Its all about the money... and financial survival of the teams.

[csirl]

In my opinion, the situation we find ourselves in is down to the money. Some of the newspapers are quoting figures 400m as the difference between FOTA and Bernie. I dont know how accurate these figures are, but there is no reason to suggest that they arent off the mark - there are quotes of circuit owners paying in thr 15-20m range per event. I'm sure the TV rights are worth at least this again. There are allegations that only 50% of income is passed onto teams (implying that F1 total income is >800m).

Think of it this way. The 10 teams are being asked to adhere to a 40m budget in 2010 by F1. Even with this drastically reduced budget, the teams will have to raise the majority of the funding themselves.

Now, assume the 400m figure is accurate. Divided between the 10 teams it equals 40m each. So if FOTA takes Bernie out of the equation they could afford to pay 40m to all 10 teams. This means that even if the FOTA teams spent ZERO of their own money in 2010, they would still be able to put as good a car on the track as if they stayed in F1. Think about it. Without Bernie, the teams can survive with ZERO sponsorship and at ZERO cost to the manufacturers. Think how attractive this is to the teams in the current climate when sponsorship or manufacturer support is not guaranteed.

You have to remember that even though a lot of teams are manufacturer owned or funded, they are essentially self contained units. If the manufacturer pulls out, they do not cease to exist - they are either sold off or cast out on their own ala Brawn. If Renault pulls out, the team will revert to being independent Toleman. If BMW pulls out, the team will revert to independent Sauber. If Mercedes pulls out, the team will revert to simple McLaren. If Toyota pulls out, the team will do a Brawn. If you are a team manager, having your basic 40m guaranteed is the guarantee that you will survive. You're thinking about your own job and those of your fellow employees and are trying to keep as many as possible secure.

In summary, if you want to guarantee survival and not have to depend on the whim of manufacturers or sponsors, the only show in town is FOTA.