FIA confirms no 13th team, 20 GPs for 2011
Sep.8 (GMM) The FIA has confirmed reports that formula one will not feature a 13th team in 2011. The rumours about the governing body’s decision emerged on Tuesday, but Jacques Villeneuve – bidding to launch a team in partnership with Durango – said the media had jumped the gun.
FIA President Jean Todt arrives for a busy day at the office
It is also believed Spain’s Epsilon Euskadi was still in the running for the final entry. But after a World Motor Sport Council meeting in Paris on Wednesday, the FIA said “none of the candidates met the requirements” to debut next season.
The FIA statement read: “Following the press release of 19 March 2010 calling for expressions of interest to participate in the 2011 and 2012 seasons of the FIA Formula One World Championship, a number of interested parties expressed their interest. It was considered that none of the candidates met the requirements to be granted an entry into the Championship. Consequently, the allocation of the 13th team will not be granted.”
The governing body also confirmed that, in addition to drivers needing super licenses, also requiring a F1 license in future will be team bosses, managers, technical directors and race engineers. The move is a response to the 2009 crashgate scandal, when the FIA found its powers limited to sanction team chiefs Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds.
The FIA statement read: “The World Motor Sport Council will submit a proposal to the General Assembly that a specific licence is created for a restricted list of members of staff of the competitors entered in the FIA World Championships. The aim is to introduce a system that ensures they are subject to the criteria set out in a new FIA Code of Good Standing. This would apply to a minimum of six people per competitor, including the Team Principal, Sporting Director, Team Manager, Technical Director and two race engineers (or equivalent). A new mechanism will be introduced to control access to areas under the jurisdiction of the FIA and no pass of any kind will be issued to any person or body who is not in good standing for the purposes of the FIA International Sporting Code. Entrants will also become responsible for their staff, meaning any person connected directly or indirectly with the entrant in connection with their participation in an event.”
Another decision is that drivers will lose their F1 seats if they lose their road drivers license, and could be disciplined if “involved in a serious road traffic offence”. This move is undoubtedly in reaction to Lewis Hamilton’s ‘hoon’ antics in Melbourne earlier this year.
The FIA statement read:” The FIA, both in its motor sport and mobility roles, has a strong interest in promoting road safety. Competitors at FIA events must act as ambassadors for the sport, be aware their conduct on the road must be exemplary and respect road safety rules. A proposal to amend the international sporting code will be submitted to the FIA General Assembly to clarify that any holder of an International Super Licence must also be in possession of a current road driving licence. Additionally, the Code will be amended to clarify that if an International Super Licence holder is involved in a serious road traffic offence recognised by a national police authority, the FIA, depending on the severity of the case, may issue a warning or refer the matter to the International Disciplinary Tribunal, which may temporarily or indefinitely withdraw the competitor’s International Super Licence.”
Also in Wednesday’s meeting, preceding the Ferrari team orders hearing in the rainy French capital, an unprecedented 20-race calendar for 2011 was ratified.
There are four back to back races, an inaugural Indian grand prix in October, and Brazil takes over as the venue of the season finale, with an unusually late November date.
As was the case this year the Bahrain Grand prix will kick start the season while in a role reversal (to this year) the Brazilian Grand Prix is scheduled to be the final race next year with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which is the final round this year, is slated as the penultimate round in 2011.
The 2011 Formula One World Championship calendar is confirmed as follows:
13/03 Bahrain
27/03 Australia
10/04 Malaysia
17/04 China
08/05 Turkey
22/05 Spain
29/05 Monaco
12/06 Canada
26/06 Europe
10/07 Great Britain
24/07 Germany
31/07 Hungary
28/08 Belgium
11/09 Italy
25/09 Singapore
09/10 Japan
16/10 Korea
30/10 India*
13/11 Abu Dhabi
27/11 Brazil
* Subject to the homologation of the circuit
drivers will lose their F1 seats if they lose their road drivers license, and could be disciplined if “involved in a serious road traffic offence”
seriously?? LOL Why don’t they just neuter them and get it over with? So, an F1 driver could loose their drive because of a speeding ticket??? I wonder how a corporate sponsor would feel if say Hamilton or Alonso had to sit out races for something so trivial? This is racing and the FIA shouldn’t be allowed to control peoples lives outside of their time on track.