The Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) will unveil a vision and accompanying plans on Thursday to shape the direction of Formula One over the next few decades.
In what will be FOTA’s first public show of unity since the formation of the organisation last year, the teams will use a press conference in Geneva to unveil a series of proposals aimed at increasing the stability, sustainability, and spectacle of the sport.
Senior team representatives met today to put the finishing touches to their blueprint using the results of a FOTA-commissioned survey of Formula One audiences across 17 countries, the findings of which will also be unveiled on Thursday.
The specifics of the proposals remain a closely guarded secret, but sources have revealed to Autosport that plans to revise the qualifying format, adjustments to the points structure, mandatory tyre changes and more availability of team data for fans are believed to be among the ideas being considered.
FOTA chairman and Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said in the official invitation to the event: “These plans are the result of a series of meetings held over the past few weeks and months, all of them with a common goal: to make Formula One commercially sustainable, environmentally friendly and compellingly attractive for spectators, TV viewers and Internet consumers alike for years to come.â€
The proposals will be part of a broader vision for the future of grand prix racing which Di Montezemolo has already outlined under the auspices of what he refers to as the Four Ss of grand prix racing: stability, seriousness, success, and sustainability.
“I think that F1, which is our life, nowadays needs the four Ss ,†he said earlier this year [see separate story HERE]. “Stability, because regulations can t be changed every six months or every year, as that means being unable to program and it means the public becomes disoriented;
“Seriousness: these are financially difficult times, so we need common vision, seriousness, professionalism, and most of all never give the impression there are divisions;
“Show, or success, which is the same thing, therefore we need to look hard at the race weekend, the circuits, overtaking, the regulations;
“Sustainability: that s made of costs and returns; no team, no company can stand on its feet if it doesn t balance costs and returns.â€
Following its formation last September, FOTA created three working groups, whose remit has been to focus on the technical, sporting and commercial aspects of Formula One and recommend developments in each of those areas, in conjunction with the FIA and FOM.
It is understood that representatives from each of these working groups will present at tomorrow’s press conference.
