APRIL 19, 2004

Mr Mosley is having a meeting

FIA President Max Mosley has called a meeting of the Formula 1 team bosses in Monaco on May 5 and it thought likely that Mosley will use the gathering to discuss a number of important issues at the moment.

FIA President Max Mosley has called a meeting of the Formula 1 team bosses in Monaco on May 5 and it thought likely that Mosley will use the gathering to discuss a number of important issues at the moment. One will be the speed of the cars; another will be the fact that there is almost no possibility of new teams being able to get into Formula 1 and that costs need to be cut to enable that to happen. One problem could, of course, solve the other as teams do not want rule changes this year because of the costs involved and Mosley might be convinced not to try to slow the cars down if the teams agree to accept other cost-cutting measures.

It is also thought likely that there will be serious discussions about the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) and perhaps even a call to boycott the Spanish Grand Prix, which takes place a few days after the meeting. The F1 team bosses are not happy about the EAW because it leaves the way open for magistrates in some countries to imprison people without trial in the event of an accident at a race. The impression that many in F1 have of the never-ending Senna Trial - whether it is right or wrong - is that magistrates have continued to stir up trouble simply to make a name for themselves and they are worried that a similar thing could happen again but with people involved actually being held in prison because under the law in many European countries a suspect can be held without being charged until a case has been prepared if a judge deems that necessary. In Britain and other countries a suspect must be charged within a certain period of time.

The problem currently affects only three Grands Prix as not all the European countries have agreed to the EAW. They are Spain, Britain and Belgium. The obvious choice is Spain because otherwise nothing can be done until July.

A boycott of a Formula 1 race is not easy to achieve because there are contractual obligations for those involved. But it is our understanding that the teams' obligation to attend the races does not cover actually racing but only deems it necessary to present cars for scrutineering. After that cars can sit in the garage all weekend if a team chooses to take that step.