Ferrari 'to quit' over budget row

noisebox · Post by **noisebox** » 12 May 2009, 15:07

Looks like we're in for some fun over the next few weeks:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsp ... 044860.stm

homerbhoy · Post by **homerbhoy** » 12 May 2009, 15:11

Maybe there will be a Premiership style F1 with bigger teams like Ferrari, McLaren breaking away

tc3j3r · Post by **tc3j3r** » 12 May 2009, 15:12

This is it, the budget cap is going to have to disappear. :shock:

homerbhoy · Post by **homerbhoy** » 12 May 2009, 15:17

Nah i think there should be one, just not 40 million. could have it at say 100 Million

I want more teams to join.

We want more F1 Rejects dont we lol

Paul Hayes · Post by **Paul Hayes** » 12 May 2009, 15:30

I'd be very surprised indeed if we don't see Ferrari on the grid next year. However, I expect that the FIA will have to back down over some of their proposed changes, and in the end there'll be some sort of compromise.

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 12 May 2009, 15:31

Hmmm, I don't think the budget cap will disappear altogether, but it depends on what the constructor teams want to achieve. They will get some sort of benefit from this, no doubt.

Expect things aren't solved before the 29th May deadline. That'll be Max's first attempt at forcing the teams into his idea. Then we'll see what happens. I suppose Renault and BMW, although they agree with the budget cap more than Ferrari, will follow suit.

Remember the rule. Never threaten to do something you are absolutely unwilling to do. They're calling each other's bluffs now. It'll be interesting to see who blinks first; my suspicion is, in the end, Max will take a hammering out of this.

noisebox · Post by **noisebox** » 12 May 2009, 15:35

Max and Bernie have achieved what they wanted - looks like they have split FOTA down the middle. As it stands Ferrari, Red Bull, Torro Rosso and Toyota are against the budget cap, Force India, Williams and Brawn are in favour and I'm not sure about Renault, BMW and McLaren, but my guesss would be they would be against it. This will be interesting as you have Toyota and it's customer team Williams on opposite sides and potentially the same with the Mercedes teams. I can't see how this will be resolved at the moment.

noisebox · Post by **noisebox** » 12 May 2009, 15:36

CarlosFerreira wrote:Max will take a hammering out of this.

That's not really his style though...!

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 12 May 2009, 15:48

noisebox wrote:Max and Bernie have achieved what they wanted - looks like they have split FOTA down the middle. As it stands Ferrari, Red Bull, Torro Rosso and Toyota are against the budget cap, Force India, Williams and Brawn are in favour and I'm not sure about Renault, BMW and McLaren, but my guesss would be they would be against it. This will be interesting as you have Toyota and it's customer team Williams on opposite sides and potentially the same with the Mercedes teams. I can't see how this will be resolved at the moment.

Yup, this is gonna take some time. I want to see where Bernie stands on this one; I have a feeling he might finally desert Max and upset the balance.

razta · Post by **razta** » 12 May 2009, 16:27

Love it how Ferrari have said "SCREW YOU MAX!"
RedBull, STR, BMW, Mclaren, and Toyota have all but confirmed it too. Renault are 50/50

johnston21 · Post by **johnston21** » 12 May 2009, 16:42

Today's episode of "As the World (I mean Circus) Turns" is great.

All the "drama" you need to keep things lively between race weekends! :mrgreen:

Henrique · Post by **Henrique** » 12 May 2009, 17:01

I'm really surprised to see Red Bull in the list. I remember when the team started and they said on their website that they were different from the big manufactures whose "interests are clear". It's amazing to see them with the manufactures in such a list now.

Popi_Larrauri · Post by **Popi_Larrauri** » 12 May 2009, 18:51

Wich are the chances of getting a two categories F1, like FIA-GT running the same day?

Lets be realistic, there are arguments to stay in both positions. If you sit on the Ferrari Board, you have installations, people working, and an industrial capacity for your annual budget of 350 millions or so they expend each year. It's not as simple as "how will I endure and adapt myself with 40 millions? my god! If Minardi made cars 3.5 secs slower with that money them we are losers". More important than that, in the end, is that Ferrari IS an operation with a discounted cash flow planned to work on 350 millions, I mean, in terms on investment expectations. Shareholders (FIAT, but there must be more around) poured there a lot of money just to be reduced from one day to another to a small operation in order to save the small teams.

