Formula One Teams’ Association call it a day // FOTA disbands after six years of fighting to cut costs
Published by Christine
FOTA, the F1 Teams’ Association, has called time, closing down with immediate effect, after six years of the teams working together to better the sport. The secretary general of FOTA, Oliver Weingarten, said: “I can confirm that FOTA has been disbanded as a result of insufficient funds to continue and a lack of consensus among all the teams on a revised, non-contentious mandate.”
The organisation originally came into being in 2008 to put up a united front for the teams against the FIA and Formula One Management. They managed to agree on an initial Resource Restriction Agreement to save costs, and faced off the threat of a two-tier championship with talk of a breakaway series.
However, there have been several rifts over the years, and both Red Bull and Ferrari withdrew in 2011. Toro Rosso and Sauber followed suit, leaving just seven members.
With the recent disappearance of Martin Whitmarsh, who was serving as chairman to the group, things have become even harder, and after six years, the association is folding.
