FIA Tribunal hearing in Paris

[Mich the Tester]

Mercedes have just pumped a shed load of money into the sport through buying the team and paying Schumacher and Hamilton a fair wedge. So they aren't going to throw their toys out of the pram and strop off, any more than Mclaren were likely to when they were caught cheating and got no points that season.

There's too much prestige for the teams. Pirelli I have no idea about - they've not had the best of press from being in F1 anyway, so it might make a nice excuse for them.

And Mich - those two companies are not doing F1 to help F1 or for fun, but because they see it as profitable. They're not going to leave in a huff, if it would lose them real or perceived business advantages. They don't spend £hundreds of millions a year without a good reason.

So it'll all end up in a fudge.

[VectraMan]

The FIA's lawyer Howard argues "This communication was not an agreement by the FIA - it was nothing more than Whiting and Bernard's interpretation of [article] 22."

So essentially the FIA is saying legal advice given from their lawyers, and representatives, are not binding.

No wonder the sport is so fooked up.

Sounds a lot like a "QC approved" dodgy offshore loan scheme doesn't it?

[lilelvis2000]

FIA, isn't that just an arm of Ferrari?

[d000hg]

So it'll all end up in a fudge.

Rather, no matter how big the punishment, it still makes sense for them to stay/return. It's not like they can escape a fine by deciding they want to leave... if a pro athlete gets banned for a year or fined their full salary they aren't going to quit because they can still earn $10m the following year.

[lilelvis2000]

I recall Maclaren getting a huge fine a few years back. They are still racing are they not? Whatever fine they get it will be pocket change. The big loss will be constructor points and the cash that comes with those.

[zoco]

Funny, used to love F1 but haven't seen it in years now. Think it went downhill when it went to ITV in the 90s. Too much overkill - all I want to see is the race itself not all the other nonsense.

That aside, get well soon Murray Walker.

[d000hg]

With team orders?

Have you heard of the Tour de France?

[Old Hack]

I recall Maclaren getting a huge fine a few years back. They are still racing are they not? Whatever fine they get it will be pocket change. The big loss will be constructor points and the cash that comes with those.

$100m was the fine.

Guess who paid it....

[doodab]

With team orders?

It's about the only sport where you have a team that doesn't work as a team.

[Old Hack]

It's about the only sport where you have a team that doesn't work as a team.

...or team mates who aren't