F1 teams threaten to boycott European races

[nz_climber]

story (http://f1.racing-live.com/en/index.html?http://f1.racing-live.com/en/headlines/news/detail/040119215045.shtml)

I don't think the teams should be charged if there is an accident, no team would purposly put their driver in danger (in any real racing series) - but accidents still happen

I guess this insures the IRL will never race in europe thou :saywhat:

[Lizzerd]

I hope I don't sound like I'm getting political here, but could somebody please tell me one thing, only one thing, that the EU has done or proposed that is a good thing? I really want to know...

[Peter Olivola]

So, F1 wants to be exempt from the law. What hubris. If they can really stand to give up their most lucrative market, let them. No society can long stand being blackmailed.

[cart7]

They'd have a field day with NASCAR. :rolleyes:

[cartcanuck]

So, F1 wants to be exempt from the law. What hubris. If they can really stand to give up their most lucrative market, let them. No society can long stand being blackmailed.


That seems a little harsh.

What I can't find are what laws does this pertain to? What do these laws state?

While we are seeing less and less deaths in racing (compared to the past anyways), and there should be some accountability held when someone dies, is all of the focus being put on the teams with these laws? I don't believe that teams, manufacturers, or tracks should be absolutely blameless and un-accountable for deaths when accidents happen, but if these laws are going to hold a team or the race series accountable under one big blanket for any situation, it seems a little too tough. There needs to be an open door for culpability in the event a team, manufacturer, track or organizer is negligent (no, I won't even mention TG and his flying circus). But how far should it go?

Does anyone know what the law states and how it applies to F1?

[Peter Olivola]

Liability laws vary from country to country. What F1 is trying to do is blackmail the EU into dropping the adoption of a uniform extradition code which would require all EU countries respect each other's laws regardless of whether or not they have the same law. As it stands now, extradition is handled by treaty between individual countries. This would put the EU in a position closer to the relationship between individual states within the U.S. on legal matters and work to reduce the jurisdiction hopping that seems to be a major passtime among white collar offenders.


That seems a little harsh.

What I can't find are what laws does this pertain to? What do these laws state?

While we are seeing less and less deaths in racing (compared to the past anyways), and there should be some accountability held when someone dies, is all of the focus being put on the teams with these laws? I don't believe that teams, manufacturers, or tracks should be absolutely blameless and un-accountable for deaths when accidents happen, but if these laws are going to hold a team or the race series accountable under one big blanket for any situation, it seems a little too tough. There needs to be an open door for culpability in the event a team, manufacturer, track or organizer is negligent (no, I won't even mention TG and his flying circus). But how far should it go?

Does anyone know what the law states and how it applies to F1?

[cartcanuck]

Thanks Peter. If that's all the F1 is worried about, they need to learn to pick their battles. It's the European "UNION", it makes sense that the EU countries would want to do this to create a more common justice system across Europe. This doesn't seem like it would be that big of a deal to F1.

[Dirty Sanchez]

Team bosses back Mosley

The Formula One team bosses have pledged to support Max Mosley’s quest to get an exception for Formula One from the new European Arrest Warrant legislation.

The new law will pose a serious threat to the F1 teams and their personnel as it allowed European countries to issue a warrant of arrest and extradite team personnel to their country in the event of a driver’s death during a race. Already Britain, Spain and Belgium have implemented the new law, while Germany, France and Italy have pledged to put it into practice before March 1.

"The opportunities that this law opens up are so far-ranging and penal that people involved in motor racing, and their families, will have to question whether it is worth racing in Europe," Eddie Jordan told The Guardian.

"I share significant concerns that [it] presents a potential risk for teams. The Williams team supports the FIA in its energies to represent formula one's interests in this matter," Sir Frank Williams said.

While McLaren's Managing Director Martin Whitmarsh added: "The European arrest warrant, as I understand it, is intended to apply for really serious crimes such as terrorism, drugs or money laundering. But we have had it explained to us that it has potentially Draconian powers and its potential use in connection with a sporting event has not been ruled out. But we would like to think it is inappropriate for such eventualities and would like an assurance to that effect."