The other downside is that Franchising of F1 and adverstisement space will devalue. If you just need 40 millions instead of 400, then, I can push as sponsor to offer you less just because you don´t need it. I´m not saying this is 100% the factor, but it helps.

Personally, I found the cap necessary in order to stop the histerya of spending ridiculous amounts of money in something that it´s seems to be eating itself. In mid 90´s it ate alive teams like March, Brabhams, Lotus, Ligier, Tyrrell, and midfielders like Larrouse.. sure they all became involved in mismanagement and, even, on illegal operations 'aka' Lotus, but there where no counterpart that could replace them. Stewart, Jordan and Sauber the only serious cases.

In this decade the escalating cost and professionalisation made almost impossible a team to enter. Toyota being the only serious case, the others were just rebranding. Aside from that there are 48 millions pounds of inmobilised cash for two years, that really hinders any left chances of entering without retooling this rules (im not sure if true, but i heared that Williams received a bonus from high above in F1 (mmmhhh) of 15 millions in order to complete this year budget.. Williams, people!). Cost cap are needed if Ferrari wants to race against someone, but Bernie & Max (now a videogame comes to my mind, and Mosley should be the rabbit) should give more time to teams in order to adapt to new rules. It´s not that simple as "Ok, i´ll sack all this people and shut down this installations (by the way, how gazillions costed McLaren tech center?), no problem to me."

thehemogoblin · Post by **thehemogoblin** » 12 May 2009, 21:19

Henrique wrote:I'm really surprised to see Red Bull in the list. I remember when the team started and they said on their website that they were different from the big manufactures whose "interests are clear". It's amazing to see them with the manufactures in such a list now.

If they spend more than $40 million a year and are willing to do so, why would they want their budget capped?

Hell, Newey's salary is probably $40 million itself.

Fitch · Post by **Fitch** » 13 May 2009, 14:29

Renault have announced their intentions to leave as well........

BTW: This $40million Budget cap DOESN'T cove things like Personnel salaries and transportation costs, etc. It's ONLY for Technology and Car development........

From what I understand, or at least the way the teams are making it seem is that, they're concerned over the fact that the FIA convened for a Disciplinary Matter and when they adjourned announced, without any kind of warning that it would be discussed, that they had decided on these new rules for next season, and Sweeping changes at that.

Really what it boils down to is, Max doesn't like the Fact that the Teams have Banded together to form FOTA and that they were actually united in something...As opposed to the "old Days" when it was the FIA and Ferrari against Everyone else....Now that the Teams have FOTA they were speaking with a single Voice and the Max sees this as a Threat to his power in the FIA......

I think whats gonna happen is this will lead to the destruction of something...Either Max's presidency at the FIA or the Formula One World Championship AND Max's Presidency.......If Max allows F1 to be destroyed then the FIA as a whole will NOT be happy about it and He will be voted out of office.......

If he's voted out then I see HUGE changes coming to the FIA, as in they will find someone to be President who's not so Standoffish with the Teams.

R Rosset · Post by **R Rosset** » 13 May 2009, 17:25

All of this talk about Ferrari leaving F1 is simply absurd. If they would leave, which motor racing series would they go to? Perhaps World Rally Championship? I find that difficult to believe, since Ferrari's image has never been associated with rallying.
And what about NASCAR? What would Ferrari's Sprint Cup car look like? Kimi and Felipe racing against Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart at Talladega Speedway, shake and bake!
Not very likely scenario, that one. DTM and WTCC are out of the question aswell, since those cars don't look like Ferrari's road cars.
The fact is that GT racing aside, Formula 1 is the only motor racing series which suits the image of Ferrari. Therefore they will never leave F1.

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 13 May 2009, 17:55

R Rosset wrote:All of this talk about Ferrari leaving F1 is simply absurd. If they would leave, which motor racing series would they go to? Perhaps World Rally Championship? I find that difficult to believe, since Ferrari's image has never been associated with rallying.
And what about NASCAR? What would Ferrari's Sprint Cup car look like? Kimi and Felipe racing against Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart at Talladega Speedway, shake and bake!
Not very likely scenario, that one. DTM and WTCC are out of the question aswell, since those cars don't look like Ferrari's road cars.
The fact is that GT racing aside, Formula 1 is the only motor racing series which suits the image of Ferrari. Therefore they will never leave F1.

