FOTA strong despite disputes, Domenicali claims

It wouldn’t be Formula 1 without gossip and rumour and even this early into the season, it is on the agenda. The stone that created ripples on the pond this time concerns the spending limits imposed by FOTA on the teams for 2010 and allegations from some quarters that one team, Red Bull, overspent. Asked to comment on the matter, Stefano Domenicali had this to say: “I don’t like commenting on the others and I won’t do it on this occasion either, as you can well understand. All I can confirm is that we have respected the limits set out within FOTA. I believe this agreement represents a very important result which came on the back of significant efforts, particularly from the bigger teams. It will be discussed in the forthcoming meetings and if it transpires there have been any violations of the agreement, which by the way can have no repercussions in sporting terms, given that the Resource Restriction Agreement is a private one drawn up by the teams, then FOTA in any case has the power to intervene.”

This year, the Ferrari Team Principal is no longer the vice president of the teams’ association, but he had this to say on its future: “In some areas, great strides have been made and I think FOTA must continue working in this way. Then there are other areas that need clearing up and if they are not, then it would be better to rethink the principles that are the basis of this association. Let’s not forget we are coming up to the time to start the process of renewing the Concorde Agreement, which currently runs out at the end of 2012.”

Someone who asked a question regarding Helmut Marko’s recently published comments that Ferrari might have some plans for a shopping trip at the home of Red Bull, managed to extract an astute response from Domenicali. “First of all, I want to congratulate Red Bull for winning both titles on merit. I don’t think it’s worth commenting on this matter, especially as I’m not in the habit of going to the supermarket….Joking apart, engineers always move in small circles within the limited number of Formula 1 teams and so I don’t see anything strange in the fact that Neil Martin has joined us, especially as we receive so many letters from engineers who want to come and work here in Maranello. It is something that is very pleasing because it signifies that we are still a great attraction and that there is a desire to experience what it is like to work at Ferrari. The Red Bull spirit? I don’t know it, because my entire career has been spent with the Reds. What I can say is that the spirit we have here is something unique, exceptional and special. It’s not just me that says it, but all sorts of people who come to work for us from other teams, or those who leave us to take on a new challenge elsewhere, drivers, engineers and those who do any of the other jobs in Formula 1.”