Administrative Forces in Formula 1
and autosport
There aren't many aspects of Formula One which haven't changed since the early 1980s but one crucial part of its governance has remained the same. It is known as the Concorde Agreement since it was signed in the headquarters of F1's governing body the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) on the Place de la Concorde in Paris.. Modern day F1 literally wouldn't exist if it wasn't for the Concorde Agreement. Prior to it being signed F1 races ran as ad hoc, almost amateur, events. Each team made separate deals with each event promoter and television coverage was sporadic since races could be cancelled at the last moment if there were not enough cars to fill the grid. F1's boss Bernie Ecclestone saw that the big money would come from TV so he convinced the teams to sign a contract committing them to race. This agreement specifies the rights and obligations of the teams and the FIA. It also calls for unanimity for important decisions. It is Formula One holy of holies, the secret kept by scores of people for a quarter of a century. It is a contract which binds the F1 teams, the FIA, and the entity, run by Bernie Ecclestone, which holds the sport's comercial rights through 2097.
Ecclestone took the contract to TV companies who could then guarantee coverage. His company Formula One Promotions and Administration (FOPA) negotiated the deals on behalf of the teams and took a share of the proceeds with the remainder going to the teams and the FIA. This split has changed several times since 1981 and it is always at the heart of the negotiations over a new version of the contract.
Fitrst page of Concorde agreement:
Contents: Page:
1. Championship rights 2
2. Definitions 2
3. Commercial Agreement 3
4. Grant of Rights 3
5. Undertaking 4
6. F1 Commission 4
7. F1 Technical Working Group 11
8. Technical and Sporting Regulations 15
9. Promoters and Organisers 18
10. Entries 19
11. Calendar 20
12. Passes 21
13. Driver Contract Recognition Agreement 22
14. Constructors 22
15. Interpretation 22
16. Confidentiality 23
17. Governing, Law, Invalidity, Arbitration 24
18. Notices 24
19. Term 24
20. Authority of Signatories 25
The FIA International Court of Appeal is the final appeal tribunal for international motor sport. It resolves disputes brought before it by any of motorsport's National Sporting Authorities world-wide, or by the President of the FIA. It can also settle non-sporting disputes brought by national motoring organizations affiliated to the FIA.
The FIA's Court of Appeal is composed of professional judges, and it's 18 members are appointed for a three-year term. In order for the court to make a legally binding decision, the presence of at least three judges is required, none of which may be of the same nationality as the parties involved. A Formula 1 team that is unwilling to accept a decision by the racing commissioners can appeal to the FIA's International Court of Appeal. In this case, a declaration of intent must be submitted within an hour of the decision. The FIA, too, can send a decision by the commissioners to the Court of Appeal. List of members for year 2010 can be find here.
The FIA (International Automobile Federation) draws up the technical and racing regulations for Formula 1. It is based in Geneva. The president of the leading international racing authority is Jean Todt from France. The FIA was founded in 1904.
The World Motor Sport Council is the most powerful body of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). Its membership is chosen by the FIA General Assembly, which contains representatives from national automobile clubs (ASNs) throughout the world. It is one of two FIA World Councils; the other deals with matters such as tourism. It is also responsible for the promotion of safety in worldwide motorsport , the encouragement of standardized regulations, and the promotion of motorsport in new markets, including developing countries. The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, commonly referred to as the FIA, is a non-profit association established in 1904 to represent the interest of motoring organizations and motor car users. ... Auto racing (also known as automobile racing or autosport) is a sport involving racing automobiles. The spread of activities encouraged and controlled by the FIA World Motor Sport Council is enormous and is not limited to the FIA Formula One World Championship, the FIA World Rally Championship, the FIA GT Championship or Formula 3000. Through its national member clubs the FIA's involvement extends to the millions of amateurs and professionals who enjoy motor sport in all of its variety.
The World Motor Sport Council meets three or four times a year to consider proposals from specialist FIA Commissions. It has a current membership of 26, including FIA President Max Mosley and Formula One commercial rights owner Bernie Ecclestone.