... and considering the reasons for the break-up, Ferrari wouldn't go to GT Racing, at least not an FIA-controlled one.

Klon · Post by **Klon** » 13 May 2009, 18:10

R Rosset wrote:DTM and WTCC are out of the question aswell, since those cars don't look like Ferrari's road cars.

Even though I would like to see Ferrari enter DTM, just to see them getting completely smothered by Audi and Mercedes, let's put Kimi in a DTM car and see him getting humiliated by the likes of Christijan Albers, Ralf Schumacher and Markus Winkelhock...

R Rosset wrote:The fact is that GT racing aside, Formula 1 is the only motor racing series which suits the image of Ferrari. Therefore they will never leave F1.

I would disagree, they would actually leave, if only for a year or so to show the FIA who's "boss" around here. They're the only ones, well maybe (but that's a HUGE maybe) Red Bull as well, which actually see the gap as a reason to pull out. Toyota and Renault (ESPECIALLY Renault) are simply looking for a cheap way out, so let'em go, let'em go. More space for new teams, who are commited to Formula 1.

LionZoo · Post by **LionZoo** » 13 May 2009, 18:37

Well the budget cap proposal is a traditional Max Mosley tactic: Ask for the moon. The response from the manufacturers is also traditional: Start throwing toys out of the pram. The result will be the same as well: They will settle for something that is acceptable to both parties and any changes will not be as revolutionary as previously suspected.

Popi_Larrauri · Post by **Popi_Larrauri** » 13 May 2009, 20:52

Fitch wrote:Renault have announced their intentions to leave as well........

BTW: This $40million Budget cap DOESN'T cove things like Personnel salaries and transportation costs, etc. It's ONLY for Technology and Car development........

Yes, yes, you are right. But, anyway, its a very low cap for Ferrari or McLaren. It´s just that the FIA never told them to spend less, and all of the sudden, they are to be budget-reduced to 40 M pounds on R&D. I don´t know if personnel salaries at develpment should be trated as just salaries, specifically. But the point is, if you are to spen only 40 M, its supposed that you 1) will do it in a way that it would be cheaper (desirable, but impossible sometimes) or 2) reduce the amount of developing and technology. If it is the former, then, you gonna need less personnel, and probably you won´t be able to upgrade equipments in R&D, because there will be less work to do.

It´s just still too low for an operation like McLaren or Ferrari, If they expend 400 all year covering everything I seriously have my doubts about 40 millions being enough. I believe at least they expend the double on R&D & Car Development.

It´s not the case that I love Ferrari. In fact, i don´t like them, but 400 anual budget is bussiness before averthing else, and I understand that.

Anyway, I do believe that until now, it´s a matter of "who rises higher the bet", and that most probably one part will put an step backwards. But i´m just pointing that the change is too radical and Ferrari got it´s cards to say no to the CAP.

I read from ¿Briatore? that the FOTA told Max & the usual suspects that they were eager to reduce cost. That the problem was that, from an year to the next, the change was too radical for them.

StoneColdSpider · Post by **StoneColdSpider** » 14 May 2009, 09:18

IF Ferrari leave... i wouldnt b surprised to see them back at Le Mans...... in a Prototype Car...

Ross Prawn · Post by **Ross Prawn** » 15 May 2009, 19:16

Yep, Ferrari have dropped a few hints about Le Mans over the last week or so.

And if they did give up on F1, it would be their natural focus of attention. Its the right image, and with the American Le Mans Series as well, its not bad marketing.

The ACO would love it. Imagine Ferrari and Aston battling for Le Mans. Better than Audi v Peugeot methinks.

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 15 May 2009, 19:18

Ross Prawn wrote:Yep, Ferrari have dropped a few hints about Le Mans over the last week or so.

And if they did give up on F1, it would be their natural focus of attention. Its the right image, and with the American Le Mans Series as well, its not bad marketing.

The ACO would love it. Imagine Ferrari and Aston battling for Le Mans. Better than Audi v Peugeot methinks.

