Formula 1 talks slowed up

A statement was issued just before Christmas stating that a pre-agreement had been reached and that F1 can look forward to thrashing out a solid base for its future from 2008, after the end of the Concorde Agreement, which currently governs F1. But, in Melbourne for the Australian GP, many important figures did not seem to be bursting with enthusiasm.

BAR team principal David Richards complained that things were taking too long for his liking, while Sir Frank Williams said: "The talks are about as mobile as my legs! My own personal opinion is that I doubt very much whether there will be a solution by June. We all pray for one quickly, but I doubt it."

BMW Motorsport director Mario Theissen added: "I hope there will be a commitment by the end of the season. If that can be achieved it will be okay in my view."

The replacement of the current need for unanimity among commission members is key to making more rapid progress on any F1 topic.

Williams explained: "There is an OA (Organisational Agreement) which the GPWC created with input from some of the teams and (FIA president) Max Mosley did say to me that there are some things, specifically the rule-changing proposals, which will undo the log jam of unanimity being necessary all the time. It could get very difficult otherwise. That would be good for F1 providing that the majority required is a sensible one and not just 51 percent. Something like 80 percent would be more sensible."

Mercedes Motorsport boss Norbert Haug said that things are "developing in a positive direction". He added: "It is frustrating that we cannot give details yet but I think everybody will be quite positively surprised by them. It will take a while but nobody wants to delay this process."