List of members (2005-2009 term)
|
|
| President |  Jean Todt |
| Deputy-President |  Graham Stoker |
| Vice-President |  Michel Boeri |
| Vice-President |  Enrico Gelpi |
| Vice-President |  Carlos Gracia Fuertes |
| Vice-President |  José Abed |
| Vice-President |  Mohammed Ben Sulayem |
| Vice-President |  Morrie Chandler |
| Vice-President |  Surinder Thatthi |
Country Representing: |
|
 Bahrain |
Sheikh Abdulla Bin Isa Alkhalifa |
| Australia |
Garry Connelly |
 Greece |
Vassilis Despotopoulos |
 Portugal |
Luis Pinto de Freitas |
 Croatia |
Zrinko Gregurek |
 China |
Wan Heping |
 Russia |
Victor Kiryanov |
 Dominican Republic |
Henry Krausz |
 India |
Vijay Mallya |
 Paraguay |
Hugo R. Mersan |
 Czech Republic |
Radovan Novak |
 Sweden |
Lars Österlind |
 Venezuela |
Vicenzo Spano |
 Singapore |
Teng Lip Tan |
Formula One Administration (FOA)
The FOA is an organization that takes care of Formula 1's economic aspects (broadcasting rights, prize money, marketing, etc.) and holds the commercial rights to Formula One. These rights are granted to FOA by the FIA under the terms of the Concorde Agreement and are managed by Formula One Management.
In its annual accounts filed with Companies House, FOA reported turnover of $750 million and pre-tax profits of $447 million (up from $215m in 2003 and $127m in 2002). This has allowed the company to slash its debts by $347 million to $121 million.
The head of the FOA is Bernard (Bernie) Ecclestone from Great Britain. The FOA developed out of the FOCA, a manufacturers' association founded in 1971.
Before 2008, this commission consisted of representatives from the all teams, race organizers, engine manufacturers, sponsors, tyre manufacturers and of course the FIA.
From 2008, just six of the 12 Formula One teams will have voting rights as part of the Formula One Commission, the FIA announced. The move, which leaves big names such as McLaren and Toyota without a vote, is part of an overhaul designed to simplify major decision making within the sport.
The Formula One Commission is responsible for approving any changes to the sporting and technical regulations proposed by the Sporting and Technical Working Groups (both of which include senior members from all teams), and then putting them forward to the FIA's World Motor Sport Council for ratification.
In the past, all of the teams have had voting rights, along with engine suppliers, tyre manufacturers, race promoters, key sponsors. However, following the announced changes, just six teams - each from a different country - will have a say, along with five race promoters, plus a representative each from Formula One racing's commercial rights holder and the FIA.
The full list of those elected on to the 2008 Commission following a vote of the FIA World Motor Sport Council is as follows:
Teams:
Austria - Red Bull Racing
France - Renault
Germany - BMW Sauber
Italy - Ferrari
Japan - Honda
United Kingdom - Williams
Race promoters:
Australian Grand Prix
Brazilian Grand Prix
Hungarian Grand Prix
Monaco Grand Prix
Spanish Grand Prix
Formula One Constructors' Association (FOCA) is organization of the constructors who design and build the cars that race in the FIA Formula One World Championship. It evolved from the earlier Formula 1 Constructors Association F1CA; the name was changed due to unfortunate connotations in Italian language and came to be dominated by Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosley (originally a co-founders of March Engineering F1 Team). Frank Williams, Colin Chapman, Teddy Mayer, Ken Tyrrell were also members. FOCA served to represent the interests of their privately owned teams - usually against the race organizers and later against the manufacturer-owned or supported teams such as Ferrari, Marta and Alfa Romeo. Ecclestone became the organization's chief executive in 1978, with Mosley taking on the role of legal advisor.
In the early 1980s, the organization fell out with the sport's governing body - the FISA. The eventual resolution of this conflict saw Ecclestone take a more significant role in the running of the sport with the formation of FOA (Formula One Administration).
The Formula One Group is a group of companies responsible for the promotion of the FIA Formula One World Championship and exploitation of the sport's commercial rights. The Group is owned ultimately by Delta Topco, a Jersey-based company owned by CVC Capital Partners' funds (approximately 70%) and JPMorgan (approximately 20%). Bernie Ecclestone's family trust owns the remainder apart from small shares held by financial advisers and Ecclestone himself.
"Formula One Group" strictly refers to Formula One Management, Formula One Administration and Formula One Licensing BV, which are subsidiaries of the Formula One Holdings holding company. However Delta Topco owns other Formula One businesses which are referred to in the same way.
The Formula One Group companies are subsidiaries of Formula One Holdings (FOH), itself a subsidiary of SLEC Holdings. As of September 2007 the board of FOH consisted of Donald Mackenzie, Nicholas James Clarry, Sacha Jane Woodward Hill, Bernie Ecclestone and Duncan Llowarch.
Formula One Licensing BV owns the Formula One trademarks; the F1 logo, "Formula 1", "Formula One", "F1" and the "Sweeping Curves device" shown before Grands Prix.
Formula One Management Ltd. or FOM controls the media distribution and promotion of content regarding Formula One. The Formula One website content is managed by Formula One Management. Financially, FOM provides partial investment for tracks and teams in order to establish Formula One where its popularity may not be well established. FOM maintains the commercial rights to the team names and all media content regarding Formula One. Coordination of planning and racing events are done with the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile or FIA. In recent years, FOM has asserted its ownership of copyrighted video footage of Formula One by having infringing material removed from internet site.
