OCTOBER 12, 2002

Is Arrows on the F1 Commission?

The meeting of the Formula 1 Commission at the end of the month will be a key one for the sport with radical proposals being put forward by Max Mosley to revolutionize the sport. In order for these to get through the Commission a majority of 18 votes is needed from the 26 available. The Commission is made up of the FIA President, Bernie Ecclestone, the Commercial Rights Holder, the team bosses have 12 votes between them. There are two votes for sponsors (Exxon Mobil and Marlboro), one vote for the tire companies (Bridgestone), one vote for the engine manufacturers (Martin Whitaker of Ford) and eight votes for the race promoters: four from European races and four from non-European events.

The voting is complicated by the fact that there are not 12 teams. At the moment Prost is gone and Toyota does not have any voting rights. This means that in theory there are 10 teams. It is arguable as to whether Arrows still has a vote. The catch is that the 12 votes go with the majority so that if seven teams are in favor of change then the 12 votes will go in favor of a change. Without Arrows however things are very different as it would take only five teams to have the necessary majority. So five votes translates to 12 votes and all that is needed is six other votes in order for a motion to be passed.