Analysis: Survival is the Name of the Game

Never mind keeping up with the neighbours.

Last weekend's British Formula One Grand Prix showed again that, while glamour team Ferrari go from strength to strength, survival is the name of the game at the poorer end of the paddock.

A month or two ago, Minardi boss Paul Stoddart was warning all and sundry that his team might not make it to the end of the season unless they got a slice of television money first earmarked for now defunct Prost. Stoddart eventually got it, after much resistance from some other bosses, and that immediate danger receded.

Then the spotlight turned on Arrows. Team boss Tom Walkinshaw, whose relationship with Stoddart has provided the paddock with its own 'Neighbours from Hell' saga, hammered out an 11th hour deal at Silverstone to keep Arrows on the road.

But he had to dip into his own pocket to prevent the team sliding into extinction and ensure further negotiations this week for a transfer of ownership. Leaving aside personal animosities, Stoddart considered the situation after the race and said something had to be done if Formula One was not to become the sole preserve of major manufacturers.

"The events of this weekend with Arrows have just shown yet again that the fragile end of the grid is just that," said the Australian entrepreneur. "It's sad for Formula One. Nobody wants to see a team go out of business, not even Tom.

"There are issues and those issues need addressing. If we're not sensible we're going to see eight teams lining up next year. I don't think anybody really wants that."

Wealth Divide

Silverstone, with Arrows garages shuttered up and empty on Friday, highlighted the divisions. While Ferrari cracked open the champagne and McLaren entertained guests in their lavish motorhome, the 'For Sale' signs might as well have been up elsewhere.

"We (Minardi) are okay now. We'll get through," said Stoddart. "Will we be here next year? I hope so. But we're going to have to do a lot to make sure that happens."

In Stoddart's opinion, the teams need to focus on proposals put forward by International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Max Mosley to try to cut costs and prevent the smaller teams from folding.

They include allowing teams to share key components such as suspension parts, rather than just engines, and introducing a new championship for engine manufacturers to give an added incentive to supply more than one team.

"I think that's where we really need to focus," he said. "Nobody wants charity, nobody is asking for charity.

"Formula One is special. None of us know what makes the magic up that makes it so special, why hundreds of millions of people want to watch us every week, why people come out in rain, hail and sun to watch us. But something makes it magical and it's very dangerous to mess with that formula.

"We need to create an environment where the smaller teams can exist because I think they make a very important part of the whole show of Formula One."

Two or three decades ago, teams came and went on a regular basis but there were far more of them about and the costs of competing were far lower.

"Twenty or 30 years ago Formula One wasn't the business it is today," said Stoddart. "Twenty or 30 years ago Formula One was a sport. Today it is a business and sadly the sport's a long way behind.

"We have something that is great, why don't we keep it great? Why don't we do enough to keep the teams in Formula One alive and kicking and able to be competitive?"