The president of FOM is Bernie Ecclestone who has presided over the company since it has existed in its current form and Mr. Donald McKenzie is the major shareholder of FOM. Today the owner of FOM is a financial company, CVC.
The Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) is a new group of Formula One teams. FOTA was formed in Monza in September 2008. The teams met before in Maranello on 29 July 2008, and agreed to form FOTA, so originally July 2008 but September was the first official day of FOTA. Then teams agree in October for a first package of measures in Shanghai. This organization gives the teams a united voice in their discussions with the FIA and The Formula One Group regarding the future of Formula One and the teams.
FOTA Structure and Governing bodies:
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Chairman and Vice Chairman
The Chairman (or in his absence the Vice Chairman) presides the Executive Committee and the Members General Meeting. He is responsible for implementing their decisions and for supervising the work of the Secretary General.
Chairman and Vice Chairman bind FOTA with their joint signature.
Chairman and Vice Chairman are appointed for one year. -
Executive Committee
It is the executive body of FOTA and it is composed by a delegate from each Member plus the Secretary General (no voting right). It is chaired by the Chairman or, in his absence by the Vice-Chairman.
It has the powers to accept the admission of new Members or to decide their expulsion; to determine the annual Membership Fee; to compile internal regulations; to appoint the Chairman; to appoint or dismiss the Secretary General; to discuss on proposals on sport regulations with FIA; to negotiate with the Commercial Rights Holder.
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Working Groups
In 2010 there will be two standing Working Groups (Technical Regulations and Sporting Regulations). Decisions of the standing Working Groups are adopted with the same procedures of the Executive Committee and are not binding for the Executive Committee. Recommendations to the Executive Committee shall be delivered at least 10-day in advance.
Ad-hoc working groups can be created by the Executive Committee. In 2010Technical Regulations Working Group
- Chaired by Ross Brawn
Sporting Regulations Working Group
- Chaired by Christian Horner
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Ad-hoc Working Groups
Two ad-hoc working groups support the activities of FOTA: one composed by the Legal Officers of the Teams and one composed by the Financial Officers of the Teams.
-
Secretary General
The Secretary General is appointed by the Executive Committee to implement its decisions.
Situation at the end of 2010 was as follows:
| Executive Committee | Technical WG | Sporting WG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW Sauber | Peter Sauber Monisha Kaltenborn |
Willy Rampf | Beat Zehnder |
| Ferrari | Luca di Montezemolo |
Aldo Costa | Massimo Rivola |
| Force India F1 | Vijay Mallya Robert Fernley |
Mark Smith | Andy Stevenson |
| Hispania Racing F1 Team |
Colin Kolles | Geoff Willis | Manfredi Ravetto |
| Lotus F1 Team | Tony Fernandes | Mike Gascoyne | Graham Watson |
| McLaren | Martin Whitmarsh (Chairman FOTA) | Paddy Lowe | David Redding |
| Ross Brawn (Chairman TRWG) Nick Fry |
Steve Clark | Ron Meadows | |
| Red Bull Racing | Christian Horner (Chairman SRWG) | Paul Monaghan | Jonathan Wheatley |
| Renault F1 | Eric Boullier Bob Bell |
James Allison | Steve Nielsen |
| Scuderia Toro Rosso | Franz Tost | Giorgio Ascanelli | Gianfranco Fantuzzi |
| Virgin Racing | John Booth Graeme Lowdon |
Christian Silk | Dave O’Neil |
| Williams F1 | Frank Williams Adam Parr |
Patrick Head Sam Michael |
Dickie Stanford |
Association that represents the interests of Formula 1 drivers.
The GPDA was founded in 1961 and was active during the 1960s and 1970s. Then, as now, the GPDA's primary objective was to improve and maintain safety standards. This led to boycotts of the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in 1969 and the Nürburgring in 1970 and after 1976. Stirling Moss was first elected chairman. After Moss retired from the sport in 1963, Jo Bonnier succeeded him.
The organization was disbanded during the 1982 Formula One season due to the effects of the changing commercial organization of F1 and the conflicts between FOCA and FIA.
When the Austrian Roland Ratzenberger died in qualifying for the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994, he was the first F1 driver to perish during an event for 12 years. Driving for Simtek, Ratzenberger had only previously qualified for one F1 Grand Prix.
Next day, during the drivers' race briefing, a new Grand Prix Drivers Association was reformed to press for safety improvements. The GPDA's first directors were Michael Schumacher, Gerhard Berger, and Ayrton Senna.
