The seven Michelin teams that were hauled up before the FIA World Motor Sport Council last Wednesday were ready to walk out of Formula 1 if they had been handed race bans or other draconian penalties.
According to the Times newspaper, the ‘gang of seven’ – McLaren, Renault, BAR, Williams, Toyota, Sauber and Red Bull Racing – plus serial rebel Minardi had agreed to split from the official F1 series and launch the breakaway Grand Prix World Championship more than two years ahead of schedule.
That would have left only world champions Ferrari and tail-enders Jordan in the FIA’s corner.
In the event, the Michelin teams were found guilty on two comparatively minor counts and any penalty will not be imposed until mid-September.
FIA president Max Mosley has hinted that the teams will be treated leniently if they ensure that US race fans are adequately compensated and Michelin takes steps to prevent a repeat of its Indianapolis tyre woes.
However, the fact that the teams were willing to call Mosley’s bluff indicates that the schism between the GPWC, backed by the major carmakers, and the Formula 1 powers-that-be has now reached crisis point.
The breakaway faction is meeting in Munich today ostensibly to finalise plans for the rival series it still plans to launch in 2008, when the current Concorde Agreement runs out.
However, the ‘rebel’ teams are also expected to select a candidate to stand against Mosley in the upcoming FIA presidential election.
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