Ferrari and Red Bull have announced their intention to leave Formula One Teams’ Association (FOTA). We know that Bernie Ecclestone doesn’t like the teams association as the teams have power in numbers, with a fractured FOTA, Bernie can manipulate the situation for his own needs better. Yes, I am suggesting that Ecclestone might well have had a hand in Ferrari and Red Bull’s decision to quit FOTA! A larger slice of the financial pie if they leave the teams association?
It is thought that Ferrari and Red Bull have left the teams association over the lack of agreement on the Resource Restriction Agreement (RRA), I’m not sure about the ins and outs of the situation, but I would suggest that the two teams want a higher RRA than other teams will agree to!
Of course the RRA is a ‘gentleman’s agreement‘ between the teams in FOTA, it is not an enforced rule. Which means that Ferrari and Red Bull, no longer being FOTA members can completely ignore any RRA unless it is officially enforced by governing body, the FIA. In my opinion, it’s too much of a coincidence that the two biggest spending teams both leave FOTA at the same time when they can not get agreement within FOTA over how much they want to spend on their F1 program!
Of course, this is all conjecture on my part, but given the history, particularly Ferrari who have negotiated a better deal for themselves directly with Bernie Ecclestone in the past; using their long history in F1 as leverage, and the fact that Ecclestone has been outspoken on the need for the teams association. I find it hard to believe some sort of deal hasn’t been done between FOM and the two teams. FOTA’s future is very unsure with two of it’s biggest players missing.
The other scenario is that Red Bull and Ferrari are using the threat of leaving FOTA as a way to get agreement in their favour over the RRA, it’s not the first time Ferrari have used blackmail to get their own way! How many times has LDM suggested Ferrari would quit Formula 1 now?