[Peter Olivola]

Hubris: Everyone is equal but some animals are more equal than others.


Team bosses back Mosley

The Formula One team bosses have pledged to support Max Mosley’s quest to get an exception for Formula One from the new European Arrest Warrant legislation.

The new law will pose a serious threat to the F1 teams and their personnel as it allowed European countries to issue a warrant of arrest and extradite team personnel to their country in the event of a driver’s death during a race. Already Britain, Spain and Belgium have implemented the new law, while Germany, France and Italy have pledged to put it into practice before March 1.

"The opportunities that this law opens up are so far-ranging and penal that people involved in motor racing, and their families, will have to question whether it is worth racing in Europe," Eddie Jordan told The Guardian.

"I share significant concerns that [it] presents a potential risk for teams. The Williams team supports the FIA in its energies to represent formula one's interests in this matter," Sir Frank Williams said.

While McLaren's Managing Director Martin Whitmarsh added: "The European arrest warrant, as I understand it, is intended to apply for really serious crimes such as terrorism, drugs or money laundering. But we have had it explained to us that it has potentially Draconian powers and its potential use in connection with a sporting event has not been ruled out. But we would like to think it is inappropriate for such eventualities and would like an assurance to that effect."

[Dirty Sanchez]

Seeing how Williams and Newey have been treated in Italy over Senna's death, I am not at all surprised by this...

It should be noted that this law was written some 2 years ago and is just now becoming effective this year. Max and Co. had plenty of time to raise stink about this...

[Dirty Sanchez]

Formula One not above the law, warns EU

BRUSSELS (AFP) - The European Commission warned Formula One that it was not above the law over new EU-wide regulations relating to fatal accidents on the track.

Formula One supremo Max Mosley has warned that F1 will boycott races in Europe this year unless governments remove the threat of jail hanging over team officials in the event of a death on the track.

But Mosley, president of motor racing's governing body the FIA, was told in no uncertain terms that the EC would not bow to their demands.

"Mr Mosley is not above the law and the European arrest warrant applies to all citizens," Pietro Petrucci, a spokesman for EU justice commissioner Antonio Vitorino, told AFP.

"The debate has been closed for some time and is technically impossible to reopen. Formula One chiefs are waking up too late," he added.

"In any case we don't see why we would have made an exception and why we shouldn't have confidence in the justice system. It isn't just in sport that there are people with a high notion of responsibility."

In a statement issued from FIA headquarters in Paris Mosley took immediate issue with Vitorino.

"Mr Vitorino is clearly unaware that one EU government has already confirmed that the relevant provisions of the European Arrest Warrant do not apply to sport," he said.

"We anticipate that other EU governments will agree."

Mosley added that no F1 team regarded itself above the law, but he insisted: "They will not race where they do not feel safe. Mr Vitorino may not understand this but those who apply EU laws do."

The warrant, which took force across the EU on January 1, replaces extradition proceedings between the bloc's member states. It is designed to tackle serious offences ranging from drug trafficking to terrorism.

But Formula One team bosses are worried their staff could be targeted as a result of a fatal accident at a Grand Prix.

They want to avoid a repeat of the on-going legal process following the death of Brazil's three-time world champion Ayrton Senna at the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola, Italy, 10 years ago.

Mosley said the prospect of arrest under the new warrant for team principals, mechanics and technicians was "a real menace".

"Unless teams were given binding assurances that these procedures will not be used against them in the event of an accident, they simply won't race -- they won't take the risk," he told BBC radio Tuesday.

Mosley added: "Under the European arrest warrant, the local magistrate could simply order the arrest of whoever was concerned and have them carted off to the relevant country and lock them up until there was a trial.

"The difficulty is that at the moment there are no bail provisions under the European arrest warrant, it's all been rushed through on the basis of things like terrorism."

[stroker]

is Monaco part of the EU? :confused: