Friday, September 14, 2007
New News?
Autosport.com has been getting a bit excited over the last two days. First, yesterday evening it claimed McLaren had been banned from this championship and next year's. Very quickly it printed a clarification (which had now disappeared from the site).
In the last few hours they have put up the 'news' that McLaren may not have to pay all the $100 million. This is only 'news' to them. Yesterday they gave us the full FIA statement which said McLaren had to pay $100 million minus the FOM income lost as a result of the points deduction. Hours late Ron Dennis clarified this for everyone. They'd only have to pay about half the $100 million.
Of course, the world media has grabbed the very nice round figure and run with it. That's what McLaren have to pay, according to them. Thus it is today that it is 'news' that they don't, when really we all knew it yesterday.
In the last few hours they have put up the 'news' that McLaren may not have to pay all the $100 million. This is only 'news' to them. Yesterday they gave us the full FIA statement which said McLaren had to pay $100 million minus the FOM income lost as a result of the points deduction. Hours late Ron Dennis clarified this for everyone. They'd only have to pay about half the $100 million.
Of course, the world media has grabbed the very nice round figure and run with it. That's what McLaren have to pay, according to them. Thus it is today that it is 'news' that they don't, when really we all knew it yesterday.
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Yes, I've had to explain that about 4 times to people today. It's not very clear.
Interestingly it works well for the sport. We don't really want to bankrupt McLaren but on the other hand we want everyone to know that you shouldn't cheat in F1.
By my back of the napkin calcluations McLaren will end up paying about £10m.
($100m - $60m earnings from points; $40m / 2 = $20m half to Mercedes although a joke I reckon it will happen; $20m = £10m;)
Interestingly it works well for the sport. We don't really want to bankrupt McLaren but on the other hand we want everyone to know that you shouldn't cheat in F1.
By my back of the napkin calcluations McLaren will end up paying about £10m.
($100m - $60m earnings from points; $40m / 2 = $20m half to Mercedes although a joke I reckon it will happen; $20m = £10m;)
It's all up now! McLaren were caught red handed I reckon:
Full FIA notice
Autosport Readthrough - shorter
Full FIA notice
Autosport Readthrough - shorter
The FIA get paid it by McLaren and FOM.
This money will go towards a variety of different activities, but it will help pay down the debt that the FIA took on last year when it decided to pay Ferrari extra money to stay in the sport to break the logjam with the breakaway series.
This money will go towards a variety of different activities, but it will help pay down the debt that the FIA took on last year when it decided to pay Ferrari extra money to stay in the sport to break the logjam with the breakaway series.
So the question then is why? Were the FIA wronged? Perhaps. Or perhaps the money should go to Ferrari. Or maybe it should go to all the other teams on the grid. McLaren have been eliminated from the constructor's championship, but their points haven't been distributed to the other teams - which might help out people like Honda, Red Bull etc.
I was thinking about something similar. A few years ago there was big talk from Paul Stoddard about setting up a fighting fund to help out the smaller teams when they fell into financial difficulties. Paul managed to get all of the teams to agree to it except McLaren. So perhaps the money should be used to set up such a fund.
Turns out that something closer to what you suggested Nick is going to happen.
Half the money goes to the other teams, the other half goes to a F1 academy for new drivers.
At least that's what the Observer said today.
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Half the money goes to the other teams, the other half goes to a F1 academy for new drivers.
At least that's what the Observer said today.
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