Ayrton Sena died next day during the race.
The association has a permanent office in Monaco.
Membership of GPDA is not compulsory. Despite this, until recently all drivers were members. Joining the GPDA costs L2,000.
The members vote to decide their leaders. Currently there are again three directors of GPDA, one of whom is the chairman.
The FIA code that contains all the regulations governing international racing. The purpose of this Code and its appendices is to encourage and facilitate international motor sport. It can't be enforced so as to prevent or impede a competition or the participation of a competitor, save where the FIA concludes that this is necessary for the safe, fair or orderly conduct of motor sport. International Sporting Code regulates and describes all sorts of racing, including hill climb, circuit races, drag races, rallies and cross-country rallies, marathon cross-country rallies, Baja cross-country rallies, Truck racing, historic car events and all sorts of open cockpit races.
Any manufacturers wanting to enter the Formula 1 must prove to the FIA that they have designed and built the chassis of their racing cars. They are also obliged to compete in all the races in a particular season and to prove that they possess the necessary technical and financial means.
Restricted area of the pit lane in which the FIA's technical commissioners inspect the cars after each race to make sure they conform to technical regulations. Since the 2003 season, the cars must be taken into the parc fermé after the qualifying session. They are not cleared until Sunday morning.
Since the 2003 season, the first eight drivers in each race are awarded points for the championship ranking. The winner of the grand prix was awarded 10 points, the runners-up receive 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 respectively. The same points system was used for the manufacturer's championship. The system was revised in 2010 season because of the 3 new teams entering the sport. Under the new system, the race winner takes 25 points, with 18 and 15 being awarded for second and third places respectively. The next seven finishers will score 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1 point respectively. To receive points a racer need not finish the race, but at least 90% of the winner's race distance must be completed. Therefore, it is possible for a driver to receive some points even though he retired before the end of the race. In that case the scoring is based on the distance completed in comparison to other drivers.
If the race had for some reason to be abandoned before 75% of the planned distance (rounded up to the nearest lap) had been completed, then the points awarded are halved: 12.5, 9, 7.5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.5.
This committee, which the FIA commissions for each race weekend, monitors the activities on the circuit and makes sure the safety rules and regulations are upheld. The national race director is appointed by the racing authority of the country that runs a grand prix event. He must have an FIA super-license and is responsible for coordinating all the officials during the race. He co-operates with his superior, the FIA race director.
The FIA race director supervises the safety measures on the race weekend and makes improvements when necessary. Additionally, he decides whether the safety car should be used or whether the race should be stopped. If a driver does not behave in a sportsmanlike manner or if he endangers a competitor, the race director can recommend a penalty. The current FIA race director is Charlie Whiting from Great Britain.
The FIA draws up the sporting and technical regulations for Formula 1. The technical regulations primarily aim at two important things: speed should be controlled in the interest of safety, while simultaneously retaining the ongoing technical development so critical to the nature of Formula 1. In addition, safety is to be guaranteed in the case of an accident. To achieve these aims, the following factors have been limited: engine capacity, fuel composition, tyre size, tyre contact surface, minimum weight and width of the cars. The sporting regulations primarily control the procedure of a grand prix weekend.
All cars must undergo scrutineering at every Grand Prix. Scrutineering is the process that determines that the cars are safe to race and also adhere to the strict technical rules of Formula One.
The stewards run the race weekend at a Grand Prix. They make all the decisions with regard to rules, penalties and incidents. Stewards differ to marshals in that they control the event from race control as opposed to trackside.
Formula 1 driving license issued by the FIA. In the interest of safety, it is only granted on the basis of good results in the junior series or, in exceptional cases, if other proof of ability can be supplied. It may also be granted under provisional terms.
This panel of FIA experts lays down Formula 1 technical regulations. Every team's technical director is a member of the Technical Committee. The Committee makes recommendations to the FIA Formula 1 Commission. The decisions made by the Commission are in turn forwarded to the FIA's World Motorsport Council and must then be approved by the FIA's general assembly.
The FIA technical delegate, currently Jo Bauer from Germany, leads the team of technical inspectors (so-called scrutineers). They check whether the cars meet the regulations. If the technical delegate does not
think a car conforms to the rules, he makes a report to the racing commissioners, who are authorized to impose penalties.
In Formula 1, two World Championship titles are awarded – the drivers' title and the manufacturers' title. The drivers' title has existed since 1950, and the manufacturers' title was introduced in 1958. For the drivers, the points won in all the races are added up. If several drivers have the same points total, the title is determined by the final positions they achieved: the number of first places, followed by the number of second places, etc. In the manufacturers' division, the points that both of the team's drivers earn each race are added up.