I can just picture Ferrari and Aston battling it out. And Audi and Peugeot walking all over their faces :roll:

RejectSteve · Post by **RejectSteve** » 16 May 2009, 05:39

CarlosFerreira wrote:I can just picture Ferrari and Aston battling it out. And Audi and Peugeot walking all over their faces

I couldn't agree more. Ferrari will only enter a racing series if they have a legitimate chance to win and as we've seen in the last few years, the 'petrols' can produce the qualifying speed but they cannot sustain that race pace. Ferrari doesn't produce Diesel road cars so a Diesel-powered prototype would not have marketing relevency. The Scuderia whinge about anything and everything when things aren't going their way, like this year. That could work in F1, but the ACO seem pretty keen on Diesels, hybrids, biofuels, and other 'green' ideas. Ferrari might increase their involvment in GT2s or offer LMP engines, but to see a factory effort would be unlikely. Any action from the Ferrari factory would purely be posturing in their battle with the F1 budget cap.

StoneColdSpider · Post by **StoneColdSpider** » 16 May 2009, 06:28

i dont think Ferrari would win straight away at Le Mans
but IF all the crap hits the fans and all the teams that say they are leaving do leave then the next best and prestigious racing series would b the Le Mans series... i wouldnt b surprised IF Toyota left F1 they would also go to Le Mans.....

they could assault Le Mans in a GT class car.... while they work on a prototype car....

StoneColdSpider · Post by **StoneColdSpider** » 16 May 2009, 06:32

RejectSteve wrote:Ferrari might increase their involvment in GT2s or offer LMP engines, but to see a factory effort would be unlikely. Any action from the Ferrari factory would purely be posturing in their battle with the F1 budget cap.

Ferrari have done that in the past.... they built a Indy car many many many years ago to scare F1 into letting them keep running V12 engines.....

Debaser · Post by **Debaser** » 16 May 2009, 08:18

Ferrari won't leave-they're posturing to try and scare Max into changing the regulations and Bernie into giving them preferred treatment over the other teams. I expect Toyota to leave this year, they've won fairly recently at Le Mans. But I doubt they'll shut the team down, they will do what Brawn did with Honda and what Hayate did with Kawasaki in Moto GP and give money to a company to run their team. Atleast with Toyota we can sarcastically say "The car in front is a Toyota".

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 16 May 2009, 08:57

Debaser wrote:Ferrari won't leave-they're posturing to try and scare Max into changing the regulations and Bernie into giving them preferred treatment over the other teams. I expect Toyota to leave this year, they've won fairly recently at Le Mans. But I doubt they'll shut the team down, they will do what Brawn did with Honda and what Hayate did with Kawasaki in Moto GP and give money to a company to run their team. Atleast with Toyota we can sarcastically say "The car in front is a Toyota".

Much as I agree with what you said, allow me to be a bit pedantic and point out a small detail: Toyota did not win Le Mans recently, or ever. Their last attempt was in the 1998/1999 years, with the Andre de Cortanze-designed, TT-run GT-One. They faced Maercedes, BMW, Nissan, Porsche and, in 1999, Audi as well. BMW won the first, Porsche won the second of those races. 1999 is famous for the flight of the CLKs (Webber, among others), nad has been called "the race of the Century". That's probably an accurate description.

Incidentally, the only Japanese manufacturer to win Le Mans was Mazda.

Frentzen127 · Post by **Frentzen127** » 16 May 2009, 23:06

Fellow legend Ukyo Katayama was there duking it out for the lead in the last moments of the race when, as was often the case with him, things went wrong.
He had a tyre failure, and its actually quite scary to watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_lmacEmy78
As they have said there, how he managed to keep the car on the road after the puncture is anyone's guess.

RejectSteve · Post by **RejectSteve** » 17 May 2009, 03:32

CarlosFerreira wrote:Much as I agree with what you said, allow me to be a bit pedantic and point out a small detail: Toyota did not win Le Mans recently, or ever. Their last attempt was in the 1998/1999 years, with the Andre de Cortanze-designed, TT-run GT-One. They faced Maercedes, BMW, Nissan, Porsche and, in 1999, Audi as well. BMW won the first, Porsche won the second of those races. 1999 is famous for the flight of the CLKs (Webber, among others), nad has been called "the race of the Century". That's probably an accurate description.

