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The sound of silence from the GPMA
That the members of the Grand Prix Manufacturers' Association have not, individually or collectively, reacted to FIA President Max Mosley's latest pressures is no surprise, for, in light of the pact agreed to by the signatories - BMW, Honda, Mercedes, Renault and Toyota - they may not legally commit to other than themselves until end-September this year.
Following a GPMA meeting convened in great secrecy last year by BMW Main Board Member Dr Burkhard Goschel at Bavaria's moated, eleventh century Schloss Hohenkammer, members are prohibited from entering into conflicting agreements, whether with Bernie Ecclestone's companies or the FIA directly, for a period of one year. The agreed penalty for any breach? Lasting dishonour and scorn of the type heaped upon Ferrari for breaking ranks, plus unlimited fiscal damages payable to the rest of the membership...
Thus, no matter what their individual inclinations may be, no matter what the repercussions of not submitting entries for the 2008 Formula One World Championship by Mosley's suggested D-Day ('a few weeks after' the World Motorsport Council Meeting scheduled for 23 March), no matter whether the main boards of these companies may wish to succumb to the latest commercial terms offered by Ecclestone, the simple fact remains that they legally cannot do so.
