FIA threatened with lawsuit

Max Mosley, the president of the FIA, the governing body of international motor sport, yesterday escalated the war with the rebel Formula One teams by signaling his intent to move forward with new 2008 F1 rules despite the boycott of his meetings by the rebel teams.

Repeatedly the FIA have scheduled meetings to discuss the rules. As well, they have solicited opinions in writing from the rebel teams. The FIA has given them every opportunity to have input into the new rules.

As such, in a court the judge will laugh the rebel teams right out of the court room for claiming Mosley is contractually bound by the existing Concorde Agreement to give all of the stakeholders who comprise the Formula One Commission – including the teams – a say in the formulation of the rules before they are presented to the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC). He has given them every chance to have input, they refused.

The remaining rebel teams, led by head antagonist Paul Stoddart, argue that Mosley intends to destabilize their unity and pre-empt their own proposals for the new regulations.

At the FIA's headquarters in Paris, Mosley and F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone were joined only by Ferrari and representatives of Red Bull Racing and Jordan from among the rebel teams, Mosley said the first draft of the 2008 Formula One technical regulations will be finalized no later than May 27th for submission to the World Motor Sport Council meeting, to be held on June 29th, and that subject to WMSC approval a draft would be circulated on July 1st to all the main stakeholders in Formula One.

Angry rebel team principals may now finally be considering legal action against the FIA. Max Mosley, being the excellent attorney that he is, will relish that day in court where he will make fools out of the rebels. Bernie Ecclestone has been attending the FIA meetings, not the rebel GPWC meetings…..so you know which side will ultimately win.