FEBRUARY 16, 2005

What happened in the GPWC meeting

The Formula 1 team principals left their meeting with the GPWC on Wednesday afternoon grim-faced and unwilling to talk about what had happened. What is clear however is that the five-hour meeting during which they saw presentations from George Taylor of the iSe and Burkhard Goschel of BMW about the plans for a new Formula 1 series, independent (if necessary) to the existing structure.

"They are deadly serious," said one of those present, who preferred to remain nameless. "It was incredibly thorough. They have done their research and unlike the previous presentations this was a whole new league. It will affect different people in different ways but it is really dangerous now because there is a viable alternative. There is a strong desire that there must not be two series, but we have a situation that is the biggest danger that Formula 1 has ever faced. The FISA and FOCA war was a small fish compared to this. There are five big manufacturers and they want their voice to be heard."

The GPWC appear to have allowed for Ferrari to join at some point in the future but only on the same terms as all the other teams and not with a special deal.