Mad Max Messing Formula One

Mad Max seems to be stealing the show these days rather than the cars and drivers themselves. 

The controversial budget cap rule conjured by Max and Bernie seems to have pushed the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) over the edge, threatening to form a breakaway series! This is precisely what happens when rule-making is devoid of logic!

What is the controversial cap? 2010 onwards, teams that run within USD40 million enjoy technical liberties like flexi wings, etc while those that don’t conform to this cannot, thus leading to a two tier F1.

Eight teams including Ferrari, McLaren, Toyota, both Red Bulls, Brawn and Renault and BMW are against this, claiming that lack of technical upgrades undermines the raison d'être in Formula1. Meanwhile, Bernie hopes for a compromise.

We seemed to have seen a glimpse of the madness on this weekend too, which may well be the last race at the historical airfield of Silverstone. It’s really sad that the very track that saw the first ever F1 race on May 13, 1950 will no longer figure in the calendar.

Already, the 2008 season missed the French race Magny Cours, the very country where grands prix were born. Well, if FOTA were to really have a breakaway series beginning 2010, I wish Silverstone and Magny Cours figure there!

The curious thing to note on Sunday was that Ferrari was the only team running KERS in the race, with McLaren and BMW having nearly given it up. Maybe making top teams waste USD50 million on this was FIA’s idea to save costs!!

Well, doe the next season, considering that Williams and Force India are the only existing teams to have made unconditional applications for 2010, Mallya’s dream of a podium could come true pretty soon!

Meanwhile, till the next race at Nurburgring on July 12, do pray for sanity to dawn on Mad Max and Bernie so that we can see legends Ferrari and McLaren continue in F1.