Bernie Ecclestone has declared a “majority” of teams have agreed terms to race in F1 beyond 2012.
Ecclestone told the official F1 website teams including Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull have agreed terms on a new Concorde Agreement.
Ecclestone said: “I am very pleased to announce that we have reached commercial agreements with the majority of the current Formula One teams, including Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull Racing, about the terms on which they will continue competing in Formula One after the current Concorde Agreement expires at the end of this year.”
It has not been announced which of the 12 teams have not to sign the agreement.
Significantly, the signatories include both the non-FOTA teams Ferrari and Red Bull and the FOTA-aligned McLaren.
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Image © McLaren/Hoch Zwei
BasCB (@bascb)
24th March 2012, 5:25
Funnily enough, when Ted Kravitz asked Horner about that during FP3 he said “I cannot comment on that” claiming confidentiality of those contracts.
Its probably as well, that they get on with it now that Bernie had Ferrari and Red Bull in the bag. Although it will mean that the big share FOM/CVC gets won’t be changed much in favour of the teams.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
24th March 2012, 5:43
@bascb – I think Horner likes the idea that he is playing things close to the chest, but he’d be a pretty poor poker player: what he doesn’t say speaks volumes.
BasCB (@bascb)
24th March 2012, 6:14
Yeah, he really is quite revealing by what he does not want to say. And the smile he is hiding when the reporter hits the mark. @prisoner-monkeys
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
24th March 2012, 5:37
I wonder who the holdouts are. I’m guessing it’s HRT. They’re barely in a position to know if they will race tomorrow, much less have any idea where they will be a year from now. And they left FOTA when they decided that FOTA served the interests of the competitive teams before any other.
Hairs (@hairs)
24th March 2012, 22:48
More likely they left because someone asked them for money. Which they didn’t have.
Roald (@roald)
24th March 2012, 6:05
I’m curious if Mercedes is among the “majority”. After all, a company their size would need results to be satisfied staying in Formula 1 too long. On the other hand, they attracted way too many talented people lately to call it quits anytime soon.
BasCB (@bascb)
24th March 2012, 6:36
According to Adam Cooper they are not – as is Williams and the 3 new teams.
OOliver
24th March 2012, 6:20
Divide and rule still the best policy.
Browny (@browny)
24th March 2012, 6:47
Unite and Lead is a better one though
scribbler (@scribbler)
24th March 2012, 11:28
Surely if a group has a leader then by default its not Unity?
OOliver
24th March 2012, 20:04
Unite and lead, is for people like us with morals.
But greed has no conscience.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
24th March 2012, 21:57
Seems a little premature for me.
I think this is more a sign that the months ahead will see handbags and tears rather than an actual deal is ready to be signed. It seems too early and where’s all the drama?