Actually Porsche was the 1998 race before they withdrew from factory racing efforts at the conclusion of that year while BMW took their win in a titanic battle with Toyota. Webber actually flipped two CLRs, Peter Dumbreck had the famous flip during the race. Getting back to the Toyota GT-One, it was a three year project (1997 for design and development) allegedly costing the brand US$100 million to fail each time.

Interestingly, F1 Reject Yannick Dalmas flipped a Porsche GT1 98 at the Petit Le Mans (also widely available on youtube).

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 17 May 2009, 10:03

RejectSteve wrote:Actually Porsche was the 1998 race before they withdrew from factory racing efforts at the conclusion of that year while BMW took their win in a titanic battle with Toyota. Webber actually flipped two CLRs, Peter Dumbreck had the famous flip during the race. Getting back to the Toyota GT-One, it was a three year project (1997 for design and development) allegedly costing the brand US$100 million to fail each time.

Ah, yes. I seem to have confused the years of Porsche and BMW. At least from then on it's been easy - just Audi (or the other silly green Audi...) :mrgreen:

Yannick · Post by **Yannick** » 17 May 2009, 11:02

I guess seeing Ferrari having a try at Le Mans with a works team and the driver combinations Massa/Raikkonen/Gene and Schumacher/Badoer/Rossi would effectively be worth the amount they could save under Max's cost cutting regime.
And it would be worth watching as well!

Ross Prawn · Post by **Ross Prawn** » 17 May 2009, 13:32

RejectSteve wrote:
CarlosFerreira wrote:I can just picture Ferrari and Aston battling it out. And Audi and Peugeot walking all over their faces

I couldn't agree more. Ferrari will only enter a racing series if they have a legitimate chance to win and as we've seen in the last few years, the 'petrols' can produce the qualifying speed but they cannot sustain that race pace. Ferrari doesn't produce Diesel road cars so a Diesel-powered prototype would not have marketing relevency.

I'm of course assuming that Luca would 'agree' suitable rules with the ACO before entering.

VW Audi can stick around provided they enter as Bentley or Bugatti. I think anyway that the diesels are likely to be less dominant due to changes in the Le Mans rules.

jonnowoody · Post by **jonnowoody** » 18 May 2009, 09:30

I do hope that Ferrari can find a happy home in A.L.M.S.

Is it me or is there a case of the Emperor's new clothes here?

Heritage has never been my motivation for following F1. I can hardly remember what occurred in the rain at Monaco last year, and I was there!

As the pleasant memories of previous races fade, they enter the oblivion of all the other things that my brain has let slip - like where I left those scissors that I was looking for.

Ferrari can not be allowed to dictate the rules or protocol. They have been dictating the budgets for all this time to include the insane subsidy that they pilfer from the other teams.

I'm no advocate of Spanky's management style, but please, let them go. They'll be back by next season with their tailpipe between their legs, chastened, as a proper team again and most certainly the more competitive for it.

Captain Hammer · Post by **Captain Hammer** » 18 May 2009, 11:17

Ecclestone says thathe two-tier championship was a stupid idea to begin with:

Ecclestone optimistic after meeting with FOTA

18 May 2009

Bernie Ecclestone has said the FIA and the FOTA are close to an agreement to secure the future of Formula 1 with the current teams involved. The F1 boss furthermore confirmed that the two-tier system won't be introduced.

The most important item on the agenda for the Formula 1 teams was the budget cap the FIA wishes to introduce as of next season. The budget cap would give teams that would use it a number of big advantages, but something that seemed completely fair to most of the current F1 teams. The budget cap could still be introduced next season, but only if the FIA will come to an agreement with the FOTA on the limit of the budget cap.

"The two-tier system is out the window," Ecclestone confirmed to the Daily Mail. "I always thought that was a bit stupid. There has been an agreement in principal. Everyone is happy with a budget cap, it's just a case of working out the amount. I am confident all the teams will still be racing next year."

Crisis averted? Let's hope so.

Python · Post by **Python** » 18 May 2009, 13:51

jonnowoody wrote:I do hope that Ferrari can find a happy home in A.L.M.S.

Is it me or is there a case of the Emperor's new clothes here?

Heritage has never been my motivation for following F1. I can hardly remember what occurred in the rain at Monaco last year, and I was there!

As the pleasant memories of previous races fade, they enter the oblivion of all the other things that my brain has let slip - like where I left those scissors that I was looking for.

