F-1 WILL DIE WITHOUT FERRARI

[lombardi]

IF FERRARI PULL OUT OF F-1,THERE WILL BE NO FORMULA ONE,IT WILL BE DEAD AND BURIED//ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL STATISTICS MOR THAN 80 PERCENT OF F-1 FOLLOWERS WORLDWIDE FOLLOW THE SCUDERIA.CIAO

[Barry Edmunds]

There are also other teams threatening to pull out. If so this really will be the death knell for the sport.
Perhaps it is time that Bernie effectively took control over the whole shooting match instead of allowing the current lot to stuff it all up.
Barry

[Sheldon McIntosh]

IF FERRARI PULL OUT OF F-1,THERE WILL BE NO FORMULA ONE,IT WILL BE DEAD AND BURIED//ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL STATISTICS MOR THAN 80 PERCENT OF F-1 FOLLOWERS WORLDWIDE FOLLOW THE SCUDERIA.CIAO

Yep, dunno how the sport survived between 1980-1999 when Ferrari won 0 (drivers) championships.  If it wasn't for a certain German, a certain Frenchman, and two certain Englishmen, they still wouldn't have won anything. 

And STOP SHOUTING.

[lombardi]

VERY TRUE there will never be such a partnership again[just like the beatles] but remember ENZO started with ALFA and history still matters and drives our future.CIAO

[Sheldon McIntosh]

history still matters and drives our future

A truer statement has never been uttered Lombardi.

It's easy to remember the recent history though (for example Ferrari's last ten years) and forget the slightly more distant history (Ferrari were a joke for a long time).  When Prost can't win you the championship there's something seriously wrong (either that or an equally good driver in the competitors car) and don't forget it took the "dream team" a few years to get Ferrari to a winning position.

I'll be very interested to see if Ferrari follow through with their bluff.  After all, does F1 need Ferrari, or does Ferrari need F1?  I would wager the latter myself.

[Sheldon McIntosh]

I'd also question this claim that 80% of F1 fans support Ferrari.  There are die-hards and then there are fair-weathers.  There were far less Ferrari fans at this years Australian GP that I noticed.

Statistics are like bikinis;  what they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital.  (Aaron Levenstein)

[Arancini]

Ferrari needs F1 as much as F1 needs Ferrari.

It's in both parties interests to find some sort of amicable solution. Failing that, long-term, it's still not in Ferrari's interests to pull the pin. Their whole name more or less has been built around their prowess and participation in formula one - a fact which helps to create a selling point for their road cars. It's all about brand and image building.

At the end of the day, F1 has always been the world's premier motor sport competition. Would Ferrari want to sever their continued participation in F1 since the world championships inception in 1950?

I would think not. It certainly wouldn't be prudent given what's at stake.

[Brad M]

Statistics are like bikinis;  what they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital.  (Aaron Levenstein)

Nice quote there.

[alfagtv100 (Biggus)]

Hi 5.

[f1worldchamp]

It's easy to remember the recent history though (for example Ferrari's last ten years) and forget the slightly more distant history (Ferrari were a joke for a long time).  When Prost can't win you the championship there's something seriously wrong (either that or an equally good driver in the competitors car)

Sheldon, I must take issue here. 
A) Ferrari were not a 'joke' between 80 and 99. They won constructors championships in 82 and 83, regularly winning races (there was not a single year Ferrari didn't win at least one race). Alboreto finished second in the championship in 87 and would have won but for some untimely retirements.
B) Prost would have won the championship in 90 had he not been taken out by Senna in Japan.

I'm sure F1 needs Ferrari more than the other way around. A factory Ferrari team at Le Mans would be huge. I lived in the UK for a while and the Le Mans races are a lot bigger and generate more public interest than most Aussies would realise.

Besides, it's not Ferrari vs the rest. If Ferrari left, you can bet BMW and Renault wouldn't be far behind. They would form the basis of a very interesting breakaway series.

[WilliamB1750]

If they do break away and form a new series, possibly without Bernie and Max, would that be all bad??
With the amount of money Bernie demands and the bull dozing of the regulations, by Max every time you turn around these days, I'm thinking a fresh start might not be a bad thing.

[k76]

I don't know about the rest of you, but for me the important thing is the drivers. By this stage the Ferrari is just like any other F1 car, except its red. There's no more passion in that car than there is in say RedBull, which is a "bought" team. Ferrari leaving will only be a problem if they bring some of the other drivers with them.

I know some will se it as a "hollow" championship without Ferrari, but the fact is we are already there! They aren't competitive for the title this year, but I think it's the most interesting championship for years. Without Todt & Brawn I don't think they will regain their dominance for a while. Will see what happens, but I think Ferrari needs F1 more than F1 needs Ferrari. F1 will always survive, there's so much history there it cannot be replaced.

[lombardi]

NICE COMMENTS EVERYONE,lets be honest here, F-1 HAS BEEN SO SUCCESFUL OVER THE YEARS DUE TO FERRARI PARTICIPATING,what other team has the whole support of a country, and ITALIA AT THAT,ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT AND TECHNOLOGICAL NATIONS ON EARTH, with history unequalled,ITALIA AND FERRARI HAVE NO PEERS.CIAO AND BUONANOTTE.

[f1worldchamp]

I don't know about the rest of you, but for me the important thing is the drivers.

Drivers come and go, Ferrari have always been there.

By this stage the Ferrari is just like any other F1 car, except its red. There's no more passion in that car than there is in say RedBull, which is a "bought" team.

Blasphemy!

[argento_GTV]

I don't know about the rest of you, but for me the important thing is the drivers.

Drivers come and go, Ferrari have always been there.

By this stage the Ferrari is just like any other F1 car, except its red. There's no more passion in that car than there is in say RedBull, which is a "bought" team.

Blasphemy!

Im sure this matter will be cleared up. No Team should run at 100-120 million euros. The Scuderia have a contract in which they will participate in the next 3 seasons. The Monaco GP is tonight and we have a Ferrari on the front row and I imagine it will be leading come lap 2. So do we have many Alfa Romeo owners who are F1 nuts? I am the latter.. soon to be BOTH!