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Politician expresses 'grave concerns' about F1's governance

Politician expresses 'grave concerns' about F1's governance

  • Published on 21 Nov 2014 11:19
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
With F1's biggest names swapping teams and the 2014 championship entering its decisive showdown, the furore over the future of the sport enjoyed a brief sojourn on Thursday. But on Friday, the civil war between angry small teams on one side and Bernie Ecclestone, the grandees and owners CVC on the other will be back on pole position.

A meeting between Ecclestone and the furious Lotus, Force India and Sauber is set to take place in Abu Dhabi, as the teams suspect a concerted effort to drive them out is now well under way. They have now abandoned their boycott threats, but an even bigger threat for Ecclestone and the FIA may have emerged.

Anneliese Dodds, a British politician, has written to the European Commission's competition arm with "grave concerns" about F1's governance, according to the Times newspaper. It follows a letter from the small teams to Ecclestone last week accusing F1 authorities of operating a "cartel" through an inequitable distribution of income and the big team-dominated, rule-making 'Strategy Group'.

"There was an agreement made between F1 and the European Union about competition some years ago and it seems that has not been stuck to," Dodds said. The Times said Dodds' letter follows a dossier having been sent to the EU capital Brussels, revealing secret information about the Strategy Group and how the most powerful teams are also given the bulk of F1's commercial income.

Also of interest to Brussels could be the way in which the FIA, despite its sole role as the sport's regulator of rules and safety, recently concluded a deal with Ecclestone including a 1 per cent shareholding of the commercial rights. Stuck in the middle of the civil war is Williams, a mid-sized private team enjoying a run of form that was granted a place in the controversial Strategy Group due to its history.

Deputy boss Claire Williams confirmed: "We occupy an intermediate position between the two camps. On the one hand, we are sympathetic to the position of the three teams, but we also understand the position of the top teams."

"At the same time, I do not agree when the Strategy Group is called a cartel, as it was formed with the consent of all the teams, including those who are not represented. But for us, the politics are not relevant. We do not come to a race weekend to spend our time in debate. If other teams want to do that, it's their decision," she is quoted by f1news.ru. (GMM)
F1 News Lotus F1 Force India Williams Sauber

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Date
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Bahrain
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia
Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
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Monaco
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Circuit de Catalunya
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Austria
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7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom
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21 - Jul 23
Hungary
Hungaroring
28 - Jul 30
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
1 - Sep 3
Italy
Monza
15 - Sep 17
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
22 - Sep 24
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
6 - Oct 8
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
20 - Oct 22
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
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Spain
3 - Nov 5
Brazil
Interlagos
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United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
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United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
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Italy
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Date
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Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia Albert Park
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Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
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United States of America Miami International Autodrome
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Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
26 - May 28
Monaco Monte Carlo
2 - Jun 4
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
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Canada Gilles Villeneuve
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Austria Red Bull Ring
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Hungary Hungaroring
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Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
1 - Sep 3
Italy Monza
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Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
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