, so I should have put quotes around it. I will edit my comment.
Also, USA Today is reporting that the FIA is seeking a legal review of Toyota's decision to withdraw since they are a signatory to the Concorde Agreement which did commit them to competing in Formula One through 2012.
I wonder if this will influence Renault's Board?
The announcements this week by Toyota and Bridgestone of their withdrawal from Formula One are of concern to the FIA. 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. 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.
'The FIA has repeatedly warned that motorsport cannot outpace the world economic crisis. That is why the competing teams have been asked to cut costs and the entry of independent teams has been encouraged. The FIA accepted the cost-reduction measures put forward by the teams on the basis that they would ensure a long-term commitment to the championship. Toyota's announcement demonstrates the importance of the original cost-reduction measures set out by the FIA.
'The FIA will now work to ensure that Toyota's departure is managed in the best interests of the championship, and will continue to encourage the F1 teams to undertake the necessary cost-cutting measures for the good of the sport.'
The FIA's Statement:
I thought Ferrari's odd Agatha Christie themed statement was amusing. And odd.
Edit to add: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8344166.stm
As if the FIA is going to sue the Toyota corporation., and/or Renault. 🙄 🙂
I wonder whether this is the FIA wondering whether there has been a degree of collusion between John Howett and Toyota. If Toyota thought they'd sign up to the Concorde agreement and then sell it if they didn't want the space of give it to a hypothetical "Howett GP" then I guess that could be seen as going against the spirit of the agreement. BMW didn't sign it and therefore Qadbak aren't entitled to the space; Toyota did, and it remains to be seen whether the FIA decides that that spot was for Toyota only.
But Honda was a signatory to the Concorde Agreement that was in force this year when they left in 2008, so they were in the same "breach" condition as Toyota is. And yet when Brawn GP was formed in the aftermath, it was automatically granted a spot on the 2009 grid, effectively taking over Honda's spot.
And the issue with BMW and Qadbak is because BMW didn't sign the 2012 extension, they are not automatically granted a slot. If they had, there would be no argument and the FIA would have only accepted three new teams, as opposed to four.
So if Howett or some other group acquires the assets of the Toyota team, they should automatically be accepted as a team for the 2010-2012 seasons.