Policy 1: Costs In F1

The Cost In F1

When you think Formula 1, you think fast cars, the best drivers, future technology, glitz, glamour, circus, travel, excitement, drama, WAGs, women, crashes, celebrity, and winners. The absolute home of F1 in this environment is during the Monaco GP where everything comes together and F1 looks like some kind of super, sexy show that you would contemplate selling your own mother for, just to get on Eddie Jordans boat and try on his shirts.

At no point are you thinking that times are hard for these teams. You would never think that budget cuts and austerity measures are required in this sport. Why then, are the FIA making teams like Ferrari work on the same playing field as Caterham? How is it fair that McLaren are made to look like Force India despite the masses of financial resources that they could call upon?

Formula 1 is the life and soul of the car industry. It inspires what the top manufacturers put into their cars. The new 1.6 engines are already the future. Take Ferrari for example. They are installing a similar engine in the new La Ferrari (Enzo Mk II) along with KERS and DRS. These crazy gadgets take millions of pounds to develop and understand and make teams look foolish when they break. I already know that I would not put the KERS system from the Red Bull into my Fiat Panda because I know not enough R&D has not gone into it and probably burn it into a shell.

The top teams could be pumping millions into the development of the cars if they had the chance. They could take on more employees in their factories and give more qualified, budding automotive engineers and apprentices the shot they deserve in the motor industry. Teams like Ferrari who only sold road cars to fund the racing machines have spent their entire life trying to engineer brilliance and have built a cult following that sees their fans empty their pockets for the latest pair of Ferrari endorsed Puma trainers. Why aren’t they allowed to take the money they have built from their image and corporate brainwashing to further develop their cars.

Let me put it into a different context. You would not see Chelsea v Barnet happen this year in a competitive fixture with the millions of pounds Chelsea have and the main stipulation of the match was that the combined wage of each team must be with in £20 of each other. This leaves so much talent eligible to play from Chelsea that could potentially cost them the match. This is what’s happening in F1.

The same can be said with Rugby, Hockey, Rugby League and many other pro sports. Why does F1 need Marussia to compete with Red Bull? Teams should be allowed to try and buy the championship if they want it. Otherwise you get into a situation like this year where they give up after 8 races and start on next years cars. That’s boring and nobody wants that to happen. They could be pumping money into local economies and increasing the standard of living as they increase their foot print all around the world in a quest to become the best team with the best staff and best drivers. The FIA are holding back the inspiration to our sport and it must stop.

The fans deserve to see McLaren blow their cash in a bid to catch and over take the mighty Red Bull machine. Instead we are left with some teams can't afford pre season testing and if that is the case then you have to wonder why they are allowed in F1?

Teams should be allowed in F1 and these teams should live within their means or they go bust. It is as simple as that. You want more money, you get more sponsors, sell more cars, beg borrow or steal. If not, then you run just like they used to do before these insane rules.

Let’s get the glitz and the glamour back in F1. We pay enough for the tickets and I want to know that teams are paying enough to put on the best spectacle that’s possible within the rules and resources at their disposal.

Would anybody else like to second this motion?