Dennis Concerned by WMSC Decision
McLaren team chief Ron Dennis has expressed reservations over a statement made by the FIA's World Motor Sport Council (WMSC), which suggests that even a unanimous agreement by the F1 teams would not be enough to bring rule changes to the sport
In a meeting held on March 30th, the WMSC said the technical regulations would remain unchanged until the end of 2007. But a statement released following that meeting said that "a proposal for change, unanimously supported by the Teams, would be considered by the WMSC."
Speaking to reporters at Sakhir, ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Dennis remained skeptical about the WMSC's decision and its implication.
"If you look at the words they say they would consider changing if there was unanimous agreement from the teams. The word is 'consider'," Dennis said. "Behind that is something I struggle with. All teams feel that, with their partners, as a group they are pretty entitled to say if we unanimously agree something we would like it introduced. I don't understand that if something is unanimously agreed it should be supported by the regulatory body.
"That statement makes me feel uncomfortable. No-one is against anybody. We are trying to work towards a situation where teams have clear understanding of what technical and sporting regulations we will have."
Asked whether he plans to attend a meeting in two weeks set up by FIA president Max Mosley, which is aimed at discussing possible rule changes for the future, Dennis said the decision on attending the meeting would be made by the entire group of nine F1 teams, which include all teams bar Ferrari.
"Either all nine teams will go or none of the nine teams will go," Dennis stated. "It will come out of a meeting before. If we do not go it will not be out of disrespect for the FIA. It is just we would like to have a clear understanding of what we want.
"What we are talking about is post-2007 - there's a bit of time yet. We are trying to be a bit more considered than people have accused us of in the past. We are trying to make Formula One a better formula, we are trying to make Formula One better."
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