[TouccuraLar]

I just read an article where RAI, Italian tv station is planning to suit the FIA if some of the major teams wont sign up for next year. The major complain is that they spend akrady a lot of money to buy to broadcasting rights to show F1 on TV and now that some F1 teams are planning not to return, RAI fears that there will be a loss in audience. They also feel the the new F1 would be a diliuted version of what they paid for and therefore they feel that the FIA is not respecting the original contract.

Of course, I wonder how many other TV stations around the world feel the same way. If Alonso is planning to stay out, as he mentioned in an article, then no Spaniard will be watching F1. So, forget Spain. Germany kind of the same thing if Vettel and BMW will be out except of course for the Mercedes fans, but I am not sure if that would be enough of an audience. Of course it seems that as long as the British TV is concerned it might actually increase its audiance, reducing F1 more to a regional car championship than a wordly one.

PS I wonder about Australia if Webber wont come back either

[RuttyUttepe]

Well it is rumoured the BBC paid in excess of £200m to screen the coverage, so I can understand this stance. Breach of contract could be used in this case..

[unmalryAlalry]

I am guessing they (the broadcasters) signed up to show Formula 1... which would still go on without Ferrari, Renault, Toyota etc... so they may have no case legally, after all Renault or Toyota may have pulled out (as Honda did) without interference from the FIA.

I see their concern, I for one would not be interested in watching F1 without Ferrari and the Manufacturer teams, but diminishing audiences are a gamble the broadcasters took when they signed up.

[RogHammon]

If the number of big name teams drops, you can bet the stations will not renew their contracts. The problem is that they are probably locked in for a number of years unless they were very smart and had exit clauses in their contracts.

It looks like it would take several years for Bernie to feel the pinch in his wallet.

[Ggskbpbz]

I am guessing they (the broadcasters) signed up to show Formula 1... which would still go on without Ferrari, Renault, Toyota etc... so they may have no case legally, after all Renault or Toyota may have pulled out (as Honda did) without interference from the FIA.

I see their concern, I for one would not be interested in watching F1 without Ferrari and the Manufacturer teams, but diminishing audiences are a gamble the broadcasters took when they signed up.

I'm pretty sure none of the broadcasters pays €200 million/year without having precises clauses in their contracts which stipulate that the teams with the biggest fan base must be part of the show.

Why do you think that Bernie is stressed right now? No Ferrari = no more TV money = CVC can't pay their huge debt = bankruptcy!

[eladiopsislab]

CVC can't pay their huge debt = bankruptcy!

We can but dream...

Mind you Bernie, would just buy the rights back for a couple of gobstoppers and some magic beans.......

[Ggskbpbz]

We can but dream...

Mind you Bernie, would just buy the rights back for a couple of gobstoppers and some magic beans.......

Unless the FOTA makes CVC a better offer! At least this is what I would do followed by showing Max the middle finger!

[Vikonbarius]

Yep...despite this horrific mess I pray that something better will come from it, although i'm not that confident.

Oh and nice to have you back Ioan

[Ggskbpbz]

Yep...despite this horrific mess I pray that something better will come from it, although i'm not that confident.

I hope the result is that Bernie and Max will have less to say in F1 than the teams, or we get a new series free from these two.

Oh and nice to have you back Ioan

Thanks!

[PypeMaypetasy]

The utopia is to have the FIA fairly administering a set of rules that are stable, agreed, allow exciting racing and widespread participation from a wide variety of enteries.

I don't want the teams being incharge of the commercial side or of making the rules up as they are too self serving. However, I am fed up of Bernie and his antics and feel CVC need to be forced back into line or shunted out of the sport and F1 to start again.

We will see.

[TOOGUEITEME]

ioan is pretty much correct. F1 will survive without Ferrari and the others because the FIA owns the rights to the name Formula 1. That makes F1 whatever Max says it is. Bernie will be financially killed without Ferrari though. I believe the TV revenues and paid spectators at the track will fall off dramaticaly without the red cars.

As a boy, Jimmy Clark and those oh so sleek rear engined Lotus cars got me looking but once I was in, I was a Ferrari fan up until the recent Ferrari-McLaren thing, which I still have suspiscions about. No matter which venue they race at, those are, or were, Ferrari flags a'waving.

Bernie is gonna take a hit.

[ZIZITOPER]

Bernie will be financially killed without Ferrari though...
Bernie is gonna take a hit.

Oh no he won't. He sold FOM at the top of the market, if you remember. His actual financial stake in the business is something like 5 or 6% these days.

If FOM went bankrupt, Max would re-lease the rights to a new company Bernie would set up, 100% owned by him, and the dance would begin again.

[engacenus]

The TV Stations have every right to try and fine the FIA as what they have bought into is a total farce-and if there as no F1 next year (which is likely) then whichever sport tv producer kills Bernie or Max first is officially my new hero.

However, no F1 next year (alternate series or whatever happens) means that Codemasters will be F***ed when it comes to F1 2010-a game that will be totally useless. so we can laugh at their ridiculous decision to lie to us and say there will be an F1 2009-when there will only be a crappy version on crappy consoles. So at least we can take this away from next years inevitable farce:

Us 1-0 Codies

I am/was a loyal codies fan, but they've p*ssed me off recently so they deserve such idioces (Mainly P*ssed off at fuels delayed release date)

[DebtDetox]

I imagine the contracts between broadcasters and F1 are explicit and lengthy in legal gobbledygook.
It won't be like every foreseeable responsibility wouldn't be spelled out in those volumes.
On the other hand lawyrs nowadays - you never know.

If I were the broadcaster I would feel as though I was committing to a fine dinner and Bernie is trying to pass off cheap carryout.

It will be much more complicated than that, no doubt.

[RogHammon]

New rumors at Pitpass.com suggest that Bernie may be forced to sell F1 broadcast rights to pay-per-view. Wow, I wonder how much broadcasters would be willing to pay to show a series that has lost, or may lose its major attractions at any moment?

[ZIZITOPER]

Not "forced to", just "he might"

[RogHammon]

Not "forced to", just "he might"

Right, unless you consider that it's his bankbook that's forcing him to sell.