Zoom Something of a FOTA, FOM, FIA power-struggle

The competing teams should own the business of Formula One, according to Red Bull's Dietrich Mateschitz.

The Austrian billionaire, who owns two of the ten teams entered in the 2009 world championship, waded into the argument about the commercial governance of the sport in interview with Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

"The teams are the ones who firstly make up F1 and also bear the financial risk," he said. "They are the ones that not only have the expertise necessary, but also the passion. For me, therefore, there is only one logical and morally acceptable partner for F1 - the teams."

With the Formula One Teams’ Association already established, Mateschitz said a joint ‘takeover bid’ is the ‘next logical step’ in the discussion about the future of the sport.

Max Mosley is a known friend and ally of Mateschitz, but the FIA President recently said the commercial governance of the sport belongs to Formula One Management and CVC, because the FIA sold those bodies the rights.

"It's not something I should get involved in but I would make the remark that the idea that F1 belongs to the teams is fallacious," he said earlier this month at a media lunch in London.

"You don't get to own a restaurant by eating in it every night - and they haven't even eaten in it every night, apart from Ferrari," he added.

Mosley said that if the teams are not happy to agree with F1's existing commercial arrangement, they can set up a rival championship and the FIA would be obliged to sanction it.

E.A, Source: GMM
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