Last Updated on November 19 2024, 11:26 am

Formula One is preparing for what Liberty Media hope to be a spectacular weekend in Las Vegas. The race in the Nevada desert is the only one which F1 promotes itself having invested around $1bn in acquiring an entire city block and building a permanent paddock and grandstands as the base for Vegas F1.

The very public nature of the circuit along the strip means local businesses are gifted vantage points from which their clients can watch the race. However, disputes still rage this year over how much these non-affiliated partners should pay F1 for their beneficial location, with local owners arguing the logistical upset of F1 coming to town is price enough.

As the promoters of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Liberty Media are also facing a 35,000 strong class lawsuit from fans who paid for Friday tickets last season, but saw just nine minutes of action that day. Carlos Sainz hit a man hole cover minutes into FP1which destroyed his Ferrari car and ended the session.

 

 

 

F1 Andretti dispute back in focus

Such was the scrutiny of the ensuing FIA safety check, that the second practice session was postponed for several hours. By the time the track was declared safe to drive, the stewards employed to manage the grandstands had worked the maximum number of hours their union led employment deals allowed and so the fans were evicted fro their seats and forced to go watch the session on TV in their hotels.

Never the less, the racing in Sin City proved to be exciting, with Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen dunking it out for most of the Grand Prix. Even Max was forced to admit the racing was ‘fun’ having earlier billed the Las Vegas event as “99% show, 1% sport.”

Whilst all seems well in F1 paradise, behind the inscrutable face of the F1 administrators, fear has been growing their sport is set for a HUGE setback in the USA.  The FIA, who are mandated to regulate and govern all aspects of Formula One, last year gave the green light to the Andretti Global organisation to join the F1 grid as the eleventh team.

Following months of silence, Formula One Management (FOM, owned by Liberty) then decided to reverse the decision of the FIA. Their chief legal officer had set out the position and had advised FOM their were no grounds for a legal challenge. Yet having spent decades trying to ‘crack’ America the executives making the Andretti decision failed to account for hefty anti-trust laws which F1 must observe.

Steiner wanted to “kick Schumacher’s ass through the paddock”

 

 

 

Team bosses require legal representation

F1’s first visit to the US this year coincided with an open letter from a number of elected representatives sent to the Justice Department demanding an investigation into the matter. Liberty Media’s head honcho was enraged but the developments and was reported by CNN to have accosted Mario Andretti on the grid.

Greg Maffei interrupted a conversation between the motor racing legend and Stefano Domenicali to spit out the one liner, “Mario, I want to tell you that I will do everything in my power to see that Michael never enters Formula 1,’” reported NBC.

By the time F1 returned to the US in Austin Texas, the investigation had progressed significantly. Christian Horner, Toto Wolff, Lawrence Stroll and Stefano Domenicali all arrived with personal legal representatives anticipating they would be required to answer questions from investigator in attendance. They had been accused of having a WhatsApp group in which they discuss the deliberate block being placed on the Andretti proposal.

With Vegas just days away, the US authorities have another opportunity to interrogate their suspects on US soil before there F1 circus rolls on to the deserts of the middle east. F1-insider is reporting that the FBI are now reported to be sending agents who will participate in the current congressional inquiries, senatorial action and the Department of Justice antitrust investigation which are all still in play.

Sacked by Ferrari, wants to join Verstappen

 

 

 

FOM significant departures

And behind the scenes Formula One has been preparing itself to be on the wrong side of the argument. FOM’ chief legal officer, Sacha Woodward Hill, who joined the organisation in 1997, quietly left her position in September.

This week it was announced by Liberty Media that CEO Greg Maffei – who insulted Mario on the Miami grid – will also be leaving his role come the end of the year. Given the serious nature of the cabal-esque F1 operation, it appears the house is being cleaned ahead of a deal with the US Justice Department.

Should F1 fail to agree a path forward, it could be fined billions as happened this year to the NFL. Again accused of anti-competitive trust law, the football league was awarded a $4.bn fine, which can be quadrupled following a failed appeal.

The EU which around the the turn of the millennium ordered a division of powers in F1 appears to have decided to allow its US counterpart to resolve the anti-trust issues. The European Commission led by Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, has been reviewing the situation, but now in a statement the Commission is clear in that for now it reserves the right for further action.

Wolff admits big error with Verstappen in 2021

 

 

 

EU commission standing by

“Based on the limited information available to the Commission regarding the alleged barriers to entry into Formula 1 for new teams, the Commission cannot assess whether these barriers result from anti-competitive behaviour” and violate European laws.

“Therefore, the Commission does not currently intend to consider any measures or investigate the impact of the alleged barriers on innovation, employment, and competitiveness in the automotive and motorsport sectors within the EU,” Vestager added.

“However, we remain ready to examine any evidence of anti-competitive conduct that stakeholders may bring to our attention.”

In all likelihood, the EU will await the findings of their US counterparts and await to see if new improved practices are adopted which would presumably include Andretti being welcomed into the F1 fold.

Damning Sky Sports decision on Hill: “I think its awful”

 

 

 

Ferrari snub FIA announcing their own 2025 car launch

Formula One is infamous for its unpredictable wheezes, the latest being born out of the wish to celebrate 75 seasons of the sport next year. Project F175 was launched last week which will see all the teams attend one big launch party, where the next generation of cars will be revealed by the teams.

The two hour long event will take place at the O2 arena in London on February 18th with all team principals, drivers and other senior personnel expected to attend. F1 car launches have been a ‘thing’ in bygone times with teams in competition to outdo their rivals.

Prior to the advent of the cost cap a number of spectacular F1 car launches have taken place with Eddie Jordan in 2002 ranked high on the list of the spectacular. Midway through an ordinary media event at Brussels airport, a message was announced from the control tower that a “special delivery had arrived for Mr. Jordan.”… READ MORE