Ferrari can not be allowed to dictate the rules or protocol. They have been dictating the budgets for all this time to include the insane subsidy that they pilfer from the other teams.

I'm no advocate of Spanky's management style, but please, let them go. They'll be back by next season with their tailpipe between their legs, chastened, as a proper team again and most certainly the more competitive for it.

I doubt Ferrari would run in the ALMS unless they could make a LMP1 or LMP2 car that would cheap enough for teams to use and still be competitive. If they did decide to focus more on racing in the US, I would expect them to either have chassis or engines in the Grand Am series, or have their engines supply Indy cars.

Ross Prawn · Post by **Ross Prawn** » 19 May 2009, 10:38

I don't think Ferrari will pull out of F1 in the end. Its more a matter of Italian national pride than anything else.

But the thing is that sports car racing and Le Mans, is calculated to send a shiver up Max and Bernie's spine. For a start there are established events and series that they have little control over - Le Mans and ALMS. No need for manufacturers to set up a rival F1 series, they can just go into endurance racing.

And there was time in the days of the GT40, Gulf Porsche, Steve McQueen, Siffert and Rodriguez when endurance racing was massively popular and had similar status to GP's. But over the years the regulations got more restrictive, the entrants less interesting and the series very fragmented. So now its frankly a specialist set of series that doesn't get vast public interest.

And there are some who think that the decline of sports car racing was deliberately encouraged by the powers that be, in order that it would not threaten F1.

But there is the potential for a much better series there that could capture the public imagination. And its natural territory for the manufacturers. Imagine Ferrari, Aston, Porsche, Bentley racing against each other again in decent looking evocative cars, not the current generation of LMP1 roller skates. Could be excellent marketing. The main problem being that the format is not hugely TV friendly.

And unlike F1 there is a US foothold to build on in ALMS.

Personally I think it would be great if Ferrari left F1 to start building a much stronger sports car championship. And I think Max and Bernie would see this a serious threat. Probably won't happen though.

tristan1117 · Post by **tristan1117** » 19 May 2009, 11:30

Ross Prawn wrote:I don't think Ferrari will pull out of F1 in the end. Its more a matter of Italian national pride than anything else.

But the thing is that sports car racing and Le Mans, is calculated to send a shiver up Max and Bernie's spine. For a start there are established events and series that they have little control over - Le Mans and ALMS. No need for manufacturers to set up a rival F1 series, they can just go into endurance racing.

And there was time in the days of the GT40, Gulf Porsche, Steve McQueen, Siffert and Rodriguez when endurance racing was massively popular and had similar status to GP's. But over the years the regulations got more restrictive, the entrants less interesting and the series very fragmented. So now its frankly a specialist set of series that doesn't get vast public interest.

And there are some who think that the decline of sports car racing was deliberately encouraged by the powers that be, in order that it would not threaten F1.

But there is the potential for a much better series there that could capture the public imagination. And its natural territory for the manufacturers. Imagine Ferrari, Aston, Porsche, Bentley racing against each other again in decent looking evocative cars, not the current generation of LMP1 roller skates. Could be excellent marketing. The main problem being that the format is not hugely TV friendly.

And unlike F1 there is a US foothold to build on in ALMS.

Personally I think it would be great if Ferrari left F1 to start building a much stronger sports car championship. And I think Max and Bernie would see this a serious threat. Probably won't happen though.

I can already see Le Mans Rejects taking over this site.

RejectSteve · Post by **RejectSteve** » 20 May 2009, 00:59

Ross Prawn wrote:And there are some who think that the decline of sports car racing was deliberately encouraged by the powers that be, in order that it would not threaten F1.

Ah yes, the infamous 3.5 liter Group C sports cars nearly as quick as their F1 rivals. Of course, with these engines, shorter races, lessened reliability, and the ballooning costs associated with them, the FIA World Sportscar Championship died a pathetic death. Why would sports cars be required to run 3.5 liter normally aspirated engines? Just look at the heavy hitters in sports car racing in those days. Jaguar, who at the time were rumoured to join forces with Benetton, and Peugeot, who took their explosive engines to McLaren for '94. This, as you could expect, was all part of Bernie's master plan.

Why else would the Procar series have 3.5 liter mid-engined saloons?

As it has been discussed, this is positioning. Ferrari are staying in F1.