F1 – Flavio Suing for Driver Contracts

The FIA may be in for a rude awakening.  Flavio Briatore has started legal proceedings against the FIA in Geneva, Switzerland to recover damages from the FIA for forcing drivers to cancel their management contracts with Flavio’s company. This is on the heels of Flavio’s successful lawsuit against the FIA for banning him from involvement from FIA sanctioned motorsport indefinitely and for declaring that no driver who held a management contract with Flavio’s company would be granted a superlicense. The French court previously found that the FIA had acted against French law when Max Mosley presided over…

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F1 – Back to the Brink

It is all very silly now. We thought we had seen the conclusion of the FOTA/FIA war, but it would appear that Max Mosley still thinks he has a point to prove. At a planned meeting today between the FIA and the 13 teams that are entered for the 2010 championship, the 8 FOTA teams walked out of the proceedings. Max Mosley promptly issued a press release deriding the teams. “The eight FOTA teams were invited to attend the meeting to discuss their further proposals for 2010. Unfortunately no discussion…

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F1 – Peace Deal Brokered

Yesterday, Max Mosley sent out a letter describing in detail why he felt it was in the FIA’s best interest that he stand for re-election when his 4th term as FIA president ends in the fall. This despite his spankgate pledge to stand down from his position when his term expired. However, it looks like Mosley has again reconsidered. According to Autosport’s sources, Mosley, Luca Di Montezemelo and Bernie Ecclestone last night had meetings which have resulted in a deal. At this point, it sounds like the following has been…

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F1 – Is F1 Viable Without FOTA?

First we have to ask if Ferrari, RBR & STR will be part of both F1 and FOTA1 since they will most likely still be listed on the entry list when it comes out today. Look for these three teams to file breach of contract lawsuits against the FIA immediately after the entry list is posted. But let’s assume that all 8 FOTA teams will be exclusive to the new breakaway series. Lola and N Technologies have withdrawn their entries from consideration which may be the start of a disturbing…

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F1 – FOTA’s Gambit

We here at Open Paddock have been pretty shy about jumping on the F1 media train for the last couple months since the politics of F1 have overshadowed the racing. But this situation has finally come to a head, so let’s discuss. Is this a page out of Max’s handbook of extreme bargaining tactics, or is that FOTA’s final word? Max has become a broken record when it comes to negotiations. He comes out with a monstrously extreme position that is only intended to make the other bargaining party enter…

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