FÓRMULA-1

FIA ACCELERATES EXIT OF FERRARI IN 2021
Jean Todt, president of the International Automobile Federation, believes the time has come to end one of Ferrari's F1 privileges. According to Todt, the veto power of the Italians to the proposed new rules of F1 belongs to the past and should be discarded.Todt believes the veto made sense in an isolated Ferrari era as one of the few teams not based in the UK in the 1980s. Nowadays, the story is different."This veto is from the time of the Enzo Ferrari, when he was isolated in Maranello," recalled Todt, Ferrari's former chief of staff in F1. "It was the only team that provided engine and chassis, while others were all Ford partners. At that time, being far from what we might call Silicon Valley of motorsport, they needed protection. This is the history of the veto. Personally, I feel like I'm not in favor of it. Times have changed, "he said.The veto allows Ferrari to alter any proposed change in the regulation. In 2015 - the year of the most recent use of power - the Italians prevented the creation of a price ceiling for the sale of engines and exchange boxes for opposing teams.
Not long ago F1 had the chance to end the veto. At the beginning of the decade, teams gathered and retained the exclusive power of Ferrari.
"I was the only one against, the only one," Todt said. "I remember it was a meeting in Paris at the FIA headquarters. It was a meeting of commercial rights holders and all the teams were there. I asked about the position regarding the Ferrari veto and everyone said that it had no problem. So it would be inappropriate for me alone to say that I am against the veto. We only change the words in the writing of the veto, "he revealed.
In the near future, however, history may take another turn. Liberty Media does not hide the desire to revise Ferrari's privileges - in addition to the veto power, the biggest slice in F1's prize money division. The negotiations are part of a package of changes to be introduced in 2021.

G. P.