04/05/2004
NEWS STORY
According to reports, F1 teams are to be offered an increase in TV revenues if they are co-operative at today's meeting in Monaco, when FIA President Max Mosley will attempt to push through his plans for a 'new Formula One'
It's understood that Mosley is prepared to offer the teams up to double the (TV revenue) income that they currently receive, a deal which has the full support of F1 supremo, and the man who controls the purse-strings, Bernie Ecclestone.
Although Mosley wants to introduce the new rules for 2008, he is hoping to persuade team bosses to introduce them even earlier, in a clear attempt to cut costs and revive interest.
"From 2006 I want to see less power, less speed, costs driven down drastically and new teams in Formula One," he said. "Without question things will happen, or will be starting to happen, within the next year.
"Most people accept the changes will happen," he continued, "It's more about discussing detail than principle.
"This is like drawing a line in the sand," he added. "Formula One needs a strong, independent regulator who can run a proper championship. We cannot have ten teams with ten ageing team principals with no ideas except protecting their own interests. They all realise now that if Formula One is going to succeed commercially and retain its hold on the public, then something must be done and this meeting is where we start."
It's understood that there has been frantic lobbying ahead of today's meeting and that most of the teams and manufacturers look set to accept many, though certainly not all, of Mosley's proposals, though its thought that McLaren-Mercedes is far from happy.